Cheek filler with Sally Tax, RN in Allentown

What it's used for

• Flattening or hollowing through the midface
• Nasolabial folds, often better addressed here than in the fold itself
• A tired look under the eyes caused by lost support above it
• Loss of definition along the cheekbone
• Early heaviness in the lower face, by restoring support higher up

How I approach it

Cheeks are where I most often send people who came in asking about something else. If your folds have deepened or your under-eyes look hollow, the cause is frequently that the support above them has gone, and chasing the fold directly gives you a heavier face rather than a fresher one.

I place for structure rather than for volume. The goal isn't fuller cheeks, it's cheeks that hold the rest of your face where it used to sit. Done properly you won't look like you had your cheeks done, you'll look like you slept.

This is also the area where I'm most likely to suggest staging across two visits. The midface takes support well, but adding it gradually lets us see how your face redistributes before deciding whether it needs more.

What to expect

The appointment

Assessment of your midface at rest and when you smile, photos, numbing, then treatment.

Days 1 to 3

Swelling, sometimes asymmetric. Cheeks can feel firm and look fuller than the end result.

Week 2

Most swelling has settled and the real shape is visible.

Week 4

Fully settled. The point to assess honestly and decide about a second stage.

12 months and beyond

Cheeks often hold longer than more mobile areas. Many people maintain annually.

Appointment and cost

45 minutes, booked through Meesha Aesthetics. A $75 deposit holds the appointment and comes off the cost of your visit, so it isn't an extra charge.

Priced by the syringe, and the midface generally needs more than a lip treatment to make a visible difference. Most people notice a change from one syringe per side. If that's beyond this visit, we can stage it, and I'd rather do one side properly and finish later than do both badly.

When I'd tell you not to

• If what you're describing is skin laxity rather than lost volume, filler will add weight without lifting anything, and I'll tell you that.
• If you've had a lot of midface filler before, more is often the wrong answer. Sometimes the right conversation is about dissolving rather than adding.
• If your budget only covers a token amount, I'd rather put it somewhere it will actually show than spread it thin across a large area.

Common questions

Will my face look puffy?

Not when it's placed for structure rather than volume. Puffy usually means too much product placed too superficially, or added repeatedly without reassessing.

How does this help my smile lines?

Nasolabial folds are often a shadow cast by lost support above them. Restore the support and the fold softens without anything being injected into it.

How long does it last?

Often a year or more. The midface moves less than the lips, so product tends to last longer here.

Can I do one side at a time?

You can, and occasionally I suggest it for budget reasons. Just know you'll look asymmetric until we finish.

Worth reading first

• What is facial balancing?
• What should I expect from my first filler appointment?
• Botox or filler, which one do I actually need?
• What is the aftercare for filler?
• Why can less treatment look better?