Hyaluronic Acid Filler (Cheeks and Nasolabial Folds)

Two changes were happening at once here. The cheek had lost volume and flattened, and the lines running from the nose to the mouth had deepened. They are the same problem seen from two angles: when the cheek loses its support, the tissue slides down and folds at the fixed point beside the mouth.

We placed the larger share of the material over the cheek to rebuild the lost support, and a smaller amount into the folds themselves.

At one week the cheek carries light again and the folds have softened. The face reads as fuller through the upper mid-face rather than heavier around the mouth.

Treating the fold alone flattens the cheek further and the line comes back quickly. Restoring the cheek first is what makes the correction hold.

Pain, swelling, redness, and bruising settle within one to two weeks.

Lumps or irregularity may be felt and usually soften over several weeks.

Asymmetry can occur and may need adjustment.

Hyaluronic acid is absorbed over time, typically nine to eighteen months in the mid-face. Repeat treatment is needed to maintain the result.

Very rarely, injection into a blood vessel can impair blood flow and cause skin necrosis. Visual disturbance has been reported with filler injection in the mid-face, though this is extremely rare.

Infection is uncommon.