Non-surgical cheek augmentation can help to dramatically change the contours of the face, without any surgery. This is good news for men and women who want to avoid surgery but would like to either increase fullness, fill out sagging skin, or simply believe that their face would be improved with higher or more pronounced cheekbones. Instead of making an incision and inserting an implant, the doctor simply injects a dermal filler into the skin, which actually then becomes part of your tissue, plumping the appearance of the face for up to a year.
As we age, the skin on our face begins to lose its elasticity and fullness. In the past, the only way to get rid of this hollow look was to undergo cheek implant surgery. Now, a doctor can simply inject a natural filler into the skin, adding volume to the face with little to no pain and no surgery.
Candidates
Candidates for a non-surgical cheek augmentation include anyone in good health who is experiencing hollow and sagging skin. This includes anyone who has considered getting a cheek implant or a face lift in order to mitigate the effects of sagging skin. The procedure is often performed on older patients who are looking to rejuvenate the face, but treatment can also be performed on younger patients who want to add more volume to the cheeks. Patients looking for permanent results may be better candidates for cheek implants.
Treatment
Before dermal fillers were introduced to the market, women who wanted to undergo cheek augmentations had two options. The first was to have an actual silicone implant, not unlike a smaller version of a breast implant, surgically placed in the cheek. This surgery was done through the mouth, and generally had a significant downtime and recovery period. In addition, if patients were unhappy with the results, the implants would have to be surgically removed.
The second method was a precursor to dermal filler injections, where fat was taken from another part of the body and injected into the cheek area. This was easier to control, but it was difficult to achieve the right amount of shape and volume, and the effect faded away with time.
Today, non-surgical cheek augmentations involve the injections of a patented, tested filler into the cheek area. This is much safer than either the implant or the fat injection, as the filler is easier to manipulate and has better staying power than fat fillers. Even though it is still an injection, most doctors can use a topical numbing agent to eliminate any pain. There is little to no downtime, and the augmentation lasts anywhere from nine to 14 months.
Side Effects
There are very few side effects for this kind of procedure. In general, women may experience some redness or swelling at the injection site and in the cheek in general. There may also be some bruising and soreness, though the soreness usually abates after a few hours and the bruising and redness should disappear in a few days.
To schedule a non-surgical cheek augmentation appointment, contact Dr. John R. Griffin.
