Cheekbone Contouring Injection vs Cheekbone Botox in Gangnam

Cheekbones that push out sideways whenever you smile, or a cheekbone line that protrudes and makes the facial contour look strong, seem to be on a lot of people’s minds.

Because the cheekbone sits in the middle of the face, even a small change in volume shifts the impression of the whole face, and many people look into various contouring treatments in the hope of a smoother side profile. Surgical approaches that shave bone often give people pause because of the recovery period, so non-surgical methods tend to be considered first.

This is where the cheekbone contouring injection and cheekbone botox come up. Today we would like to compare the two and explain how the cheekbone contouring injection works.

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What makes cheekbones look bulky?

To understand the difference between the two treatments, it helps to look first at the tissue that makes up the cheekbone area.

The reason a cheekbone contour protrudes or looks bulky differs from person to person. Sometimes the bone structure itself is well developed, but in practice it is more often that the subcutaneous fat layer over the bone has built up thickly, or that the muscles (the temporalis, the lateral temporal and zygomatic muscle groups and so on) have developed and increased in volume.

• Fat-dominant cheekbones — the subcutaneous fat tissue wrapping around the cheekbone is thick, so it bulges out when you smile or make an expression
• Muscle-dominant cheekbones — the temporalis area or the muscle layer around the cheekbone, used when chewing or making expressions, has enlarged, making the face look wider from the side

Put another way, what determines the treatment for a cheekbone concern is whether the tissue involved is fat or muscle.

What is the difference between the two?

The difference between the two treatments lies in the type of tissue they target.

Category	Cheekbone contouring injection	Cheekbone botox
Target tissue	Subcutaneous fat tissue	Muscle tissue
Mechanism	Reduces the size of fat and breaks it down to encourage clearance	Temporarily blocks neurotransmitter release to reduce muscle bulk
Suited to	Where the flesh over the cheekbone rises when making an expression	Where the lateral cheekbone muscle stands out when clenching the teeth

Because the two treatments address different tissues and are separate approaches, if the cause does not match, the change will be hard to feel.

Can the two be combined?

If you have fuller tissue and the flesh over the cheekbone rises when you make an expression, a cheekbone contouring injection may help; if the lateral cheekbone muscle stands out when you clench your teeth, botox may help.

If both factors are at work together, combining the two treatments can also be considered. Whether to combine them, and in what order, depends on the condition of each tissue, so this is decided through assessment. In other words, the cause of a cheekbone concern often does not resolve to a single factor, so a step to check whether a combination is needed is required.

How does the cheekbone contouring injection work?

The cheekbone contouring injection places active ingredients precisely, taking facial tissue quality and fat density into account. The solution complex used is made up of components that support the breakdown and metabolism of the localised subcutaneous fat layer remaining in the cheekbone area.

Once the solution is injected, metabolism within the fat and tissue is activated, the fat layer gradually thins, and the protruding cheekbone contour can be expected to settle more softly. The degree and timing of change do vary from person to person. The cheekbone contouring injection is not a treatment that reduces the cheekbone as a whole; it adjusts the volume of fat accumulated in a specific layer.

Why do dose and design matter?

The cheekbone area is a sensitive zone where hollowing or depression can easily follow. That is why identifying the anatomical boundaries between bone, fat and muscle, and then injecting only into the layer that needs it, is important.

Treating with a uniform dose without regard to an individual’s contour structure can lead to a disappointing result. The cheekbone also reads differently in three dimensions from the front and from the side, so if too much is injected, there is a risk of the cheek below the cheekbone hollowing and looking unnatural.

This is why it is necessary to check the tissue quality by hand, observe where the cheekbone fat sits at rest and when smiling, and then design differently for each area. What lowers the concern about side effects with a cheekbone contouring injection is not only the safety of the solution but the judgement about where and how much to place.

What should be avoided after treatment?

The cheekbone contouring injection is a non-invasive injection with no incision and no bone shaving, so recovery tends to be quick. Cleansing and make-up are possible the same day, and daily life poses no particular difficulty. The following points are worth keeping to, however.

• Mild swelling, bruising or slight tenderness may appear straight after treatment, but these mostly ease within a few days.
• For about a week after treatment, please avoid alcohol, saunas, jjimjilbang and vigorous exercise.
• Please refrain from rubbing or pressing the treated area firmly.
• The change and how long it lasts can differ according to facial subcutaneous fat density and skin thickness.

If symptoms worsen or persist, please contact the clinic. What is needed immediately after treatment is not active aftercare but avoiding added irritation while the solution settles into place.

A smooth facial contour starts with understanding the balance of bone, fat and muscle in your own face. If the cheekbone line has been on your mind, we recommend establishing whether your cheekbones come from bone, fat or muscle, and then receiving a direction that matches.

Healthy, firm skin comes together when accurate information and consistent care are added to the treatment itself. NUWA Clinic Gangnam, where a one-to-one assessment guides a direction suited to your skin condition, is directly in front of Exit 7 of Gangnam Station, on the 3rd and 4th floors of 385 Gangnam-daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul.

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Frequently asked questions

Q. Which is right for me, the contouring injection or cheekbone botox?

A. If the flesh over the cheekbone rises when you make an expression, a cheekbone contouring injection is considered; if the lateral cheekbone muscle stands out when you clench your teeth, botox is considered. A different cause means a different approach, so assessment comes first.

Q. Can I have both treatments together?

A. Where fat and muscle are both at work, combining them can be considered. Whether to combine and in what order depends on tissue condition, so please confirm at your consultation.

Q. Can a cheekbone contouring injection cause the cheeks to hollow?

A. The cheekbone is an area where hollowing can easily follow, so an excessive dose that does not take individual structure into account can result in the cheek below the cheekbone looking hollowed. Designing the injection so it goes only into the layers that need it, divided appropriately, is important.

Q. Can I return to daily life straight after the treatment?

A. It is a non-invasive injection with no incision, so cleansing and make-up are possible the same day and daily life poses no difficulty. For about a week, though, please avoid alcohol, saunas and vigorous exercise.

Q. Does it work when the cheekbone itself is well developed?

A. The cheekbone contouring injection addresses subcutaneous fat and soft tissue, so if the cause is bone structure, there is a limit to how much an injection alone can reduce the line. In that case, other directions are reviewed alongside it.