Cheek fillers, also called dermal fillers, are designed to make your cheeks look fuller and younger. This is a popular procedure—approximately 1 million Americans get them every year.
Here is what you need to know about what happens during the cheek filler injection, how to prepare, and what to do afterwards.
Cheek fillers work by increasing the volume of certain areas of the cheeks. Fillers can change the shape of the cheeks or restore areas of fat that have decreased over time.
“It also helps stimulate collagen in the area, making the skin and contours younger,” said Lesley Rabach, MD, a board-certified facial plastic surgeon of LM Medical. Collagen is a protein that constitutes the structure of the skin-as we age, collagen tends to decrease, leading to sagging skin.
Shaun Desai, MD, a facial plastic surgeon and professor at Johns Hopkins University, said that the most common type of filler is made of hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is a substance produced by your body, and it is part of the cause of plump skin.
Buccal fillers usually cost about US$650 to US$850 per syringe of hyaluronic acid, but some patients may need more than one syringe to achieve the desired results.
These types of fillers are a temporary repair-the effect usually lasts 6 to 18 months. If you want a longer-lasting solution, you may need a facelift or fat grafting-but these procedures are much more expensive.
Desai said that before you get a cheek filler, you need to stop any medications that may cause blood thinning or increase the risk of bleeding.
“We usually ask patients to stop all products containing aspirin for about one to two weeks before treatment, stop all supplements and reduce alcohol consumption as much as possible,” Rabach said.
The Stanford University School of Medicine provides a complete list of medications, please avoid using it before booking a cheek filler here.
Rabach said that depending on the number of injections you receive, the cheek filling operation may only take 10 minutes.
“The great thing about fillers is that you see the effect almost immediately after the injection,” Desai said. However, there may be some swelling of your cheeks afterwards.
Rabach says that there is no real downtime after filling your cheeks, and you should be able to go back to work immediately and engage in normal activities.
Your swelling should start to get better after 24 hours. “In some cases, there may be some minor bruises that will subside within a few days,” Desai said.
Rabach said that after filling your cheeks for about two weeks, you should see the final, non-swollen results.
If you continue to apply ice and massage the injection site, any side effects will disappear within a few days.
Cheek fillers are a quick and effective treatment that can strengthen your cheeks, smooth any lines, and make your skin look younger. Cheek fillers can be expensive, but it is a quick process and should not disturb your life.
“When performed by experienced and knowledgeable syringes, they are well tolerated and very safe,” Desai said.
Post time: Aug-25-2021