Revealing Your Best Cheeks: A Before and After Guide to Strategic Cheek Filler Sites

Mastering Cheek Filler Placement for Natural-Looking Augmentation

The strategic placement of fillers by experts in specific areas of the cheeks can create dramatic yet natural-looking improvement in contour and volume. Consult an experienced injector like Dr. Lanna for safe, customized cheek enhancement.

Flawless, sculpted cheekbones are a coveted facial feature. High cheekbones can create a striking bone structure that leaves a lasting impression. However, not everyone is naturally endowed with prominent cheekbones. 

Fortunately, dermal fillers provide a safe and effective way to temporarily add volume and contour to the cheeks. But to achieve beautiful, natural-looking results, proper placement of the filler is critical. This guide will explore everything you need to know about cheek filler injection sites.

What are Cheek Fillers?

Cheek fillers add volume beneath the skin to create more defined cheekbones. They can also help lift sagging cheeks for a more youthful appearance. The most common cheek fillers are hyaluronic acid-based products like Juvederm Voluma, Restylane Lyft, and Sculptra.

Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring substance in the body that helps provide hydration and volume to the skin. The effects of hyaluronic acid fillers are temporary, lasting 6-12 months for most patients before being absorbed by the body. This allows for temporary augmentation and the flexibility to adjust treatment over time.

Cheek filler benefits include:

• More defined cheekbones and contoured facial structure
• Reduction in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
• Correction of age-related volume loss in the cheeks
• Improved balance and symmetry of facial features
• An overall more youthful and rejuvenated look

Schedule a consultation with Dr. Lanna Aesthetics today to learn if cheek fillers are right for you

The Cheek Filler Procedure

The cheek filler procedure is a simple, non-surgical treatment performed by injecting a smooth gel beneath the skin over the cheekbones to add volume and lift. With little downtime, cheek fillers offer a fast way to regain fuller, rounder cheeks. The procedure to inject cheek fillers is relatively quick and straightforward:

1. Consultation

Your injector will assess your facial anatomy and goals to determine the appropriate filler, injection sites, and technique. Your medical history will also be reviewed.

2. Injection

After the treatment area is cleaned and numbed with a topical anesthetic, the filler is carefully injected using a fine needle. The procedure takes 15-30 minutes depending on the extent of treatment.

3. Recovery

There is minimal downtime needed after cheek filler injections. Some temporary redness, swelling, and tenderness are normal. These resolve within a few days. Results are visible right away but finalize over the next two weeks as swelling dissipates.

How Filler Placement Sites Create Dramatic Before and After Results

Proper placement of cheek fillers is key to achieving natural-looking yet transformative augmentation. Your provider will thoroughly assess your facial anatomy and unique goals to determine the ideal injection sites. Targeting specific areas of the cheek can create dramatic changes by lifting, sculpting, and restoring lost volume.

Common injection points and their effects:

• The apple of the cheek: Filler injected into the central, fleshy part of the cheek adds significant forward projection, creating a rounder, fuller curve along the cheekbone. This area atrophies with age, so restoring volume here can make cheeks appear lifted.
• High on the cheekbone: Strategic injections placed high on the cheekbone near the lower eyelid border subtly lift the midface. This can minimize the look of under eye bags and nasolabial folds.
• Below the cheekbone: Fillers placed in the lower cheek lift and fill out a flattened appearance for a youthful heart shape. This technique is popular for contouring an aging or sagging jawline.
• Along the border of the cheekbone: Precise injections that follow the natural edge of the cheekbone structure sharpen and define its contour for dramatic sculpting effects.
• Under the eyes: In some cases, fillers placed in the tear troughs can help reduce under eye circles and smooth this delicate area.

With a skilled hand and precise techniques like cross-hatching, serial puncture and fanning, your provider can sculpt a completely redefined cheek contour for jaw-dropping before and after results.

Achieve natural yet jaw-dropping cheek enhancement with strategic filler placement from the experts at Dr. Lanna Aesthetics

How Long Do Cheek Fillers Last?

