Not to be confused with chipmunk cheeks (the name is self explanatory), pillow cheeks describe the look when excessive cheek fillers obliterate the natural lid-cheek junction. This causes a continuous swollen face from the lower eyelids to the mid face, like a pillow. The eyes also look smaller and squashed together.
When you have had too much filler, then you may appear to have a bulging forehead, an overly pointy and sharp chin, and overly protruding cheekbones. Furthermore, the filler can stretch and weigh down your skin over time, which is known as filler fatigue.
Once doctors diagnose an overfilled face, they'll typically suggest dissolving excess HA with an injectable enzyme called hyaluronidase, which begins to work immediately, melting away the bulk of old filler within 24 hours or so, to bring patients back to baseline. Hyaluronidase affects only hyaluronic acid.
However, the use of too much filler results in overly puffy cheeks which look unnatural and inappropriate for their age. The pursuit of the “apple cheeks” have also contributed to this syndrome. Overfilling in the cheeks and under the eyes obliterates the natural lid-cheek junction.
Answer: Fillers are not permanent
When they wear off, your facial features are the same and the filler does not make your face look worse. That being said, if you have lost significant weight during this time or have had other medical issues, than you face may appear more "aged" but not due to the filler wearing off.
You shouldn't get cheek filler if you are pregnant or breastfeeding (chestfeeding), or if you have: Allergies to synthetic substances found in some dermal fillers. A bleeding disorder such as hemophilia or thalassemia. Certain autoimmune conditions.
Fortunately, dermal fillers work very quickly, and you won't have to wait twelve months to see the full benefits of your injections. That said, these injectable treatments take some time to integrate into your tissues, and it's normal for your dermal filler to take up to two weeks to fully settle into your face.
To give you an answer to "How much is too much?" for cheek fillers, our answer is: anything more than 2ml (1ml per cheek) in 1 session is too much. You can build up the amount of filler in your cheeks, but this has to be done gradually over several visits.
Cheek filler
They are ideal for replacing volume loss, enhancing cheek volume, and can improve the appearance of the lower eyelid by volumising the upper cheek area. We recommend using as little as 1ml per session for an enhanced appearance.
So how much cheek filler will you need? Again, it all comes down to the individual and the results they're looking to achieve, but practitioners will generally use 1-3ml cheek filler per cheek.
Although extremely rare, dermal fillers are able to migrate within the skin if consistent and adequate pressure is applied to them. For this reason, we advise patients not to get a facial, massage (on the treated skin), or microdermabrasion for the first two weeks following their filler injections.
The filler can take several weeks to soften and settle into your skin. This means that patients won't see the ultimate results of their treatment immediately. Although individual results will vary, many people achieve the full effect within two weeks after receiving their injections.
It is not uncommon to experience a small degree of asymmetry immediately post-treatment due to the potential for swelling and bruising. Juvederm can take up to 4 weeks to integrate, so it is best to wait and review in 2-4 weeks with your Injector at which point you will have a better idea of the final result.
Avoid itching, or picking around the injection site. Avoid applying intense heat to the treated area, that includes hot tubs, saunas, sunbathing or tanning. Don't drink alcohol the day of treatment, and try to avoid it for 2 days after. Avoid exercising for 2 days or until swelling subsides.
Treating with 1ml at a time is certainly appropriate for some areas, such as volumising lips or having smaller tweakments into other areas of the face. Sometimes, however, more than 1ml may be required – in the cheeks, for example – as 1ml may not make a discernible difference.
Patients often ask before or after their injections, “Will cheek filler soften?” The answer is almost always yes. Upon injection, dermal fillers may feel firmer or harden due to a healing response of the body. Additionally, the filler needs to settle into the correct and ideal position.
Unlike other dermal fillers such as Sculptra, Juvederm does not significantly expand after injection. This allows Juvederm to create a smooth result and for the patient to immediately get an idea after treatment of the result that they will live with.
Cheeks: Cheeks are very versatile and also the most challenging region of your face to treat. For each treatment, you'll need 10 to 15 filler syringes. Injecting too much filler might result in undesirable side effects, including a “duck-billed” appearance.
Do they lift like a facelift? Never. However, they do provide a bit of a lift or give the illusion of lifting. Cheek fillers also provide volume to the face.
Dermal fillers can be used to restore mid-face (cheek) volume and sculpt the jawline, in order to reduce the appearance of sagging jowls. The procedure is not painful, does not require any significant down-time and is excellent at lifting and sculpting the skin, where volume needs to be replaced.
Dermal filler will not cause the skin to stretch and sag, once the filler naturally breaks down. The only case where this would happen is if the face were to be grossly overfilled with extreme amounts of dermal fillers, which is something we most certainly do not do at Cityskin.
“Proper placement of mid-face and lower face filler should not significantly affect the smile,” he shares. With that said, “if an overly firm filler is used or if the region is overfilled, an unnatural appearance can result as the lips push against stiff surrounding tissues,” he adds.
Patients seeking fillers for cheeks are mainly concerned with the following: 1. Lost Volume in Cheeks: As you age, the cheeks can begin to look deflated and the mid-face areas lose healthy, youthful contours. Adding volume to the cheeks with fillers can restore the facial shape.