Facial contouring with hyaluronic acid – how can you improve the contours and proportions of your face?

You may be getting more and more wrinkles, not because your skin has suddenly deteriorated. The problem may well lie much deeper.

As we age, the face loses more than just its smoothness. Tissue volume decreases, proportions change, the cheeks may lose their fullness, the temple area becomes more sunken, and the jawline less defined. The face begins to look more tired, even if the condition of the skin itself is quite good.

And that is precisely why the very filling in wrinkles does not always solve the problem.

Facial modelling with hyaluronic acid It allows you to work not only on individual wrinkles, but also on the proportions, volume and contours of the face. However, the aim should not be to add volume wherever it is lacking. It is about correctly assessing the anatomy of the face and selecting a correction that preserves its natural features.

When does the face start to lose its contours?

The ageing process of the face does not take place solely on the surface of the skin. The tissues beneath it also change.

Over time, this leads, amongst other things, to a loss of fat volume, changes in the supporting structures and tissue remodelling. As a result, the way light falls on the face changes. Dark circles, hollows and more pronounced furrows appear.

You may notice that:

• the cheeks are less full than before,
• the face looks more „sunken”,
• the area around the temples has lost volume,
• jawline has become less distinct,
• the proportions between the middle and lower parts of the face have changed,
• The furrows and depressions have become more visible.

This does not always mean that you need to use more of the product. Sometimes the problem is primarily site of administration and method of volume administration.

Facial contouring with hyaluronic acid – what does it involve?

Facial modelling with hyaluronic acid, also known as facial volumetrics, involves adding volume to selected areas and improving the facial proportions.

Hyaluronic acid It is a substance that occurs naturally in the body. In aesthetic medicine, specially formulated preparations with various properties are used, selected according to the area being treated and the desired effect.

Volumetry can be used, amongst other things, for:

• improving the proportions of the cheeks,
• highlights the contour of the lower jaw,
• chin correction,
• restoring lost volume in the temporal region,
• improving the proportions of the central part of the face,
• to reduce the visibility of selected depressions and furrows.

So it is not simply a matter of mechanically „filling the gap”. Properly planned facial modelling takes the whole face into account.

Hyaluronic acid isn’t just used to fill in wrinkles

This is one of the most common misconceptions about treatments using hyaluronic acid.

The product can be applied directly to the wrinkle, but it can also be used to restoring lost volume and improving tissue support.

Various hyaluronic acid preparations are used in aesthetic medicine. Their properties make it possible to tailor the product to a specific area and the desired effect. Preparations used for this purpose include, amongst others:. Juvederm and Stylage.

That is why two people with a wrinkle that looks similar may require completely different treatment.

For one person, the main issue will be the quality of the skin. For another, it will be a loss of volume in a specific area of the face. Yet another person may require a combination of several methods.

That is precisely why facial modelling with hyaluronic acid It should start with an analysis, not with the choice of product.

Which areas of the face can be contoured?

The extent of the procedure always depends on the patient’s anatomy, the degree of volume loss and the aim of the correction.

Cheeks

A loss of volume in the central part of the face can make the cheeks appear flatter and give the face a tired look.

Cheek contouring It can help restore more harmonious proportions to the central part of the face.

Jawline

More distinct jawline is one of the factors that influence the proportions of the lower part of the face.

In certain cases, hyaluronic acid may be used to emphasise its course and improve the definition of the contour.

Beard

The shape and projection of the chin are important for the profile and proportions of the lower part of the face.

A small adjustment can change the overall look of the profile – without needing to alter other areas.

Temples

A loss of volume around the temples can make the face appear more gaunt or sunken.

This is an area that requires a particularly thorough anatomical assessment and appropriate surgical planning.

A natural look starts with moderation

The biggest challenge in facial modelling It’s not just a matter of adding volume.

It is knowing where not to add it.

Using too much of the product may alter the proportions of the face rather than improve them. Therefore, achieving a natural result requires individual planning, the appropriate choice of product and taking the patient’s anatomy into account.

The aim is not to create a new face.

The aim is to improve the aspects that have actually changed over time, whilst retaining the distinctive features of its appearance.

What does a hyaluronic acid facial contouring treatment involve?

The treatment is preceded by a consultation, during which the doctor assesses, amongst other things, the proportions of the face, skin quality, tissue distribution and the areas where volume loss has occurred.

