Why You Shouldn't Rely on Filler Alone for Sunken Side Cheeks: Juvéderm + Ultherapy Explained

Hello~

I’m Dr. Park Tae-oh from Relive Clinic.

"I think it would be enough to just fill this area."

This is something I hear quite often from patients who visit for sunken side cheeks.

It’s not an incorrect statement,

and it’s not an incorrect approach either.

But with this method alone, the result often ends up looking unnatural.

Sunken cheeks and hollows at the side of the cheeks

are not simply a matter of lacking volume.

Loss of fat and changes in bone structure can also be causes, but in actual clinical practice, the front cheek tissue often shifts downward,

making the area appear relatively hollow.

If you only fill the hollow area in this state,

too much product may be needed,

and the face can look wider

or give a heavy impression.

So I start not with

"how much should be filled," but with

"why does it look sunken?"

First, I distinguish that.

What I use at this point is

Juvéderm,

and unlike a simple filler,

Juvéderm induces collagen production through PDLLA,

progressively reinforcing the dermal structure.

Along with the immediate volumizing effect,

over time it has the characteristic of improving

skin thickness and elasticity.

However,

there are cases where reinforcing the structure alone

is not enough.

That’s because the tissue "position"

may already have shifted downward.

At this point, I combine it with Ultherapy.

Ultherapy delivers energy down to the SMAS layer,

lifting and repositioning sagging tissue upward,

so through this process, the side cheek can look less sunken

even without directly filling it.

As a result,

by reinforcing the structure with Juvéderm

and organizing the position with Ultherapy,

it becomes possible to create a natural,

well-balanced contour

without excessive volume.

In actual cases where filler alone was repeated,

we often see the face gradually looking wider

or becoming unnatural.

This is because the treatment focused only on filling,

without considering the cause of the facial hollowness or sunken cheeks.

<< Frequently Asked Questions >>

Q. "If I get Ultherapy, won’t it make me look even more hollow?"

A. Ultherapy is not a treatment that reduces fat;

it is a lifting procedure that delivers energy to the correct layer.

Depending on the plan, it can instead work in a way that helps reduce the appearance of hollowness.

Q. "Can Juvéderm alone solve the problem?"

A. It can, but it depends on the case.

When sagging is also present, the required amount may increase,

and the result can become less refined.

In the end, what matters is not the type of procedure,

but whether the current state is "lack of volume"

or "tissue displacement."

The more accurately this is judged,

the simpler the procedure becomes,

and the more natural the result.

At Apgujeong Relive Clinic,

we always consider results that are both natural

and beautiful.

Thank you for reading this long post.

This was Dr. Park.