Cheek Enhancement

WHAT IS CHEEK ENHACEMENT?

Women and men often seek to have more prominent, voluminous and well-defined cheekbones.

Many people experience a loss of cheek volume. Either they were not born with cheek volume, or the ageing process has reduced it. The common causes of loss of cheek volume are decreasing bone density, thinning of the skin and drifting of the cheek’s underlying soft tissue downward with gravity.

A lack of cheek volume can make people feel as though their face appears tired and worn, which can also give the appearance of heaviness in the lower face around the chin, jaw and neck, and an aged look under the eyes.

Bella Plastic Surgery offers non-surgical cheek enhancement treatment for those who wish to address concerns in and around the cheek region.

WHAT TYPE OF PRODUCTS ARE USED?

There are a range of products, that contain different consistencies which are often broken down into three main categories: –

• Thin products – designed to last 3-6 months
• Mid-range products – designed to last 9-12 months
• Semi-permanent products – designed to last 18-24 months

These products are made from complex sugar molecules that naturally occur in your body and bind with water to support your skin and increase volume.

At Bella Plastic Surgery, we use only the highest quality products to achieve long-lasting results.

WHAT DOES THE TREATMENT INVOLVE?

Before treatment, we will apply a topical gel to desensitise your cheek area to help alleviate any discomfort.

A product(s) is then injected to plump your cheek area, creating a more natural height and definition for a non-surgical cheek lift.

HOW LONG DO THE RESULTS LAST?

A Cheek Enhancement treatment when using high-quality products, will typically last for 18-24 months.

WHAT IS THE RECOVERY TIME

This treatment may cause some bruising and swelling in the under-eye area which can persist for up to a week (or longer) following treatment so please ensure that you factor the downtime into your day-to-day commitments.

POTENTIAL RISKS

Every non-surgical procedure involves a certain amount of risk, and it is important that you understand these risks and the possible complications associated. The majority of patients do not experience the following, but you should discuss each possible risk with your physician to ensure that you understand the risks and can make an informed decision regarding your treatment.

Common side effects may occur immediately or maybe delayed and include but are not limited to the following:

• Bruising
• Bleeding/Haematoma
• Inflammatory Reactions (swelling, Skin redness)
• Itchiness
• Tenderness
• Paraesthesia/Numbness

Other adverse reactions may include:

• Induration or nodules
• Skin Discoloration
• Weak filling effect
• Infections including abscesses, granuloma, hypersensitivity

Extremely rare but serious adverse events associated with intravascular injection of products have been reported and include temporary and permanent visual impairment, blindness, cerebral ischemia or cerebral haemorrhage, leading to stroke, skin necrosis, and damage to underlying structures.

POST-PROCEDURE CARE

The following are very common side effects after treatment and should resolve with time.  

• Swelling 
• Bruising 
• Redness 
• Puncture Marks 
• Asymmetry 
• Tenderness 
• Hardness 
• Tightness 
• Itching 

To prevent and/or help minimise any bruising after your treatment:  

• Application of a cold compress to the treatment area immediately and for at least 15minutes after. 
• The regular intermittent application of cold packs during the first 24-48 hours may be beneficial. A cycle to consider is 10min on and 5min off. 
• Sleep with the head elevated for the first evening. 
• Vigorous exercise can increase blood pressure and aggravate any bruising that is developing – therefore, exercise should be avoided for the first 24 hours. 
• You should avoid extreme heat for the first 24hrs (or until bruising has resolved). 
• Topical creams that may help with bruising – reduction in the development and helping in the resolution. 
• Arnica cream – apply liberally to affected area 3-4 x per day until resolution. 
• Vitamin k cream – apply liberally to affected area 3-4 x per day until resolution. 

Final Results – Your final results can take 2 -4 weeks, you may require further treatments to achieve your desired results.

Aftercare – Please contact the clinic immediately 1300 373 662 if you experience any inflammatory reaction and/or side effect. Late onset inflammatory response may occur at least 2 months after injection. If necessary, additional treatments, medications and/or surgery may be necessary.   

If out of hours, please attend your local medical centre or emergency department.  

• You may return to your normal activities (including driving immediately post-treatment.    
• Please cleanse face with water and gentle cleanser.  Avoid any active ingredients.  
• Avoid makeup for at least 12 hours 
• Avoid prolonged sun exposure and extreme temperatures for at least 2 weeks post treatment.   
• Avoid strenuous exercise or alcohol for 24 hours.  
• Avoid touching or massaging the treatment area.  
• Avoid facials, waxing, chemical peels, IPL, laser or any other skin treatments for at least 2 weeks after treatment. 

As part of your post-treatment care plan, you will be provided with verbal and written post-treatment instructions.

HOW DOES CHEEK ENHACEMENT COMPARE TO SURGERY?

Traditionally, a Malarplasty, or surgical cheek augmentation, was the only way to add volume to the cheek area. This surgery involves inserting silicone, Gore-Tex or similar implants through an incision made inside the mouth and into the cheek. This procedure can work well but is invasive and requires several days of downtime and discomfort. Solid implants also run the risk of moving or becoming infected, in which case they must be removed, and the resulting cosmetic defect can be devastating.

Alternatively, fat can be harvested from another part of your body and placed in the cheek as an injected fat graft. This technique can have good results. However, fat injections are an unreliable enhancement method. The duration of effect of the fat graft depends on the patient, the doctor’s skill and the area injected. Like cheek implants, a fat graft is an invasive and expensive procedure.