The extent of the correction is then determined.

Hyaluronic acid It can be administered using a needle or a cannula – depending on the area, the technique used and the patient’s anatomy.

After the treatment, temporary local reactions may occur, such as swelling, redness, tenderness or bruising. The severity of these reactions depends, amongst other things, on the area treated and the individual’s response.

Is facial contouring with hyaluronic acid safe?

Hyaluronic acid is widely used in aesthetic medicine, but this procedure is not without risk.

In addition to typical, temporary local reactions, complications may also arise that require appropriate medical management. Particular attention is paid to the possibility of accidentally injecting the preparation into a blood vessel; this is why knowledge of anatomy and the correct technique for performing the procedure are so important.

Safety therefore begins even before the product is administered.

From the qualifying rounds.
Starting with an assessment of the anatomy.
It all depends on choosing the right location and technique.

When should you consider facial volumisation?

Facial modelling may be considered when the problem is not solely the quality of the skin, but also a loss of volume or a change in facial proportions.

Indications may include, amongst others:

• loss of volume in the cheeks,
• a less pronounced oval face shape,
• a change in the proportions of the lower part of the face,
• depression of the temporal region,
• the need to improve the projection of the chin,
• visible depressions associated with a loss of volume.

However, not everyone needs hyaluronic acid.

If the main problem is sagging skin, discolouration, wrinkles caused by muscle movement or poor skin quality, the doctor may suggest a different method or a combination of several treatments.

Facial contouring with hyaluronic acid – how long do the results last?

The duration of the effect depends, amongst other things, on the type of product used, the site of application, the amount of product, individual physiological characteristics and metabolism.

There is no single value that can be assigned to every patient.

Therefore, during consultations, it is more important to determine – rather than promise a specific number of months –, What result is to be achieved, and what is the safest way to go about it?.

Facial contouring versus a surgical facelift – they are not the same thing

Facial modelling with hyaluronic acid and surgical facelifts address different issues.

Volumetry focuses primarily on restoring volume and correcting proportions. A surgical facelift is a surgical procedure aimed, amongst other things, at altering the position and tension of the tissues.

In cases of minor or moderate volume loss, contouring may be one of the methods to consider. Where tissue sagging is severe, the extent of correction required may be quite different.

Therefore, the choice of method should not be based on which procedure sounds more appealing. It should be based on the fact that, what has actually changed in facial anatomy.

The proportions of the face have changed. The treatment should address this change.

If you look in the mirror and see wrinkles above all else, it’s easy to conclude that you simply need to fill them in.

Sometimes, however, the problem lies elsewhere.

A loss of volume, changes in proportions, less defined contours or the sinking of certain areas can make the face look different, even though the skin itself is not the only issue.

Therefore Facial contouring with hyaluronic acid should be preceded by a thorough assessment of the face and careful planning of the correction.

At Wellclinic, during ia one-to-one consultation The doctor assesses the patient’s facial anatomy, skin condition, facial proportions and expectations. It is only on this basis that the treatment method is selected – sometimes using hyaluronic acid, and sometimes using a different technology or a combination of several treatments.

Sources:

1. PubMed „Efficacy and safety of different hyaluronic acid fillers for cheek volume augmentation: a systematic review and network meta-analysis”
   https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39708174/
2. PubMed „The Facial Adipose System: Its Role in Facial Ageing and Approaches to Volume Restoration”
   https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26618461/
3. PubMed „Anatomy of the Facial Fat Compartments and their Relevance in Aesthetic Surgery”
   https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30698919/
4. PubMed „Global Aesthetics Consensus: Avoidance and Management of Complications from Hyaluronic Acid Fillers – Evidence- and Opinion-Based Review and Consensus Recommendations”
   https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27219265/
5. American Academy of Dermatology: „Fillers: FAQs”
   https://www.aad.org/public/cosmetic/wrinkles/fillers-faqs
6. PubMed „Hyaluronic Acid Dermal Filler-Associated Vascular Occlusion – A Review of Prevention and Management Strategies”
   https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42087426/

Katarzyna Pawłowska - journalist specialising in health and lifestyle topics. A graduate of Journalism at the University of Warsaw, she is passionate about creating expert content on health, beauty and longevity (longevity medicine).