I Added Cheek Filler for Lift—Did It Make Me Look Puffy?

My first cheek filler experience: subtle lift or a puffy look?

I wanted a little more lift in my cheeks. What I didn’t want was a puffy-looking face.

In December 2025, I tried cheek filler for the first time. I had never had filler placed in my cheeks before, and my goal was subtle: a little more support through the cheek area and a softer appearance around my nasolabial folds.

Nine months later, I’m looking back at that first treatment, my immediate reaction, and how my face looks today. My personal verdict? I liked the subtle lift, and I didn’t feel that it made me look puffy. But there’s an important part of this story: I had additional treatments afterward, so my face today does not show the result of cheek filler alone.

Watch my full cheek filler video on YouTube.

Why I Tried Cheek Filler

Before my first cheek filler treatment in December 2025.

When I looked at my face before this treatment, I felt that I had lost volume. I noticed more hollowness and a heavier-looking crease around the nasolabial area—the folds that run from the sides of the nose toward the corners of the mouth.

I was interested in whether adding some support higher in my cheeks would give me the appearance of a little lift. I wasn’t trying to create a dramatic change or much larger cheeks. I wanted to see a subtle difference while still looking like myself.

The idea came after watching a cheek-lift demonstration in the Russian filler technique course I was taking. In the video, you can see that I was both nervous and excited before getting started.

What I Used for My First Treatment

For this treatment, I used one 1 mL syringe of Celltermi Classic, divided between both cheeks. That was the total amount for my face—not 1 mL per cheek.

I’m sharing that amount as part of my treatment history, not as a recommendation for anyone else. A treatment plan needs to be individual to the person receiving it.

The Celltermi Classic filler I used is no longer available. I’ve included other filler sourcing options below, with my codes for Acecosm and FillerHouse. These are different products from the one used in this video.

My Treatment Markings and Product Distribution

These photos give you a closer look at the markings and product distribution recorded during my December 2025 treatment. I’ve kept them in the same sequence as the video so you can compare the stages more easily.

They document my own experience and are not a placement guide for another face. Individual anatomy and an appropriate treatment plan require assessment by a qualified, licensed medical professional.

Marking Photos

The first marking shown in my treatment footage.

The second marking shown alongside the first.

The third marking, as documented in the video.

Product Distribution Photos

The original photo labels record 0.2 mL and 0.3 mL on each cheek, totaling 0.5 mL per side and 1 mL overall.

A closer view of the distribution recorded on one side of my face.

Both sides shown together, with the original treatment amounts labeled.

My Cheek Filler Map and Printable Face Maps

I also documented this session on my Natural Kaos face map. The photo below shows my completed treatment record, with my handwritten notes.

My completed cheek filler record. The resources page provides blank printable face maps for your own records.

Visit Natural Kaos Resources to download the printable face maps →

Look for the Right-Side Face Map to find the blank version of the sheet pictured here. Matching left-side and front face maps are also available. My handwritten treatment markings are shown in this photo; the downloadable blank map is a documentation tool, not an individualized injection plan.

My First Impression: A Small but Noticeable Difference

Left: before treatment. Right: immediately afterward, with visible redness. This is a treatment-day comparison, not a healed result.

My reaction on treatment day was that my cheeks looked a little higher and more supported. I didn’t see a huge transformation, but I liked the change.

I also felt that the two sides looked balanced. There was visible redness in the footage, which made it harder to assess everything clearly right away. Those first impressions were exactly that: how I felt about the appearance immediately after treatment, rather than a healed-result assessment.

What stood out to me was that the change felt subtle. That was what I had hoped for going into it.

Did Cheek Filler Make Me Look Puffy?

In my opinion, no. Looking back, I felt that this first cheek filler treatment gave me a little lift without the puffy appearance I had been concerned about.

That is my personal assessment of my own face. It doesn’t mean that another person will have the same result, or that a small amount guarantees a particular look.

In my nine-month update, I describe my face as looking fuller. I also notice less hollowness and a softer-looking nasolabial area compared with the earlier footage. I’m happy with those changes, but I want to be clear about what happened between those two recordings.

My Nine-Month Results Include Other Treatments

Nine months later, following cheek filler and subsequent Tesoro Collagen and Revs Pro 32 treatments. This appearance cannot be attributed to filler alone.

After the December 2025 cheek filler treatment, I had additional treatments that may also have contributed to the fullness and support visible in the update:

That timeline matters. This is a look at my face over nine months of treatments, rather than a controlled before-and-after comparison of one syringe of filler.

I can share what I noticed and how I feel about the result. I can’t separate out exactly how much each treatment contributed, or determine from appearance alone how much of the original filler remains.

Filler Risks Deserve Serious Consideration

This video documents my personal experience, including a treatment I performed on myself. It is not medical advice or injection training, and my experience should not be taken as a recommendation to self-inject.

Dermal filler is a medical procedure. The FDA advises working with a licensed healthcare provider experienced in filler injections, facial anatomy, and managing complications. Accidental injection into a blood vessel can cause tissue death, blindness, or stroke. Swelling, bruising, redness, and other complications can also occur. Read the FDA’s dermal filler guidance.

Looking happy with a cosmetic result does not remove those risks. If you’re considering filler, discuss your goals, suitability, and the potential complications with a qualified, licensed medical professional.

Filler Options and Sourcing

The filler I used in this video no longer exists as an available option. Here are two other filler options and my discount codes:

Affiliate disclosure: I may earn a commission when you shop through my links or use my codes.

These products were not used in the treatment documented here, and I’m not presenting them as identical replacements for Celltermi Classic. Tesoro Pro Sub-Q with Lidocaine is also a different product from the Tesoro Collagen mentioned in my later treatment timeline. Discuss product selection and suitability with a qualified, licensed medical professional. Check each retailer’s current terms and code eligibility at checkout.

Join Me Inside the Natural Kaos App

See more of my treatment experience and join the community inside the Natural Kaos App. Tap the photo to join.

I share more of my treatment experiences and ongoing updates inside the Natural Kaos Skin & Wellness App. It’s also where our community gets together to discuss aesthetics, beauty, and the questions that come up along the way.

In the video, I announce my next live session for Monday, October 5, 2026, at 4:00 PM Pacific, when I plan to revisit my cheek filler experience. Members can join the live conversation and ask questions. Watching a personal treatment demonstration is not a substitute for professional medical training or care.

Join the Natural Kaos Skin & Wellness App.

Would I Do It Again?

Based on my experience, yes. I liked the subtle lift from that first treatment, and I didn’t feel that it left me looking puffy.

I’m also happy with how my face looks in the nine-month update. The important context is that I continued having other treatments during those months. My satisfaction is real, but the fuller appearance today can’t be credited to that first syringe alone.

Would you prefer a subtle cheek lift, more noticeable volume, or no filler at all? Let me know in the comments.