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Cheek Fillers Vs Surgical Cheek Augmentation – Pros And Cons

Table Of Contents

You’ve got a few choices when it comes to cheek augmentation. Are you looking for short or long-term results? Do you want a dramatic change in your cheek volume or a more natural, subtle look? Let’s look at the different methods of cheek augmentation and their pros and cons.

Should you choose cheek fillers or surgical cheek augmentation? The decision depends on factors like longevity, cost, downtime, and your desired results. Cheek fillers offer an instant, non-surgical way to enhance facial volume, while cheek implants provide a permanent contouring solution. In this guide, we compare the pros and cons of both procedures, helping you decide which is the right choice for your aesthetic goals. For a detailed comparison of the best dermal fillers for cheek volume, check out our Best Fillers for Cheek Enhancement guide.

Surgical

  • Cheek Implants

Think of these devices like breast implants, only for your cheeks. They serve the same purpose of adding shape and volume to your body. You might be interested in cheek implants if you’ve lost weight or have facial skin that’s sagging with age. Cheek implants are a good option if you’re looking for long-lasting and dramatic changes to your cheeks.

  • Fat Transfer

Maybe you’re not totally sold on the idea of surgical implants. The good news is, you don’t have to be. Fat transfer to your cheeks is an option if you want a natural alternative to cheek implants. You may not get quite as much volume from your cheek augmentation with this method, but you’ll still see permanent changes in your cheek structure.

Non-Surgical

If you’ve seen photos or videos of celebrities, you’ve probably noticed the symmetry of their faces. Yes, this is partly due to professional makeup artists and their talents. However, other things can help make your face symmetrical even when you don’t apply makeup. Cosmetic treatments give celebrities volume and lift in all the aesthetically pleasing places–including their cheeks. The perks of cheek fillers are that they’re quick, effective, and just as accessible to you as they are to celebrities.

Surgical Cheek Augmentation: Pros

  • Long-Lasting Results

Whether you choose implants or fat transfer for your surgical cheek augmentation, you can be sure that your newly contoured cheek structure will last for years. 

  • One Surgery, One Payment

You’ll find yourself paying more for surgical cheek augmentation, but don’t let that hold you back. Your results will pay for themselves in a short time, and you’ll never have to worry about paying for sessions every few months.

  • Greater Cheek Volume

Maybe you’ve already tried fillers to get an idea of what you like, but now you’re ready to see more dramatic–and permanent–cheek augmentation. Implants and fat transfer can give you a fuller, more defined cheek without the need for maintenance.

Surgical Cheek Augmentation: Cons

  • Surgery

You may be hesitant to have surgical cheek augmentation. The idea of permanently altering part of your body–especially your face–is not something you should take lightly. You need to be positive you’re doing what’s right for you before you have surgical cheek augmentation.

  • Recovery

While you won’t have an extensive recovery period after surgery, you’ll need to take a few days–sometimes as much as a week–off to heal from your cheek augmentation.

  • Possible Side Effects

Any time you have a foreign object in your body, you can develop a reaction to it. These reactions are very rare things, but they have happened with implants. Fat transfer is different since it uses your body’s fat cells instead of something man-made.

Cheek Filler: Pros

  • Non-Surgical

You don’t have to worry about preparing for surgery if you choose cheek fillers. Downtime and recovery won’t be a problem either. You’ll be able to leave your session and go about your day.

  • Dissolvable

It’s unlikely you’ll have a reaction to your cheek filler injections. Don’t worry if you do, though. The hyaluronic acid in the fillers is dissolvable and is easily broken down with a quick injection of hyaluronidase. You can also use this to remove filler from your cheeks if you want to.

  • Provides A More Natural Look

Cheek fillers make your facial structure look naturally contoured. If you want subtle enhancements to your bone structure, cheek filler can give it to you.

Cheek Filler: Cons

  • Maintenance

If you choose cheek fillers, know from the beginning that you’ll likely need more than one session to get the results you want. After your first treatments, you will need more injections after a year or so to maintain your cheek volume.

  • Long-Term Expense

Injection sessions don’t cost as much as surgical cheek augmentation, but you’ll need more than one initial session. These sessions and yearly maintenance can make cheek filler the more expensive option.

  • May Not Volumise Enough

Cheek fillers give you a more natural look by enhancing what already exists. If you’ve had a lot of volume loss or sagging skin around your cheeks, you may not see the more contoured look you’re after with cheek fillers.

Surgical Cheek Augmentation vs Fillers: How Do I Decide

Are you still on the fence about what cheek augmentation method is right for you? You can get a better idea of what you want from your cheek augmentation by talking to an aesthetic professional from Injectco. Give us a call today at (817) 516-4801 to schedule an appointment.

Written By:
Kiara DeWitt, BSN, RN, CPN, Advanced Clinical Nurse Injector


Kiara DeWitt, BSN, RN, CPN founded InjectCo in early 2021 while also heading up the neurosurgery + neurology unit at Cook Children’s Pediatric Hospital as lead clinical educator. After completing her Bachelor's degree at Texas Christian University, Kiara realized just how much the aesthetic medicine industry was missing, wishing it was more focused on ethical decision-making and building relationships. Kiara’s dream was to create an atmosphere for her patients where they feel loved, empowered, and comfortable. She believes in a “lead to serve” mentality, hoping to create a more personal connection with both her patients and team alike. Kiara curated a team of 13 professionals across eight clinics, six of which are in DFW, one in Houston, and one in Austin.
Kiara loves nothing more than creating a collaborating, educational approach with her team, and thrives on personal and professional growth opportunities. She hopes that her patients feel heard and encouraged at every InjectCo visit and that they are truly excited about their personalized and well-designed aesthetic treatment plan. This love for education and safety in the industry led her to later found Texas Academy of Medical Aesthetics, an accredited training program that specializes in a 100+ hour aesthetic injector internship where students are able to train and shadow at all eight of InjectCo’s clinics.


Kiara’s patients recognize her and the entire InjectCo team as highly skilled and extremely thorough clinicians. She hopes to continue being a knowledgeable and approachable resource for clinical injectors across the country who are hoping to grow and scale their aesthetic business.

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