Cheek Treatments - a useful tweak but here’s how to avoid a disaster
Cheek fillers are often recommended by both novice and experienced practitioners alike. However, the reasons for recommending them, and the results achieved may be vastly different. This is why.
Let’s talk anatomy
A basic understanding may help you make an informed decision.
The cheeks comprise of the anterior cheek which in youth is plump and round and shrinks and drops as we age.
The beauty point is the most prominent part of the cheek as it curves round to the side and is seen as a nice point to enhance for a gorgeous youthful cheek.
And then round the side the lateral part of the cheek bone (zygoma) is what is enhanced with make up to make it look more defined - so called “contouring”. Enhancing here may give a nice, defined, slimming effect, but can be too harsh if overdone.
These 3 areas should be considered, not only as separate areas to treat but also as a whole, and holistically considered with the areas around them such as the temples, or midface (be wary of having temples injected by an inexperienced injector - it can be very dangerous).
At Skinphinity, we always enjoy going through these areas and sometimes marking them out before to demonstrate exactly where and why I want to inject dermal fillers in a specific area. This helps a mutual understanding and leads to much greater patient satisfaction!
Ask and discuss - why are they needed?
So don’t be afraid to really delve into the reason why your injector has recommended cheek fillers. Has the lateral cheek flattened? Does the beauty point need lifting ? And how will this help?
The cheeks can actually be very useful to lift lower down in the face, such as the nasolabial fat pad which does sag as we age.
However if you already feel you have full cheek bones, especially if you are quite thin - then be careful of having too much placed in the cheeks - as this is where the problems can start….
Overfilled cheeks…why does this happen?
1) A lack of respect for pre-existing volume in a patient’s cheeks.
2) A lack of appreciation of the surrounding structures (eg don’t put much in if very thin/slim as will look out of balance).
3) Using too much products without thinking it through and planning strategically and carefully
4) Using the wrong product or a cheap product that swells up and looks stiff and immobile.
There are some seriously awful images online of cheeks that have failed to take any of the above points into account.
So how might cheek fillers help me?
Cheek fillers, when done properly should be:
1) Subtle.
2) Provide a gentle lift.
3) If appropriate give a very soft contour to the lateral cheek bone at the side.
4) Reproduce what you previously might have looked like 5 or 10 years ago - and this is key - I tell my patients “I am not going to add volume you have never had. Instead what I am going to do is replace what you have lost over the years, which is why it is going to look natural and you will still look like you!”
The above can be achieved with a premium filler which integrates nicely into your own tissues, without swelling much, but still holding some shape and being relatively dynamic- i.e. it will have a bit of give, so as not to feel too stiff. You honestly shouldn’t be able to feel there is anything in there once it all settles down.
Final Thoughts
This treatment is one of the most common treatments we perform. In fact, if you look at some of the before and after photos in our gallery, there’s plenty of cheek filler treatments there - but you may not be able to spot them so easily, because they have been done properly - so the result is a fresher appearance, smoother contours of the face, with less shadows. But what you won’t see is BIG INFLATED CHEEKS. If that’s what you want, we may not be the right clinic for you.
Written by Dr Adam Cheong
GP & Facial Aesthetics Doctor
About Skinphinity
Skinphinity is proud to be doctor-led by Dr Kyra Drinnan, highly regarded GP and cosmetic specialist. Dr Kyra is passionate about providing subtle treatments to leave your skin smoother and more youthful looking from her aesthetics clinics in Tarporley and Middlewich, Cheshire.
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