Medial malar fat compartment: anatomy
Quick facts
- Definition
- Superficial fat compartment of the medial part of the cheek, between the nose and the zygomatic region.
- Neighbors
- Nasolabial (medial), infraorbital (above) and lateral malar (lateral) compartments.
- Deep layer
- The deep medial cheek fat and the SOOF provide support from beneath.
- Clinical relationship
- Descent of the compartment deepens the nasolabial fold and flattens the cheekbone.
The cheek has a layer of superficial fat divided into compartments by connective tissue septa. The medial malar compartment is the one that occupies the medial part of the cheek, between the side of the nose and the region of the zygomatic bone. It is one of the main players in the look of the midface and appears in the drawings of the superficial facial compartments.
Who are the neighbors?
Medially lies the nasolabial compartment, which forms the border of the nasolabial fold (smile lines). Above, the infraorbital compartment. Laterally, the lateral malar fat and the area of the zygomatic ligament. Beneath, the deep layer: the deep medial cheek fat and the SOOF, part of the map of the deep compartments.
What changes with age?
In young faces, the medial malar fat sits high and full, giving convexity. Over time, it loses deep support and tends to descend, which:
- flattens the projection of the cheekbone;
- deepens the nasolabial fold and the mid-cheek groove;
- accentuates the transition between the lower eyelid and the cheek.
For this reason, in many cases the look of the nasolabial fold improves more with cheekbone support than with filler placed directly in the fold, at the professional's discretion.
How do you explain it to the patient?
In Harmy
In Harmy, the Cheekbone and Nasolabial Fold points let you simulate the two areas, by ml. The projection is illustrative and does not show layers or the cause of the fold.
Frequently asked questions
What is the medial malar compartment?
It is the superficial fat of the medial part of the cheek. It forms the prominence of the cheekbone together with the deep layer beneath it.
What is the relationship with the nasolabial fold?
The compartment sits next to the nasolabial one. When it loses support and descends, the groove between them becomes more evident.