Can Cheek Fillers Reduce Chubby Cheeks?

Every individual has a unique facial shape and features. Some people have prominent features characterized by sharper angles and well-defined contours, while there are those with softer facial structures and appear to have more buccal fat and fuller cheeks. If you think you belong to the latter group, there are facial slimming and contouring procedures that can help improve your appearance, such as dermal fillers for round and chubby cheeks. 

So how do dermal filler injections work on chubby cheeks? Having round, chipmunk cheeks can sometimes be a result of a weak jawline and bone structure. In these cases, providers can place cheek filler injections to enhance the cheekbone structure and strengthen your facial contours. It can also help create a more ideal facial proportion and provide balance to your cheeks and other features. 

Using A Cheek Filler on Chubby Cheeks: Is It Worth A Try?

Dermal filler injections have been around for a long time and many people have already reaped their benefits for wrinkle treatment and overall facial rejuvenation. This cosmetic injectable can be placed on almost any part of the face, but its most popular areas for placement are the lips, chin, tear troughs, jawline, and cheeks. 

One of the popular procedures offered in many med spas today is cheek enhancement. This injectable treatment is mainly performed to correct facial volume loss and minimize nasolabial fold and other wrinkles around the nose and mouth. It can also help achieve sculpted and high cheekbones if you want a stronger facial profile. 

Another possible application of cheek fillers is for contouring or slimming chubby cheeks. It’s common to see chubby cheeks in people with excess fat and weight. However, fuller-looking cheeks can also be prominent in individuals who are naturally born with a round face. 

While cosmetic surgery is usually the first procedure that comes to mind in getting rid of chubby cheeks, an injectable filler treatment can also be a viable solution. It’s one of the best treatments if the appearance of your round cheeks is caused by a weak facial structure. 

How Cheek Fillers Work On Chubby Cheeks  

In determining whether a patient with chubby cheeks can get facial fillers, a doctor will first assess the possible cause of the fullness and roundness. There are three common reasons why people get chubby cheeks:

• Having a large buccal fat pad - The buccal fat is the deep fat pad located in the region between your cheekbone and jawline. It primarily gives your face its overall shape and structure. Some people are naturally born with large buccal fat pads, giving them rounder and chubbier cheeks than other individuals. This can be present even in people who aren’t overly overweight. 
• Gaining extra body weight - Another possible reason for getting chubby cheeks is excess weight gain. When you accumulate weight, your face may be more prone to gaining excess cheek fat, resulting in a rounder face.
• Having a weak cheekbone and jawline structure - Individuals with a round face shape also tend to have weaker cheekbones and jawlines. This can contribute to the appearance of rounder cheeks and overall fullness in the lower part of the face.  

Dermal filler injections can best address chubby cheeks that are caused by a weak jawline and bone structure. The way it works is that the facial filler will be placed to add more definition and lift the cheekbones. A provider may also add cheek fillers for midface contouring and to narrow the lower cheeks to achieve a slimmer appearance. 

Some patients may also get a combination treatment of buccal fat removal and cheek augmentation with dermal filler injection. If you have a large buccal fat pad, a small section may be extracted through an incision in the cheek region. 

You’ll need to recover for a while before undergoing the cheek filler treatment. Once you’re ready, your plastic surgeon may administer facial fillers to enhance the shape of your cheeks and improve your contours. Some dermal fillers may also be placed along the jawline to correct and balance your facial proportions. 

What Kind of Results Can You Achieve From Placing Cheek Filler on Chubby Cheeks? 

The procedure for injecting dermal fillers on the cheeks is minimally invasive and can take anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes. After the treatment session, you can return to your normal activities without expecting any downtime or serious side effects. 

Most fillers have a firm, gel-like consistency and once they’re placed on the injection site, they can provide immediate improvements to your cheek volume and shape. However, you may need to wait about 2 to 4 weeks to see the full effects of the cheek filler as it needs time to settle and integrate with your skin tissues. 

Here are the expected results of placing cheek fillers on chubby cheeks: 

• Reduced facial fullness and roundness 
• Improved cheek contour and shape
• Smoothing out facial wrinkles and fine lines around the nose and mouth
• Provide a slimmer facial appearance
• Lifts skin on the lower face to improve contours of the chin and jawline and achieve a more oval facial appearance 
• Helps you achieve ideal facial proportions 

Best Fillers to Use for Chubby Cheek Reduction and Facial Slimming  

Different dermal fillers can be injected for cheek contouring and facial slimming. Generally, your provider will help decide which dermal filler injection will be used for the treatment depending on the extent of your skin issue and desired aesthetic outcomes.

While injectable filler products are used for the same purposes, they differ in their formulation, consistency, and active ingredients. In terms of cheek filler treatments, the best injectables are the ones made of hyaluronic acid. 

Hyaluronic acid injections are temporary fillers that have a clear, gel-like texture and consistency. They’re also easily reversible if you don’t like the results of your treatment or if you experience uncommon side effects or adverse events. Here are some of the popular HA fillers for chubby cheek injection:

• Juvéderm Voluma XC
• Juvéderm Ultra XC 
• Juvéderm Volbella XC 
• Juvéderm Vollure XC
• Restylane Lyft
• Restylane Contour 
• Restylane Refyne
• Restylane Defyne

Will Cheek Fillers Make My Face Look Fatter?  

If you received your cheek filler injection from an experienced provider, there’s no need to worry about having bad results, such as having an overfilled or wider-looking face. While cheek fillers add facial volume and fullness, they won’t make you look chubbier or rounder as long as they’re placed in the right treatment area. With the right injection technique, the cheek fillers can contribute to a more contoured and slimmer appearance.

Puffy Face: A Possible Case of Swelling After Filler Injections 

Some cases of facial fullness or puffiness after a cheek filler treatment may be a result of swelling and tenderness. Persistent swelling may cause the appearance of a fatter or rounder face after the cosmetic procedure. This can usually last for 24 to 72 hours after receiving the cheek fillers and subside on their own. 

But in some cases, the swelling won’t go down and last for up to 4 weeks after the procedure. If this happens, you need to go to your provider to discuss the possible reason and treatment. They may recommend dissolving the cheek filler with a hyaluronidase injection to resolve the swelling and help your face return to its normal appearance.  

When Is Cheek Reduction Surgery An Option? 

Not all people with chubby cheeks are qualified for dermal fillers for facial contouring and slimming. People with significant excess fat on their cheek area may have a harder time achieving a thinner face shape with injectable fillers alone. They may be a better candidate for buccal lipectomy or cheek reduction surgery. 

Here are other factors that may qualify you for cheek reduction surgery or buccal fat pad removal:

• You have a broad face shape
• You have a hard time losing extra weight and fat on the face, particularly in the cheek area 
• You want to reduce the fullness in your lower cheek area
• You want to remove buccal fat to highlight your facial structure and cheekbones

Experience Cheek Rejuvenation and Face Slimming With Dermal Fillers at Dr. Lanna Aesthetics

You don’t always have to resort to facial plastic surgery to get rid of chubby cheeks. There are newer and less invasive procedures that can help achieve a slimmer face and cheeks such as dermal filler injections. With the right provider, you can improve your facial contour and reduce the fullness in your cheek area. 

Dr. Lanna Aesthetics is a premier med spa destination for cheek filler injections. We have a team of highly experienced specialists and injectors who can help administer your cheek filler treatment to address your specific facial concerns. Call us now to book a consultation or to learn more about our other cosmetic procedures.