With optimal placement in the deep cheek tissues, hyaluronic acid fillers typically last 6-12 months. However, actual longevity varies based on factors like:

Factor	Description
Filler material used	Different hyaluronic acid filler products have different formulations that affect duration. More robust, cross-linked HA gels like Voluma or Restylane Lyft tend to last 9-12 months. Softer, less cross-linked HA fillers like Juvederm and Restylane Silk may only last 6-9 months.
Injection technique	Experienced injectors strategically place filler in the deep medial cheek tissues rather than superficially. This helps anchor the filler in place and prevents migration or rapid breakdown from facial muscle movement. Poor injection technique often leads to shorter duration.
Depth and location of injection sites	When filler is injected too superficially into the outer cheek, it breaks down more quickly from repetitive facial expressions. Optimal placement in the deeper cheek padding maximizes longevity.
Skin quality and degree of facial movement	People with thin skin or highly mobile faces tend to absorb filler quicker. Those with thicker, less expressive skin can retain it longer. A good rule of thumb is the more movement, the faster the breakdown.
Rate of filler absorption	Some individuals' bodies simply metabolize HA faster than others based on factors like age, genetics, and metabolism. So duration varies from patient to patient even with the same product. Typically though, the filler lasts at least 6 months and up to 12 months with most patients.
Number of syringes used	The more filler deposited, the longer it will last. So using higher volumes across multiple syringes leads to longer-lasting results.

Regular follow-up appointments every 6-12 months are recommended to maintain cheek fullness. With repeat treatments over time, results often last progressively longer as the tissues are expanded. 

What Are the Potential Side Effects?

When performed by an experienced cosmetic injector, cheek fillers are very safe with minimal risk of side effects. However, some potential side effects can occur.

Mild swelling, bruising, redness, and tenderness generally resolve within a week. More serious but rare complications include:

• Unevenness, asymmetry, or irregularities in the cheeks
• Infection of the injection site
• Filler migration or movement from the injection site
• Nodules, bumps, or lumps under the skin
• Prolonged swelling, pain, itching, or skin discoloration
• Facial weakness or paralysis due to nerve injury
• Eyelid drooping or brow ptosis
• Abscess formation
• Skin necrosis and tissue death
• Blindness due to filler occlusion of retinal artery
• Stroke due to filler particle embolization
• Anaphylaxis or severe allergic reaction
• Respiratory issues like airway obstruction

Choosing an experienced, qualified injector is crucial to minimize risks. Make sure your provider reviews all potential side effects with you during your consultation. Proper injection technique and product selection for your facial anatomy are key to safety and optimal results.

How to Choose a Qualified Injector

Due to the delicate intricacies of facial injections, specialized training and expertise are imperative in an injector. When searching for a cheek filler provider, verify the following:

• Board certification - Reputable certifications like the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery (ABCS) require extensive accredited training in facial injections beyond the basic medical license. Dr. Lanna Cheuck is board certified in urologic surgery and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, indicative of her advanced medical knowledge.
• Before and after photos - Reputable injectors will provide actual patient examples clearly showing their aesthetic judgment and skill. Dr. Lanna provides before and after photos of real patients showcasing her ability to achieve natural looking enhancements.
• Advanced experience in facial injections - Look for several years and high volumes of specific experience in treating the cheeks versus general injectable experience. Dr. Lanna has specialized in injectables since 2018, performing thousands of facial injections to perfect her technique.
• Good candidacy assessment -  Choose an injector who takes the time to thoroughly evaluate your facial structure, goals, and medical history. Dr. Lanna is known for taking time to customize each treatment plan based on the patient's unique facial anatomy and aesthetic goals.
• A focus on safety and natural results over upselling excessive amounts of filler -  Dr. Lanna prioritizes patient safety, using meticulous injection methods to minimize risks and side effects. Her goal is always natural-looking enhancements.

Do not hesitate to ask questions and conduct your due diligence when consulting potential injectors. Investing in a top provider like Dr. Lanna helps ensure treatment is both safe and efficacious.

Ensure safe, beautiful results with a board certified, highly experienced injector - Dr. Lanna Cheuck

Next Steps? Consult with the Experts at Dr. Lanna Aesthetics

Dr. Lanna Cheuck and her team offer unmatched expertise in dermal fillers with over 10,000 successful treatments performed. They stay at the forefront of advanced techniques to safely help patients fulfill their aesthetic wishes.

To determine if you could benefit from cheek filler augmentation, schedule a one-on-one consultation today at Dr. Lanna Aesthetics. Our individualized approach, masterful technique, and patient safety record have made them the injector of choice for faces across the nation seeking dramatic yet natural-looking enhancement.