Cheek Filler Augmentation

The Liquid Face Lift

While all filler treatments plump and smooth, it’s cheek filler that can transform the very contours of the face. Maximum effect is achieved by enhancing the cheekbones, the key structural element in facial aesthetics – and further cosmetic issues can be resolved in the process. It’s not as common a procedure as lip filler for instance, but cheek enhancement is gaining in popularity and increasingly known as the ‘liquid facelift’ or ‘contouring in a syringe.’

What is cheek filler?

The dermal filler used in cheek procedures today is often a high viscosity hyaluronic acid based product which builds the area up while retaining a soft and natural-looking contour. Less forgiving filling agents and cheek implants can give a more dramatic effect – but for subtler enhancements look for an HA filler like Juvederm Voluma. Depending on the desired result an initial treatment may involve one syringe in each cheek – the area is numbed prior to injection, downtime is minimal and any swelling will usually fade within days. Typically, cheek fillers will last between 12 and 14 months. A top up is recommended at the 9 month mark, extending the lifespan to 2 years. Interestingly, the lift achieved by enhancing the cheeks can have several welcome knock-on effects:

Nasolabial folds

A common age-associated aesthetic complaint is deepening nasolabial folds, otherwise known as laugh or smile lines. These folds run from the corners of the nose to the corners of the mouth, separating the cheeks from the upper lip area. Age, smoking, sun damage and other environmental factors can all contribute to deepening folds as collagen breaks down and skin slackens. A first impulse might be to treat the lines directly, injecting filler into the folds themselves – but – in many instances lifting the cheeks via cheek filler creates enough of a support structure to ‘smooth out’ and reduce the appearance of deep lines.

Symmetry

Everyone has an asymmetrical face to some degree although it is more pronounced in some. We know symmetry is one of the central aesthetic principles in judging attractiveness – but it can be difficult to address. Ageing can worsen asymmetry as facial fat stores are depleted and tissue support mechanisms give way – exposing the structure beneath. While most cases of asymmetry are slight and often go unnoticed, cheek filler can allow certain imbalances to be corrected. Conversely, a less than reputable practitioner may worsen or even create an asymmetrical effect – this procedure requires the expert hand of an experienced surgeon.

Hydration

As with all hyaluronic based filler treatments, slow-release hydration is a welcome ‘side-effect.’ As the product is gradually reabsorbed by the body, the hyaluronic acid molecules – capable of retaining 1000 times their weight in water – ensure plumper, healthier looking skin. The relatively large amount of HA filler required in this instance, as well as the close proximity to the eye area, means cheek filler is an excellent method of hydrating and smoothing upper facial skin in the longer term.