CONCERNS
Hollow Cheeks in Nottingham
YOUR BEAUTY DOCTOR - NOTTINGHAM
Have your cheeks started to look flatter or more hollow, even though you still feel like yourself? Changes in cheek volume can alter the way light falls across your face and make nearby shadows more noticeable.
At Your Beauty Doctor in Mapperley, Nottingham, we assess your natural facial shape before discussing treatment. The aim is to restore balance where appropriate, rather than create cheeks that do not belong on your face.
You do not need to change the way you look to ask for advice!
What are Hollow Cheeks?
Hollow cheeks describe a loss of fullness in the midface or beneath the cheekbones. Some people naturally have a leaner face; others notice a change from their earlier appearance.
Reduced cheek volume is different from loose skin, although both can be present. Prominent cheekbones do not automatically mean volume needs replacing. We assess the area in relation to the temples, under-eyes and lower face.
What causes Hollow Cheeks?
CAUSES
Natural Face Shape
The position of your cheekbones and the distribution of facial fat determine how full or lean your cheeks look. A naturally angular face is not a defect.
Age Related Changes
Facial tissues and underlying support change over time. The cheeks may look flatter, and the transition into the under-eye area or smile lines can become more pronounced.
Weight Loss and Health
Weight loss can reduce facial fullness. A change after intentional weight loss may be something you want to discuss aesthetically, but rapid or unexplained weight loss needs medical attention. Some medical conditions can also affect facial volume.
Can Home care Help?
WHAT MAY HELP
Maintaining a balanced diet and a stable, healthy weight can support general health, but you should not gain weight simply to alter your cheeks. Creams and facial exercises do not reliably replace lost facial volume.
ITS LIMITATIONS
Good skincare may improve texture and hydration over the cheeks without changing the underlying shape. If hollowing has appeared suddenly, is markedly one-sided or accompanies other symptoms, seek medical advice before considering a cosmetic procedure.
Hollow Cheeks Treatment Options in Nottingham
TREATMENT OPTIONS
Cheek filler
Hyaluronic acid filler may restore selected areas of volume or refine the cheek contour in suitable patients. Placement depends on where support is missing. The goal is proportionate fullness, not automatically higher or wider cheekbones.
Skin Quality and Laxity
If the issue is loose or crepey skin rather than lost volume, a skin-quality or tightening assessment may be more appropriate. Sofwave does not replace missing facial fat or provide the same contour change as filler.
Sculptra
For suitable broader facial volume changes, Sculptra may be discussed as a gradual collagen-stimulating approach. It is different from a precise immediate filler adjustment and usually involves a planned course.
Choosing the right approach for you
We compare the current contour with your natural facial proportions and, where helpful, photographs from before the change. We assess cheek support, under-eye transitions, skin laxity and previous filler.
A focused volume adjustment, gradual broader treatment or no volume treatment may each be appropriate. Adding product where fullness already exists can create an unwanted heavy appearance. We will explain how much of the concern is realistically addressable and whether another assessment is needed.
DOCTOR’S ADVICE
Dr. Jess Advice on Hollow Cheeks
“Hollow cheeks should be judged against your own facial shape, not a standard idea of what cheeks ought to look like. Some people have always had a lean face and want only a very small change; others have noticed clear volume loss. Those are different starting points. Older photographs can sometimes help explain what has changed, but the goal should not be to recreate an exact face from years ago. It is important to separate volume loss from loose skin and consider the under-eye transition as well. A sensible plan should add support only where it serves a purpose and leave room to review the result before deciding whether anything further is needed.“
Dr Jessica Halliley • Aesthetics Doctor and GP
MBChB (Hons), MRCGP, DRCOG, PGDipAes
WHAT TO EXPECT
Your patient journey at Your Beauty Doctor
STEP 1
Discussing the change
We ask when you noticed hollowing and whether it followed weight loss, illness or previous treatment. We assess the cheeks in relation to the whole face.
STEP 2
Selecting an approach
We discuss focused filler, gradual collagen stimulation or an alternative plan where appropriate. You receive an explanation of limits, risks and costs.
Treatment and Aftercare
STEP 3
If you proceed, preparation and aftercare are tailored to the procedure. We explain expected swelling or tenderness and the symptoms that require prompt help.
STEP 4
Reviewing Facial Balance
We reassess after settling or gradual development, depending on the option. Further volume is not added simply because one photograph still shows a shadow.
What results can you expect?
Suitable treatment may soften hollow areas or improve cheek support. The result should remain compatible with your natural proportions; fuller is not always better.
Filler can produce an early contour change, with swelling affecting the first impression. Sculptra develops more gradually. Neither stops future ageing or weight-related change. Bruising, swelling and other complications are possible, and filler carries rare serious vascular risks, including tissue damage and visual complications.
Left: Before / Right: After
Left: Before / Right: After
Frequently Asked Questions about Hollow Cheeks
Top Before / Bottom: After
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Yes, it can reduce facial fullness. If weight loss is unexplained or accompanied by other symptoms, a medical assessment is the priority.
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No. Natural anatomy, weight changes and other factors can contribute. A naturally lean face may have little age-related change.
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It can change facial width depending on placement and amount. We discuss whether your priority is restoring a hollow or adding projection, because these are different goals.
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No. Hyaluronic acid filler adds localised volume. Sculptra is discussed as a gradual collagen-stimulating option and cannot be judged by its immediate post-treatment appearance.
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It may help where reduced cheek support contributes to the transition. It will not remove pigmentation or treat every cause of dark circles.
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Skincare can support surface quality but does not reliably replace lost facial fat or provide the contour change of a volume treatment.
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They can be useful if you are trying to explain a change, but they are optional. Your current anatomy and realistic goals remain the basis of assessment.
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Tell us about the earlier treatment. Existing product, swelling or lumps can affect the plan, and adding more may not be appropriate.
Let's Talk
Not sure where to start or what treatments would be suitable for you? Book a consultation with one of our experts for a full facial assessment, and she will create a bespoke treatment plan for you- with zero pressure to proceed with anything else.