Body Image and Issues after Weight Loss - Sunken cheeks

After losing over 130 pounds, I find that I've gone from having a perfectly round, plump face to one that looks overly hollowed out. And I'm still not finished yet... I still have a spare tire that I'm working off, and I'm worried that by the time I'm finished I'll look like I've spent a few years in a war zone.

I'm sure plenty of you have experienced this too. Does anyone have any tips for dealing with this? Does it improve over time? Have you tried facial fillers or anything of the sort?

I don't care for perfection, but I really hate that my face bears so much evidence of my massive weight loss.

Sorry I dont have any advice, but I wanted to congratulate you on your 132 lb loss! You must have worked so very hard!!!!

You look great, you're just not used to seeing yourself with cheekbones!
Spare tire, I didn't see that in the pictures, but if you were hiding it well I'll take your word for it.

I approached my weight loss the same way--changed one habit at a time until I arrived at a healthy plan that I think I can stick with. Not the quickest way to lose but it worked for me.

I'm wondering when I will notice this - and also when enough fat will go away that I have my first wrinkles. I guess I'll have to trade one for the other.

You look perfectly normal ~ your cheeks aren't sunken at all. You just have to get used to your new facial shape. You were pretty at your high weight but you are a knockout now.

I saw your pictures.Your face is beautiful.I definately dont see what you do.

I agree with the others!
Your face looks beautiful and not sunken in at all!
When I look at old pics of myself I am shocked at how round and puffy my face was-- I never noticed until I lost weight. It was the first comment people made while I was losing weight too.

You are lucky to be younger than me though. Now I see wrinkles and extra skin that the fat had "puffed" out....

You look great, you're just not used to seeing yourself with cheekbones!
Spare tire, I didn't see that in the pictures, but if you were hiding it well I'll take your word for it.

Hahah, yes I hide it (many thanks to the makers of Spanx!) though I figure another 10-15 pounds will minimize it. As for my cheekbones, yeah, I'm not used to them yet, and I'll definitely give myself time before doing anything drastic. But lately I've gotten so many comments about how thin my face is compared to the rest of me, and some people are actually worried. I don't like these lines either!


You look perfectly normal ~ your cheeks aren't sunken at all. You just have to get used to your new facial shape. You were pretty at your high weight but you are a knockout now.

I saw your pictures.Your face is beautiful.I definately dont see what you do.

Thanks DCHound and harrismm :) Though I have to admit that the picture I have on my progress page is a good one... my face definitely looks more sunken in person. Actually, my face was the first place to see a big change, and while I was losing the major pounds, my face became "normal" when the rest of me was still overweight. It stinks.

I agree with the others!
Your face looks beautiful and not sunken in at all!
When I look at old pics of myself I am shocked at how round and puffy my face was-- I never noticed until I lost weight. It was the first comment people made while I was losing weight too.

You are lucky to be younger than me though. Now I see wrinkles and extra skin that the fat had "puffed" out....

Michele, it's shocking to go back and look at old photos of myself --even ones that I've seen hundreds of times. Like you, I never really noticed how big I was, it's amazing!

As for the wrinkles/extra skin, even though I'm still in my 20's I'm definitely not immune. I have some surgeries in my future, for sure. Right now, though, I'm more concerned with what people can see --my face. I just want to know if there is anything that can help in the meantime.

Hee you are beautiful - perfectly normal face. Let your brain catch up to the mirror :)

I second what Glory (and others) are saying. I don't see a sunken face at all; I see a beautiful, glowing, healthy young woman with pretty cheekbones.

I honestly didn't expect so many compliments (and I wasn't fishing for them, Scout's honor...) so thank you. But I'll leave my question open, if anyone has any tips for dealing with weight loss-related skeletor syndrome, please let me know! :)

Drina - Everyone told me they didn't see it on me, but my mom saw it and others who were very close saw it. I think that over the next 6 months to a year, my body sort of "evened out" and that gauntness went away. At the same time, my eyes adjusted so I started seeing myself as more normal. Both moved me toward a happy medium of not being bothered by the gauntness now (and my mom thinks I look tons better).

Drina--you look beautiful--the pic of health! If you look like you've been in a war zone, i wish someone would draft me!

Drina, you are so gorgeous!

I don't think you look gaunt, but I see why you might hear that. Like Mandalinn, I heard that from those close to me and like her, it's something that "evened out" over time.

