Cheekbone Reduction Injection: A Checklist Before You Book

Many people feel that cheekbones protruding to the sides make their features look severe. Because bone-shaving methods carry a recovery period and the risk of cheek sagging, more people are first looking into cheekbone reduction injections, which refine the line without an incision.

The cheekbone is a demanding area, though, so deciding on price alone because the procedure looks simple is unwise. It sits at the centre of the face, where the fat layer, muscle and bone structure are all densely packed. Today we will set out what is worth checking before the consultation.

There are two things to establish first with cheekbone reduction injections. The first is whether your cheekbone falls into the fat, muscular or combined type, and the second is what the injected solution is composed of. Formulations containing high-dose steroids can look as though fat is reducing quickly in a short period, but irregular bleeding, menstrual irregularity and indentation at the injection site may come with them. Placement and dosage planning on top of that is what keeps cheek hollowing to a minimum.

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Which type is my cheekbone?

The reason cheekbones stand out differs from person to person. The bone structure itself may be pronounced, but it is just as common for a thick subcutaneous fat layer sitting over the bone, or an enlarged muscle layer used in facial expression, to be the cause.

Type	How it presents	The direction considered
Excess subcutaneous fat	The cheekbone area looks full and thick tissue can be pinched by hand	Cheekbone reduction injection
Muscular development	The temporalis and the side of the cheekbone bulge on expression	Cheekbone botox
Combined	Both fat and muscle enlargement are present	Planned separately for each

To sum up, one of the most important things in cheekbone treatment is not the type of procedure but judging whether the tissue creating your cheekbone is fat or muscle.

Why does the composition of the solution matter?

When looking into contouring or lipolytic injections, one of the most common questions is whether steroids are included.

Formulations containing high-dose steroids can look as though fat is reducing rapidly over a short period. For women, though, irregular bleeding or menstrual irregularity may accompany them, and indentation can be left at the injection site. A rapid change does not in itself mean the formulation suits you.

The cheekbone reduction injection at NUWA Clinic Gangnam is composed in a direction that lowers concerns about side effects. The principle is to reduce the subcutaneous fat and soft tissue volume in the cheekbone area, and to prompt the broken-down components to be cleared from the body.

Why does cheek hollowing occur, and how is it avoided?

The thing to be most careful about when refining the cheekbone line is hollowing below it, where the lower cheek appears sunken. The cheekbone runs from the front cheekbone to the side cheekbone and into the lower cheek, with those boundaries connected in a gentle curve.

Injecting excessively at uniform points without accounting for that curve makes the cheek just below it look hollow. That can leave the cheekbone looking more prominent than before, or give an older impression. Cheek hollowing comes less from the solution itself than from placement and dosage that disregard the curve.

This is why the three-dimensional form is assessed from the front, the side and at 45 degrees. Both the contour at rest and the way the cheekbone moves when you smile are checked before dosage and placement are divided up.

What is worth asking at the consultation?

• Whether they establish if your cheekbone is caused by fat or by muscle
• What the injected solution is composed of
• Whether the plan accounts for the side view and the shape when smiling, not just the front
• How areas prone to hollowing, such as the lower cheek, are to be handled

What to establish at a cheekbone reduction injection consultation is not whether the procedure is possible but three things: diagnosis, composition and planning.

What should be watched afterwards?

Cheekbone reduction injection is a non-invasive injection that leaves no incision or scar, so washing your face and wearing make-up are possible the same day. The injected solution takes one to two weeks to act on the fat and soft tissue, though, so it is worth taking care during that time.

• Swelling, bruising and tenderness — these may appear as the solution spreads through the subcutaneous fat layer, and usually ease within a few days.
• Avoid alcohol and smoking for a week — please also avoid saunas, steam rooms and hot baths.
• No physical pressure — rubbing the area vigorously or pressing firmly makes it harder for the solution to spread evenly.

What is needed straight after the procedure is less active care than leaving the area alone while the solution settles. If prominent cheekbones have been on your mind for a long time, it is worth establishing the cause before deciding on a procedure, because even an injection with the same name follows a different course depending on its composition and planning. We will go through it together at the consultation.

Healthy, resilient skin comes together when accurate information and consistent care are added to the treatment itself. NUWA Clinic Gangnam, which proposes a direction suited to your skin through one-to-one diagnosis, is located directly in front of Exit 7 of Gangnam Station, on the 3rd and 4th floors at 385 Gangnam-daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul.

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Frequently asked questions

Q. Does the cheekbone reduction injection contain steroids?

A. The cheekbone reduction injection at NUWA Clinic Gangnam is composed in a direction that lowers concerns about side effects. High-dose steroid formulations can appear to work quickly, but irregular bleeding, menstrual irregularity and indentation at the injection site may accompany them. We will explain the composition in detail at the consultation.

Q. Isn’t an injection that reduces the cheekbone quickly the better one?

A. The speed of change and the burden left on the body do not always point the same way. Where a large reduction happens over a short period, volume can go with it and leave the area looking hollow, so it is better to look at which layer is being adjusted and by how much, rather than at speed.

Q. I am worried my cheeks will hollow.

A. The lower cheek below the cheekbone is prone to hollowing. It can appear where an excessive dose goes into placements that disregard the curve, so dosage and placement are divided after checking the front, the side and the shape when smiling.

Q. When does the change start to show?

A. The injected solution takes about one to two weeks to act on the fat and soft tissue. From then on you will see the line gradually refine, and the timing and degree vary from person to person.

Q. If muscle is the cause, is the injection not suitable?

A. Where the temporalis or the side of the cheekbone bulges on expression, cheekbone botox is considered alongside it. There is also a combined type where fat and muscle both play a part, so which predominates is established by diagnosis before deciding.

Q. Can I massage the area afterwards?

A. Rubbing or pressing the area excessively makes it harder for the solution to settle evenly in the target layer. Some people knead the area to reduce swelling, but during this period it is better left alone.