I always tell my patients that part of your face which gives away your age the most – is your cheeks. With age, our cheeks lose volume, and because of gravity sag. This gives rise to a few problems – The obvious result is hollow cheeks below the eyes, giving a tired and listless appearance. Furthermore, an unsightly line appears – the naso-jugal fold, which runs horizontally across the cheek, casting a shadow. Lastly, dark eye circles appear darker, as shadows now cast under the eye more. Due to the loss of cheek volume, you will look fatigued and spiritless, no matter how much sleep you have.
The Cheeks – A Hallmark of Femininity
The cheeks are so important to a woman’s face because fleshy cheeks are associated with youthfulness and femininity. Round, prominent cheeks have always been a desired facial feature, even more so in Asian women, who often ask for ‘apple cheeks’ (think Fann Wong) when they smile.
In contrast, men’s cheeks are usually flatter. However, men are also affected by the same problems which come with sagging of the cheek.
Restoring the Volume
What do you do when volume is lost? – Restore it of course!
Introducing some fillers to the cheeks are the most efficient, effective and cost -effective way to look 10 years younger and fresher.
Fillers are often the only way to solve the problem caused by cheek sagging. You can laser, tighten and rest all you want, but eventually, my patients will come to the realization that cheek fillers are still a necessity if they want to look like their former self again. If you have wondered why so many celebrities still look so fresh and vibrant despite being over 40 years of age, this is the secret. Cheek fillers.
Often, my patients come in complaining that they “look tired” and that their “dark eye circles are getting worse”. Most do not realise that it is the sagging and deflating cheek which causes these problems. The results are dramatic. Hence, everytime I finish the filler on one side of their face and show them the mirror, I will always get a gasp of disbelief and throngs of excitement. My Japanese patients invariably exclaim “Wah!” the same excited way the presenters in Japan Hour do when they dig into their delicious meals!
Moderation is the Key
When I mention cheek fillers to my patients, they will invariably tell me about a friend who had the procedure done and now looks like a puffed up balloon.
Like all aesthetic procedure, moderation is the key. We want enough fillers just to restore the volume which was lost. Too much and you will risk looking like a chipmunk. Done correctly, the results are so natural that even you will forget you had a procedure done, and that you always looked this way.
Moderation is even more important for men. It is very easy to go overboard in men when performing cheek fillers – If done incorrectly, men end up looking more feminine after the procedure. Many practitioners do not understand the difference in standards of beauty between men and women. Again, it is very important to find an experienced doctor you trust to perform the procedure for you. It is perfectly ok to ask for before-after photos, and ask the doctor how comfortable they are with the procedure before you decide to go ahead.
