What to Know About Cheek Fillers

Let's face it: images of faces plumped with filler are everywhere you look — whether you can spot them or not. One location for filler that might be more popular than your lips? Highly coveted sculpted cheekbones. In addition to a smoother and more restored physical appearance, cheek fillers can reduce undereye circles, eliminate the need for contouring, and even reduce fine lines around the mouth and eye area.

With the help of renowned double board-certified facial plastic surgeons Dr. Dara Liotta and Dr. Lesley Rabach, as well as "clean" skincare pioneer Dr. Macrene Alexiades, we break down the basics of cheek fillers to give curious minds all the need-to-know info.

Find out more about how the procedure works, how long it lasts, and the risk factors, ahead.

What Are Cheek Fillers?

Cheek fillers are injectables that aim to make skin look plumper and more contoured (think: a more chiseled or highlighted appearance). "Cheekbone filler is a truly amazing way to refresh your appearance in a natural-looking way," says Dr. Rabach.

How do Cheek Fillers Work?

Cheekbone filler is a cosmetic procedure that involves injecting a gel-like formulation under the skin to increase vibrancy or restore volume from signs of aging. The process is completely tailored to your specific needs, goals, and anatomy in order to enhance your natural bone structure. Cheek filler is most commonly used to add more lift to the outermost part of the cheekbone and bring more light up around the eyes, Dr. Liotta tells us. It's also used to boost volume at the apples of your cheeks to eliminate areas of shadow, she adds. "The good and the bad of fillers is that they're not permanent," says Dr. Liotta. In fact, cheek filler is an excellent shorter-term solution to correct asymmetry and achieve facial balance and harmony.