Honestly.. You look great!
As for the people who tell you they're worried.. I got that too when I got to about 150lbs the first time. Family was worried, people told me I was anorexic...
The friend told me I was anorexic IMO was jealous.. when she told me that I was putting away a half eaten single serving bag of dorritos.. clearly, I'm not anorexic if I'm eating ;)

My family.. got used to the way I look. After a few months of me staying where I was, they thought it was normal.

People will get used to it. In the end, I'm still not at the "normal" weight. Once I get there, that's when I personally plan to stop. I know when I get there, there may be some who say it again.. but it's my body, I'm healthy..

And generally the other people that said they were worried, were overweight themselves and need to lose some.

Overall, you are beautiful! Embrace the "new" body you have. You don't need any special makeup or anything to cover up some "flaw" you think you have. You have worked very hard to become what you are, don't cover that up!
You too need some time to get used to yourself.. Keep up the hard work! You're an inspiration! :flow1:

I get a lot of "You're done, right?" but no one ever tells me I'm gaunt, or sickly, or too skinny! I figure that means I'm just not that skinny :) Seriously, I think it's just a matter of getting used to how you look now, and giving your body time (may be months or even a year) to settle in. I don't worry about you finding the right weight for you, because I know you have such a sensible approach :) I think the changes just startle us sometimes.

I think that over the next 6 months to a year, my body sort of "evened out" and that gauntness went away. At the same time, my eyes adjusted so I started seeing myself as more normal.

I hope that's the case for me too. I know it's hard to see on the most recent photo on my progress thread, but my face really does look like it's slowly imploding. And yes, part of my perception could be due to a contrast effect, but then again, even a fairly new friend who hasn't seen me overweight has noticed...


Drina--you look beautiful--the pic of health! If you look like you've been in a war zone, i wish someone would draft me!

Hahahah, thanks, I certainly feel healthy, so it's nice to hear that people see me that way (even though I still contend that it's just a really good picture! I've seen others of myself that aren't nearly as flattering...)


I don't think you look gaunt, but I see why you might hear that. Like Mandalinn, I heard that from those close to me and like her, it's something that "evened out" over time.

Sounds encouraging!


Overall, you are beautiful! Embrace the "new" body you have. You don't need any special makeup or anything to cover up some "flaw" you think you have. You have worked very hard to become what you are, don't cover that up!

Thanks tdiprincess, I certainly am willing to accept everything that comes along with losing weight. The side effects are insignificant, really, but hey, if I can avoid them, all the better ;)


I get a lot of "You're done, right?" but no one ever tells me I'm gaunt, or sickly, or too skinny! I figure that means I'm just not that skinny :)

Yeah, I hate that question, especially when it seems like everyone is asking it. So far, people have been generally supportive, and nobody has told me that I'm too skinny overall, only that my face is starting to look a little hollow (the rest of me is a different story). I think my face was the first place to experience a significant loss --it became "thin" before the rest of my body did, and in fact, certain areas (tummy and thighs come to mind) have a lot of catching up to do. So I'm worried that since I still have some more weight to lose that my face will get even thinner than it is right now. Hopefully, though, I'll "even out" eventually as was mentioned by the other posters.

I really lost a lot of weight (http://gloriana.myphotoalbum.com/view_photo.php?set_albumName=album02&id=before2) in my face (http://gloriana.myphotoalbum.com/view_photo.php?set_albumName=album02&id=pretty_green_shirt). You can't control how the weight comes off. I'm a pear, to get the bottom half where I want it, I got skinny on top (check out those collar bones!). This is my body, my body has always been a pear. I am the same shape as I ever was, just smaller. I just have to accept that this is my face, cheekbones and hollow cheeks and all. I just couldn't see it before when I was so much heavier. I would much rather have a thin face than my big old bootay.

Just to add - when I look at your progress pics, I don't see a thin face. You look perfectly normal. You look like a slender, healthy woman. It did take me awhile mentally to catch up with the present. If you were used to seeing heavier you everyday in the mirror - well, you look a lot different. You were pretty before and pretty now, just different.

Wow, you have the best cheekbones! I don't think you look hollowed out. I think you look fantastic!

I have personally noticed some wrinkles on myself now that the weight is off, but I am also 36 and they are laugh lines, so I am just trying to deal with it.

It did take me awhile mentally to catch up with the present. If you were used to seeing heavier you everyday in the mirror - well, you look a lot different. You were pretty before and pretty now, just different.

Thanks Glory. I'm sure that's part of it --I still get startled when I see pictures of myself, but I do sincerely believe I'm starting to acquire the "I've been dieting" look in my face... it's much more apparent when I'm not smiling and gathering the volume into my cheeks. When I have a chance I'll post another photo.


