Reconstruction of the Cheek

The goal of cheek reconstruction is to restore an illusion of “normal.” Attention must be directed toward the contralateral cheek skin color, texture, thickness, and contour, because this serves a template for reconstruction. The cheek is a peripheral facial subunit and largely frames the more central subunits (eyelids, nose, lips). As such, avoiding distortion or disfigurement of the central subunits is of paramount importance. The cheek possesses significant tissue laxity, elasticity, and mobility, thus allowing for the vast majority of cheek defects to be addressed with primary closure, local flaps, or locoregional flaps.