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Cheek Fillers – What options are available?

Cheek fillers are dermal fillers designed to plump out your cheeks, while smoothing out wrinkles and fine lines. These injectables help to give more definition to the cheekbones.

Tagged: Facial Treatments

Date: 13th August 2021

Medically Reviewed by:  Dr. Susan Mayou (GMC: 2405092)

Last reviewed: 15th January 2024

Cheek Fillers – What options are available?

Cheek fillers are dermal fillers designed to plump out your cheeks, while smoothing out wrinkles and fine lines. These injectables help to give more definition to the cheekbones.

A cheek dermal filler is a quick fix, low risk solution for sunken cheeks, caused by age-related skin sagging and volume loss. Cheek fillers can help to ‘lift’ the entire appearance of the face, giving it a brighter, more rested, appearance.

Cheek filler can be administered in as little as 20 minutes. Once the procedure is complete, you are free to carry on with your day, returning to work and any other day-to-day activities.

If you choose to undergo cheek fillers, the rest of your face will continue to age as normal.

Other dermal filler treatments can be carried out alongside cheek fillers to help add volume and definition to other parts of the face, such as the lips.

Cheek fillers are a popular non-surgical treatment and should always be administered by a medical professional to ensure the best possible result.

How do they work?

A protein called collagen is responsible for skin elasticity and this is what gives our skin, including the cheeks, its youthful volume. As we age, our collagen levels deplete, causing our skin to sag and lose volume, leading to problems such as sunken cheeks.

Dermal fillers are injected into the soft tissue using very fine needles. These work by effectively ‘topping up’ this collagen deficit, helping to maintain the appearance of young looking skin for longer. These fillers also hydrate the skin, retaining large quantities of moisture, and act as an antioxidant, which also helps to maintain the healthy appearance of youth.

At the Cadogan Clinic we only use temporary fillers containing naturally-occurring hyaluronic acid. This dissolves over time and is safely reabsorbed into the body.

The beauty of temporary dermal fillers like the ones we offer here at the clinic, is the effects can be reversed if you are not pleased with the final result. A solution is injected that will break down the filler, which will then be reabsorbed by the body. The cheeks will return to their pretreatment state.

How long do they last?

Cheek dermal fillers are only a temporary solution and how long they last can vary from person to person. You can usually expect the results of cheek fillers to last for somewhere between six and 18 months before the process will need to be repeated. Sometimes the results can last for even longer.

Cheek fillers are a great way to test out how you would look with fuller cheeks before committing to a treatment which will produce permanent results. If you are looking for a permanent alternative to cheek dermal filler, we carry out fat transfer to face treatment, which involves taking fat from one part of the body, then treating it, before reintroducing it to the face. 

One of our expert surgeons will be able to discuss this surgical alternative treatment with you.

Cheek fillers for men vs women?

Cheek fillers are not exclusive to one gender and are also a popular treatment among men. In fact, many younger men are now opting for cheek dermal fillers in a bid to ward off the signs of aging before they appear.

Men and women’s faces do not age in the same way. If too much cheek filler is applied to men, it can lead to so-called ‘chipmunk cheeks’ or an ‘overstuffed’ appearance. Our practitioners have carried out many cheek filler procedures on both men and women and are experts in using just the right amount of filler to ensure a natural-looking result.

Men with faster metabolisms will generally require more cheek filler top up treatments than men with slower metabolisms.

Although there is nothing to suggest that dermal fillers are not safe to have during pregnancy, the Cadogan Clinic does not administer dermal fillers, including cheek fillers, on pregnant or breastfeeding women.


Recovery time and aftercare

Cheek fillers produce an immediate result, although it can take a week for the final result to show, particularly if you have experienced bruising or swelling in the area.

Another big plus point to having cheek dermal fillers is that there is typically no downtime.

After having your cheek fillers at the Cadogan Clinic, you will be free to leave and continue your day. You do not have to take any time off work or curtail any other activities. 

However we do recommend waiting until 24 hours after treatment before undertaking any vigorous exercise to allow the cheeks to take up their new shape.

Side effects from cheek dermal fillers are very rare, but you may experience mild swelling, bruising, redness or itching after the filler has been administered. However this should subside after a few hours. A cold compress will help with any swelling. We recommend not wearing makeup for the first six hours after the procedure if you can help it.

You should try and avoid sleeping on your cheeks in the days after undergoing the procedure. Try sleeping on your back if you can.
After having cheek fillers, you should avoid touching your face and keep the face as clean and dry as possible. This will reduce the risk of infection in the days following the treatment.

Avoid sunbathing and sunbeds for one week after the treatment.

It is important that you always follow any after care instructions issued by your consultant to ensure the best possible result from your treatment.

If you are interested in cheek dermal fillers, book a consultation with one of our highly qualified experts who will talk you through the process. A before and after gallery of cheek filler treatments is available to view.


Treatments mentioned in this article



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