I have personally noticed some wrinkles on myself now that the weight is off, but I am also 36 and they are laugh lines, so I am just trying to deal with it.

Midwife, my laugh lines are much more pronounced now, too. Have you tried any products/procedures that have worked well?

I have! Oil of Olay Reginerist! If you belong to Costco they have a package, two for the price of one. It's expensive but it's totally worth it. I was a heavy smoker, quit six months ago today in fact. I had cracked & bleeding (yuck) wrinkles on my forehead. You literally CANNOT SEE THEM today except under brightlight with a magnifying mirror. It's a miracle. Little red jar. Great stuff!!!!!!

Ooh, yay, thanks DC! I'll definitely give that a try.

You will not be sorry! It really worked miracles on my face, and I'm not exaggerating. I'm 39 and one of our interns here at work guessed my age at 31 last week~!

I've been told that you have to give your body time to adjust to your new weight, and that the gauntness often does go away within a few months. As other people have said, usually it "evens out" over time!

Hi there!
Your face when you started was ROUND.
Your face NOW is model-worthy. Seriously. You look amazing. You just might not be used to less "roundness", but you don't look like someone with a "sunken face". I think you just aren't used to it. So give yourself a year to get used to your new body...
You look FAB.
Kira
Kira

Now, almost a year at goal, I think my face has "evened out" some. I think it is a combination of, my body continuing to settle in and actually re-distribute itself (I did seem to lose from the extremities - inward on this journey), and becoming more used to seeing a thinner face in the mirror.

Everyone is correct - you look great - no need to change a thing. Different hairstyles and make-up techniques can fun to try. I'm amazed at how easy it is to change the appearance of my face with just a few little tricks.

Are you kidding me? You look phenominal! You do not have sunken cheeks!

I just looked at your pics and you look gorgeous, seriously.

I think it's just a matter of you not being used to it, yeah. I know that at my lowest weight, my face was a lot more angular and I didn't recognize myself at my highest weight. Sort of the opposite problem, but I just mean that it takes some time to get used to mentally, especially if your face seems to be changing shape, because any difference to what you see in your face can be shocking, even if it still looks good! You'll get used to it eventually.

Thanks for all the kind words! I'll have to take some new pictures and post them, maybe without smiling, so that you all have a better sense of what I mean. I don't think it's severe by any means, but with at least 11 pounds left to go I'm hoping it doesn't get any worse. And if anyone has any advice regarding potential treatments, please let me know :)

I just looked at your pics again, I really think you are just seeing the natural shape of your face, high cheekbones, defined jaw line and narrowed chin. In your last pic, you look so much like a friend of mine, you have very similar face shapes and she is just as beautiful as you are.

OMG!!! I just looked at your pics and you look AMAZING!!!! I was really blown away at your transformation. You're beautiful!!!! I was so amazed at your tranformation I completely forgot about the post regarding the sunken cheeks. I'm sorry but I don't see it - it think you look great!!

Goodness, I was expecting to see someone who looked like a meth addict if I read your description right. Girl, you are so pretty! I'd love to have your facial structure...just give yourself some time to get used to it. As for lines and wrinkles, all are signs of humor and wisdom. If they bother you greatly, invest in a high-quality skin treatment system (like Clinique or Babar). Always wear sunscreen under your make-up. Wear hats in the sun. And your skin will really respond to drinking lots of water, so stay hydrated.

It's so funny that you would post this. It's exactly what I've been worrying about since last night when I caught a glimpse of my face in the mirror unexpectedly.
You look gorgeous! You are still very young so your face looks wonderful!
I on the other hand am seeing the age in my face as it shrinks. I'm so glad you asked the question though, it made me feel better to read that maybe it will even out over time. I've had a couple of people ask if I've lost the weight due to illness. That probably is messing with my head too. I agree with Glory when she said she would rather have a skinny face than a big old bootay, lol!
I'm noticing it more when I'm tired. I'm 45 though, so I think that is normal for a 45 year old.

So I did it... Earlier today I went to my dermatologist and got Juvederm injections. It was quick, about 15 minutes or so, and after it was done I looked... more like myself! The difference is actually quite subtle, and so far nobody has made any comments (a good thing, I think). But the "weight loss" look is gone, or at least not as obvious. I'll post before and after pics when I go back for my check up next month.

I'm really glad I did it!

Drina...you are gorgeous. I think you are just seeing what your true face looks like...and WOW! Lucky you! You will get used to it the more you see it looking back at you in the mirror. CONGRATULATIONS on the weight loss...:hug: