Considering treatment? Our page on cheek filler in London covers suitability, results and price.
The short answer: cheek filler usually causes mild swelling for a day or two, and bruising is uncommon in this area but possible. Everything settles over about two weeks. The most common thing that goes wrong is not a medical complication at all: it is too much filler placed in the wrong spot. Serious complications are rare, and hyaluronic acid filler can be dissolved.
Side effects most people get
- Mild swelling for a day or two. You can go back to your day straight after treatment.
- Tenderness over the cheekbones for the first few days.
- Bruising. Uncommon in the cheeks, but possible.
- Firmness while the filler settles. Everything settles over about two weeks.
The risk nobody talks about: the overfilled look
Cheek filler has a bad reputation, and it was earned by results where large volumes were placed too high and too far forward. That gives a shelf across the upper cheek that reads instantly as filler. Placed deep and in the right position, the same product simply gives back the structure you used to have.
Two things protect you from it:
- Building in stages. Most patients have between 1ml and 3ml, agreed at the consultation after we have assessed your face. If more is needed, we would rather add it at a second appointment than place too much at once.
- Being the right candidate. If your skin has significant laxity rather than volume loss, filler adds weight to tissue that is already descending and can make things look heavier. In that case a skin-tightening treatment is the better answer, and we will tell you so.
Less common side effects
- Asymmetry. Judge the result once the swelling has gone. Small differences can usually be corrected.
- Lumps you can feel. Usually soften as the filler settles. Persistent ones can be adjusted or dissolved.
Rare but serious risks
Every injectable treatment carries these, and you should hear about them at your consultation, before anything is booked.
- Infection. Increasing redness, heat, pain or discharge in the days after treatment.
- Allergic reaction. Rare with hyaluronic acid, but possible.
- Vascular occlusion. Filler blocking a blood vessel. It is rare and it is the most serious complication. The signs are pain that is severe or getting worse, and skin that turns pale, then blotchy, dusky or purple. It needs treating the same day, usually by dissolving the filler.
When to call us
Contact the clinic straight away if you notice any of these:
- Pain that is severe, or getting worse rather than better
- Skin that looks pale, white, blotchy, or dusky blue or purple
- Swelling that is still increasing after the third day
- Heat, spreading redness, discharge or a fever
- Any change in your vision. Go to A&E immediately.
Call us on 0207 099 6650 or message us on WhatsApp on 07999 999 850. If you cannot reach us and symptoms are severe, call 111 or go to A&E.
Who should not have cheek filler
We will not treat you if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have an active infection in the area, or have a history of severe allergic reaction to hyaluronic acid. You must be 18 or over.
Can cheek filler be reversed?
Yes. Hyaluronic acid filler can be dissolved with hyaluronidase if you are unhappy with the result.
Cheek filler at Dermamina
Numbing cream is applied first, and most patients describe the treatment as mild to moderate. The filler is placed at strategic points across the mid-face, usually deep and onto the bone, in around 10 minutes. Results are visible straight away and typically last 12 to 18 months.
Cheek filler is £300 for 1ml, £500 for 2ml and £700 for 3ml, with a £50 consultation. We are a Save Face accredited clinic on New Cavendish Street, five minutes from Oxford Street, rated 4.8 from 2,000+ reviews on Google and Trustpilot.
Common questions
Is cheek filler risky?
Serious complications are rare. Mild swelling for a day or two is normal and bruising is uncommon in this area. The most common problem is an overfilled look from too much filler placed too high, which careful placement and building in stages avoid.
How long does cheek filler swelling last?
Mild swelling usually lasts a day or two, and everything settles over about two weeks.
Can cheek filler make you look older?
It can make the face look heavier if it is placed on skin with significant laxity rather than volume loss, or if too much is placed too high. That is why suitability is assessed first.
Can cheek filler be dissolved?
Yes. Hyaluronic acid filler can be dissolved with hyaluronidase if you are unhappy with the result.
Does cheek filler bruise?
Bruising is uncommon in the cheeks, but it can happen and varies between individuals.
Related reading
- Cheek filler results timeline
- How long cheek filler results last
- Cheek filler cost and price guide
- Cheek filler in London: suitability, results and price
Book now or call 0207 099 6650. Suitability for treatment is confirmed at consultation. Individual results vary.