Journal
Why filler goes in different places in your 30s and your 40s
Articles by Dr. Oh
With age, the face changes from an inverted triangle, fuller at the cheeks and narrower at the jaw, to a triangle. So I decide where to place filler not by where the face looks hollow, but by where its structural support has weakened.
When people ask me where I look first on a face, I tell them faces vary too much from person to person to simplify. But I have one rule: I first work out what structural support is lacking, then set priorities within a fixed amount of filler.
As we age, the facial bones are resorbed, the deep layer of fat under the skin shrinks, the skin loses elasticity so the shallow layer of fat sags, and the muscles weaken and stretch. As a result, the “inverted triangle” of a young face, fuller at the cheeks and narrower at the jaw, turns into a triangle.
That’s why filler goes in different places in your 30s and your 40s. When filler is placed in the right spots, where support has weakened, it reinforces support and volume and restores tension to the muscles, and this can bring the face back to an inverted-triangle shape. The result is different from filling whatever looks hollow at the time.
It’s also why I say a face is about harmony, not close-ups.
Translated from Dr. Oh’s original article in Korean. Read the Korean original
Common questions about this treatment
What are the most common misconceptions about 3cc Face LINE ON?
Two worries come up most: that the filler will slide down, and that it can’t be removed later without being scraped out.
Is 3 mL of filler really enough?
For most people, yes. The aim isn’t to add volume and make the face bigger, but to reinforce the areas where the face lacks structural support.
Can filler cause an allergic reaction?
Rarely, yes. Because filler isn’t your own tissue, it can occasionally cause an allergic or hypersensitivity reaction. If that happens, we dissolve the filler with an enzyme injection (hyaluronidase) so your body can absorb it.
How do you decide where to put filler on my face and how much?
Faces vary too much from person to person to fit a single formula. I look at your face to see where structural support is lacking, then set priorities within the fixed amount of filler.