What's the story with Madonna's appearance? She seems to be getting thinner and thinner (check out her arms) yet her cheeks remain full and soft. Can this be due to plastic surgery?
I think it is. There are three ways to effectively add volume to the face. The first is facial fat grafting. This is one of my favorite plastic surgeries to perform because it is minimally invasive and can really return a nice, youthful softness to the face. The second way to add volume to the face is via solid implants. With the exception of a chin implant, I am not a fan of these types of facial implants. Some of them require screws to keep them in place. Due to their hard nature, they also do not achieve the softer look of facial fat grafting, or the third technique: Sculptra injections. I believe Madonna may have had Sculptra injections to her face over the last several years to retain volume and softness. Sculptra is FDA approved for HIV-related facial wasting, but is often used for general cosmetic reasons. I think it is a very effective way to enhance the face.
So why do I think Madonna has had Sculptra and not facial fat grafting? Since it appears the fat in the rest of her body has all but disappeared, I would expect the same to occur in her face. However, even with an extremely thin body, her cheeks remain full. Sculptra-enhanced cheeks should not deflate quite as much as fat-enhanced cheeks.
For more of my thoughts on Madonna's possible $100,000 worth of plastic surgery, check out last week's issue of In Touch Weekly.
Photo credit: IDontLikeYouInThatWay.com
Thanks for reading.
Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:
