Cheek Fillers

Cheeks are a very important feature of the face and tend to droop and flatten with age. Anatomically, the fat pads that form the cheeks deflate, and fall downwards and inwards; exacerbating the nasolabial folds (folds from the corners of the nose to the mouth). There is resorption of the maxilla (cheekbones) with ageing, which further exacerbates the descent of the cheeks. The tear troughs or the junction between the lower eyelid and cheek becomes more pronounced as the cheek loses volume and fails to provide support to the area. Crows feet over the cheeks can also worsen as the cheeks lose volume and solar damage reduces the elasticity of the skin.

Cheeks need to have appropriate shape and size.  The ogee curve is a term that is commonly used in architecture and describes an ‘S’ shaped curve where the peak of the cheek and the jawline provide the convexities. This is the ideal curvature of the cheek.

Also, if you observe the light reflection from a youthful cheek, you will notice that there is a certain point where this light reflection is strongest. Often this point coincides with the point of maximal projection. Mathematical formulas using the Golden Ratio, or Phi, can be used to find this point on the cheek, and highlight it with the use of dermal fillers.

This can be done for both anti-ageing purposes as well as in the younger patient for enhancing cheek proportions and facial balance. As cheek and facial proportions may become more disproportionate with ageing, cheek enhancement for anti-ageing also tends to have the positive effect of restoring cheek and facial proportions. Replacing volume in the cheeks is, therefore, one of the most important areas to fill when rejuvenating the face. With inadequate cheek volume, the face can appear flattened and lack the natural youthful curves provided by fuller cheeks. Furthermore, the mid-cheek can support the lower eyelid, and in many cases, revolumising the cheeks can improve the appearance of under eye bags.

The shape of the face can be reverted to a youthful ‘upside down triangle’ with cheek fillers from a more square shaped face.

Cheek enhancement can be performed surgically by inserting cheek implants. For those who do not want a permanent change and the option of easy adjustability, there are dermal fillers.

Various dermal fillers can be injected into the cheeks. Cheek dermal filler is the most common way to replace lost volume. The amount of dermal filler required will vary from person to person, depending on the amount of volume loss, to begin with, and the degree of enhancement desired. There are also options to have longer lasting fillers which are slightly more expensive initially but provide better value in the long term.

The dermal cheek fillers and lip enhancement process involves injecting a stabilised natural product (term forbidden by TGA) based gel, a natural skin component that provides the area being treated with volume and hydration. After the injection, the gel binds with the water in your skin and gives natural volume to smooth wrinkles. The gel also blends with adjoining tissues and allows other nutritive elements, like oxygen, glucose and hormones, to pass between fragments of the gel. The result is instantly fuller, revitalised and plumper skin.

Treatment will provide immediate effect after a single session. The treated area should be gently massaged after injections. This helps the gel to seamlessly blend into the surrounding tissue. One session, administered in our clinic by Dr Targett, takes about thirty minutes and the results are immediate. Maintenance treatments are required every six to twenty-four months.

It is normal to experience slight redness and swelling near the injection site. There may also be some other minor side effects, such as slight pain or tenderness and some itching in that same area. The skin returns to normal one to two days after skin treatments such as under eye or cheek fillers, and up to a week for lip treatments.