Cheek Fillers

With age, hollows in the cheeks and bags in the lower eyelids are common. Those with strong cheekbones are usually spared this age-related change. As you get older, skin loses its elasticity and begins to show signs of aging. This leads to loss of shape and definition of the face. This is where cheek fillers come to the rescue. Cheek fillers are injectable dermal fillers that help camouflage bags and add volume to sagging hollow cheeks. The calcium microspheres in the dermal fillers enhance the face contours and have a lifting effect on the face. Natural collagen production is stimulated too.

Age-related loss of cheek tissue is the main cause for haggard hollow cheeks. Cheek augmentation involves surgical placement of a silicone implant below the facial tissue. With skillful cheek augmentation, the face acquires a softer shape rather than an older angular one.

How do cheek fillers work?

Cheek fillers contain Hyaluronic acid, a natural sugar that is found in the human skin, one that retains moisture. As we age, the Hyaluronic acid in the skin reduces and the skin starts looking aged. Through cheek fillers, the lost Hyaluronic acid is restored and this visibly firms up the skin around the cheeks. Once injected into the skin, the fillers plump up and enhance the treated area.

The content of the filler combines with the body's own Hyaluronic acid and binds with the water to create increased volume. Cheek fillers dissolve naturally over time and normally start showing results within a week. The effect of the cheek filler lasts for six to eighteen months. Since they have a temporary effect, fillers are injected at regular intervals to maintain the firmness.

Currently the market is flooded with various brands of cheek fillers. Though most products differ slightly from each other, all of them contain Hyaluronic acid as the main ingredient. Few cheek filler products are also made of collagen (a naturally occurring protein substance in human-skin that maintains elasticity). Cheek fillers come with built-in analgesic components to make the procedure pain free.

These fillers come in varied thicknesses to suit different degrees of hollowness of the cheeks. The thicker the product, the deeper it is injected into the skin layer to help smoothen deep lines and wrinkles, such as nasolabial folds and deep wrinkles. Perlane and Juvederm plus are thicker forms of Hyaluronic acid with larger molecules and are used for deeper wrinkles. Restylane suits fine lines and helps for touch up in successive treatments. The choice of the cheek filler depends upon the individual case and distinctive skin issues, the preference of the doctor and the kind of effect you want achieve.

Cheek filler procedure

Cheek fillers are injected using fine needles at the appropriate areas on the cheek. The entire procedure normally lasts no longer than 30 minutes. There is no recovery period involved here and the person can return to work immediately after. Cheek fillers cause minimal discomfort during the procedure. There are no known permanent side effects associated with cheek fillers. However, there may be few temporary reactions after the injection.

Soon after the procedure, there may be some swelling, redness and very rarely bruising around the treated region; one may sense the filler material under the skin. However, this feeling remains for only few days, until the gel is absorbed into the area and swelling also subsides within a few days after the treatment. A word of caution here - It is best not to exercise prior to or after the treatment and avoid anti-inflammatory drugs for 10 days before the treatment to minimize bruising.

The cost of dermal fillers varies upwards from $400 to $1200 per syringe, depending upon the product and the quantity used. Typically, one syringe is used for one cheek enhancement. Different fillers have different prices and the cost depends on the extent of volume required. Choose a qualified cosmetic surgeon rather than relying on medi-spas and non-specialists. If the filler is not strategically placed on the areas required, it might produce awkward results.

Cheek augmentation

With cheek augmentation, the face can be redefined and the skin can appear more tight thereby restoring balance to the face shape. Weak cheeks give a gaunt and aged appearance. Aesthetic cheek surgery or cheek augmentation can add volume to the cheeks thereby eliminating flat cheeks. An incision is made in the upper lip or lower eyelid.

This pocket serves as the area where the implant is placed. Else the implant is affixed to soft bone or tissue. This gives a more voluminous facial appearance. There are different shapes and sizes for cheek implants to suit the face anatomy and the desired change.

Cheek implants are a more permanent solution to hollow cheeks than cheek fillers. They can be implanted along with any other facial surgery. There might be slight change in cheek sensations following the cheek implant process. There is initial tightness and pain. No visible scars are present. In rare cases where there is infection of the cheek implants, they are removed.

After a couple of days, the sutures and bolsters are removed. Facial compression garment might need to be worn for a week. Swollen chubby cheeks are likely. But over a couple of weeks, the facial appearance takes on a well defined full cheek contour.