How do you know if your cheek fillers have gone wrong?

Author: Erwin Wisozk  |  Last update: Sunday, November 23, 2025

Cheek Filler Gone Wrong But rarely, people may experience the following results of cheek fillers gone wrong: “Pillow cheeks” “Sunset eyes” Injection site redness and swelling.

What are the red flags after fillers?

Signs to look for include pain at the injection site and discolouration of skin (pale or deep red) for up to a few hours after filler injection.

What are the danger zones for cheek fillers?

The most common dermal filler danger zones are the following: Glabellar region (just above the nose and between the eyebrows) Temporal fossa (area around the temples bordered by the outer eye socket, upper cheekbone, hairline, and forehead) Infraorbital region (malar cheek fat pad, located right under the eye sockets)

How do I know if my fillers are botched?

To know if your filler is botched, you should look out for signs such as lumps or irregularities in the skin, unevenness between sides of the face, pain or tenderness in the area, discoloration or bruising at the injection site, and redness or swelling around the area.

Can you mess up cheek filler?

Avoiding Physical Disturbance to Facial Fillers

Applying pressure or disturbing the treated area can potentially displace the filler, leading to suboptimal results. It's particularly important to avoid pressure on the treated area for the first 48 hours after treatment.

Don't get Fillers Until You Watch This!- Do Fillers Eventually Migrate & Cause Pillow Face?

What can go wrong with cheek fillers?

Common risks include:
  • Bruising.
  • Redness.
  • Swelling.
  • Pain.
  • Tenderness.
  • Itching.
  • Rash.
  • Difficulty in performing activities (only observed when injected into the back of the hand)

What are the first signs of vascular occlusion from fillers?

What are the symptoms of vascular occlusion?
  • Pain or discomfort at the site of the blockage.
  • Swelling.
  • Changes to your skin color; red (erythema) to blueish-purple or white spots (blanching).
  • Cool temperature to the affected area of your skin.

When should I be worried about fillers?

Allergic reactions: Even though it's rare, fillers can sometimes cause allergies. If you have itching, a rash, trouble breathing, or swelling in your face or throat after the injections, get help right away. Eye problems: Fillers near your eyes could cause vision issues or even blindness in rare cases.

What is the Tyndall effect on cheeks?

The Tyndall effect is the appearance of a bluish discolouration at the injection site of dermal filler. This occurs due to light being reflected from particles in the dermal filler.

Why does my smile look weird after cheek fillers?

“Overfilling the deep compartments or accidentally injecting the superficial compartments, can both affect the contraction of the musculature of the SMAS. This can alter the appearance of the smile around the eyes or mouth”, Dr Linday warns.

What is the safest filler for cheeks?

Reaction with Skin Tissue:

Hyaluronic acid fillers (Juvederm Voluma XC, Restylane Lyft, and Revanesse) are known for their high compatibility with skin tissues, minimizing the risk of adverse reactions.

How long does it take cheek fillers to settle?

Timeline for Settling: Typically, cheek fillers take about two weeks to fully settle and integrate with the surrounding tissues. Initially, you may notice an improvement right after the treatment, but the final results refine over the next few weeks. This period allows any initial swelling or bruising to subside.

How do you know if you have too much cheek filler?

If your face looks swollen, puffy, or as if you've gained weight without any changes to your diet or lifestyle, it's often a sign of overfilling. This effect is sometimes referred to as “pillow face” because the skin appears overly puffy and bloated, losing its natural definition.

What is not normal after fillers?

Late complications are defined as those appearing after about 2-6 weeks. They comprise late allergic reactions, chronic inflammation and infection, granulomas, filler migration, loss of function, telangiectasia, and hypertrophic scars. A detailed history may disclose a potential allergy.

What does the start of a vascular occlusion look like?

Vascular occlusion warning signs (2): pallor

After the initial injection, the next sign of a problem with a VO is usually pallor. In the case of a true, complete vascular occlusion, pallor is very stark, particularly in lips. There will be a grey patch on the lip that sometimes has zero capillary refill.

How do you know if your cheek fillers are infected?

The initial infected symptoms include pain along with tenderness and redness. These signs will typically occur within the first week between days 2 and 6. The formation of an abscess occurs between day 6 and 14. Normal post-procedural inflammation has some overlap but tends to peak at 6 hours and then start to reduce.

What is the permanent discoloration from fillers?

In aesthetics, the Tyndall effect is used to describe the bluish hue that is visible within the skin caused by too superficial placement of hyaluronic acid (HA) filler.

What is malar edema?

Malar oedema is an accumulation of fluid just above the cheekbones. The severity may vary and can worsen after salty meals or in the mornings. The consistency of the fluid build-up is usually soft and compressible. It is essential to have a full examination to rule out other medical causes other than natural ageing.

What are three examples of Tyndall effect?

Some examples of Tyndall effect are:
  • Sunlight entering into a dark room.
  • Lots of dust particles suspended in a lit up room.
  • When the weather is foggy and smoggy, beams of headlights are clearly visible.
  • Scattering of light by water droplets present in the air.

What is a pillow face?

“Pillow face” occurs when too much filler is injected into areas like the cheeks, nasolabial folds (the lines from your nose to the corners of your mouth), lips, and under-eye area. This repeated overfilling can result in a bloated, round appearance that looks far from natural.

How do you know if your body is rejecting fillers?

If you experience any signs of an allergic reaction after a filler injection, such as tenderness, swelling or asymmetrical fullness, seek medical attention immediately. Ask your doctor to test for allergies to the injectable fillers and/or the liquid gel in which they are suspended.

What are the first signs of impending necrosis?

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF NECROSIS
  • Pain. 2,3,5,6,7 Severe pain is usually experienced by the patient when necrosis ensues. ...
  • Prolonged blanching. 2,3,5,7 When the vasculature is affected, the area will often initially look very pale, white, or dusky due to the reduction in blood supply. ...
  • Dusky, purple discoloration. ...
  • Coolness.

How to tell the difference between bruising and vascular occlusion?

The most important sign of occlusion is poor capillary return on the affected area. In comparison, a bruise will have quick capillary return. The bruising is contained in a certain location and takes on a relatively defined shape, as opposed to discoloration, spreading and a mottled appearance.

What does blanching after fillers look like?

How do you identify blanching following toxin injections? The skin around the injection site(s) will generally turn much paler than your patient's normal skin tone. Often the skin turns completely white, especially in Caucasian patients.

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