This is a common question that people type into the search box on Google: Are cheek fillers worth it? It’s difficult to provide a straight answer, as it depends on what results people want and how much they are prepared to pay for their treatment. However, we will try to be as specific as possible, and also touch upon which filler is the best filler for cheeks.
How much do cheek fillers cost?
It depends on what result you desire. The healthcare practitioner will make an evaluation and give a recommendation as to what is needed in your case. Also, many clinics list treatment prices on their websites and on social media, so if you want a general price indication, a good start is to check the prices at some clinics in your area.
How much cheek filler do I need?
Cheek fillers are generally sold in 1 mL packages (⅕ of a teaspoon). Of course, more or less cheek filler could be used depending on your needs and desires. For most people, 1 mL of filler in the cheeks won’t lead to major changes but add a little extra volume or lift.
What is the best filler for cheeks if I want the result to last as long as possible?
Many people would probably think that a cheek filler that only lasts for a short time isn’t worth the money. So how long do cheek fillers last?
It actually varies from person to person. Almost all cheek fillers are based on hyaluronic acid, a natural substance that is found in our bodies and that keeps our tissues soft and lubricated. The hyaluronic acid that is used in fillers has been stabilized to last longer than natural hyaluronic acid, that is broken down and reformed by the body in a day or two.
In general, a filler lasts for some months and up to a year or two, depending on where it’s injected and how quickly the body’s enzymes break it down.
The cheek filler Restylane® VOLYME™, which is designed to restore natural volume and cheek contours, has been shown to last for up to 18 months.1 Another filler that can be used for cheeks is Restylane® LYFT™. It’s a firm filler that can provide a lift to the cheeks and be used to create structure.2-6 Restylane® LYFT™ has been shown to last for up to 2 years with one retreatment.5 Ask your healthcare practitioner what to expect in your specific case.
How often do I need retreatments with cheek fillers?
Cheek fillers will fade a bit over time. If you’re ok with that, you don’t have to have retreatments very often and that will lower the cost of your cheek filler treatments over time. Usually, a smaller filler volume is needed when you have a retreatment.
If it’s very important for you to have more or less the same volume in your cheeks, you will have to have retreatments more often. That will of course lead to somewhat higher costs over time.
Ask your healthcare practitioner what to expect in your case, and how often you need to have retreatments, depending on whether you want to keep a certain volume to your cheeks or if you’re ok with a bit of fading.
What is the best filler for cheeks to get a natural-looking result?
Most of us want a cheek filler treatment to look natural. Preferably, it should look so natural that people can’t even see that we’ve had a treatment at all, just that we look fresh and youthful. A badly performed cheek filler treatment isn’t worth the money.
The most important aspect to get that natural-looking result with cheek fillers is to consult a qualified healthcare practitioner and explain what result you want. He or she will adapt the treatment to your anatomy and your wishes and desires.
You can always check the clinic’s images on social media to feel confident that the clinic and healthcare practitioner/s perform treatments to your liking.
A treatment with cheek fillers is never worth it if you’re not happy with the result. That’s why you should always turn to a qualified healthcare practitioner who knows what he or she is doing.
What do people think who have had treatments with cheek fillers?
Companies that develop fillers want people to be really satisfied with the results, so they test their products in clinical studies. Here are examples of the fillers mentioned above:
In a clinical study with Restylane® VOLYME™, this is what participants thought 18 months after their treatment:
- 100% would recommend the treatment to family and friends and would receive the treatment again1
- 98% were either satisfied or very satisfied with the durability of the results1
In a clinical study with Restylane® LYFT™, this is what participants thought at the end of the two-year study period that included one retreatment:
- 99% felt that they would recommend the treatment to a friend5
- 96% felt their treatment met or exceeded expectations5
Read this article if you want to know more about cheek fillers and how they have been developed to create natural-looking results.
References
- Talarico S, et al. Dermatol Surg 2015; 41:361–1369.
- Data on file (MA-43049)
- Data on file (MA-33947)
- Kablik J et al. Dermatol Surg 2009;35(s1):302–312
- Andriopoulos B et al. Poster presented at AMWC 2019
- Edwartz C et al. Poster presented at IMCAS 2020.