The structure of your face is mainly determined by your genetic background and ethnic ancestry. How do you know if you have high vs low cheekbones? Your malar bones define your cheekbones. There are various ways to accentuate your cheeks to make them seem higher, we’ll cover make-up strategies, cheek filler, face lift surgery and facial fat transfer surgery.
Understanding Cheekbone Placement
A low cheekbone is when your malar bone is closer to the bottom of your nose. Your cheekbones are considered high cheekbones when your malar bones are located closely below your eyes, giving a more sculpted shape to your face.
High cheekbones are often considered one of the most desirable facial features for a good side profile. Defined cheekbones can create a more radiant appearance. We’ll cover a question many people ask – how to get cheek bones to be more defined?
Facial Features and Cheekbone Width
There are different types of cheekbones, they vary based on height and width. Do you know if you have high vs low cheekbones?
Wide Cheekbones
Diamond, heart-shaped and oval face shapes tend to have wide cheek bones, which is when the cheekbones are significantly wider than the forehead or jawline.
Celebrities with Wide Cheekbones
Beyonce has a stunning oval-shaped face, with wider cheekbones than both her forehead and jawline. This facial feature means she boasts beautiful wide cheekbones.
Kourtney Kardashian has wide cheekbones. Her heart-shaped face means her malar bones are the widest part of her face.
High Cheekbones
High cheekbones occur when the cheekbones are closer towards the bottom of your eyes rather than the bottom of your nose. A high cheekbones smile can give your face a sharp cheekbones look.
Celebrities with High Cheekbones
Margot Robbie has stunning high cheekbones as well as wide cheekbones because she has a heart-shaped face.
Steve Irwin’s strikingly prominent cheekbones illustrate high cheekbones, positioned near the bottom of his eyes.
Chris Hemsworth’s cheeks have minimal curves so they don’t appear sharp, however, because the malar bones are located closely under his eyes they are considered high cheekbones.
Low Cheek Bones
Low cheek bones occur when the cheekbones are closer towards the bottom of your nose. Loss of volume in your skin can result in sagging cheeks, making your cheekbones look low.
Celebrities with Low Cheekbones
Nicole Kidman’s face contains a subtle contour on her cheeks, coupled with low cheekbones that are closer towards her nose.
Angelina Jolie’s prominent cheekbones accentuate her face, with the contours lying lower towards the bottom of her nose.
Addressing Sagging Cheeks
As you grow older, your cheeks become more hollow-looking and sunken due to a decreased amount of collagen being produced. To address sagging cheeks there a few options are available.
You can use makeup to highlight your cheekbones or fillers to add more volume and plumpness to the area. Another option to correct sagging cheeks is a facelift, which pulls loose skin to achieve high-looking cheeks.
Surgical Solutions for Enhanced Cheekbones
Facelift
A face lift or facial refreshing is an ideal way to get rid of the changes in your face that come from age.
During the ageing process:
- The bones in your face – including your cheekbones change shape and size.
- Your skin stops being elastic and doesn’t have much fat, which causes saggy cheeks
- Your skin gets more folds, under your chin, on the sides of your neck, or the corners of your mouth.
A facelift can reduce the signs of ageing, allowing you to look younger and refreshed. Dr Doyle always pairs a Neck Lift with a face lift to ensure the face lift appears natural. Other options include a Mini Face Lift or Brow Lift. Learn more with this Facelift Guide.
Facial Fat Transfer
Enhance your cheeks with a facial fat transfer. In this procedure, the fat comes from your body and is transferred into an area of your choice. This is commonly in the cheeks, under-eyes or nasolabial folds. This method can provide you with results that look incredibly natural with minimal scarring.
To get maximum benefit, consider combining face fat grafting with other refreshing procedures.
Dr Doyle’s Signature Facial Package
Dr Doyle offers a complete lower facial radiance plan that includes Lower Face and Neck Lift and Platysmal Band treatment, Fat Transfer to the Face and Chin Liposuction where needed. Every facial surgery treatment plan is customised to ensure the best individual outcome for your long-term, aesthetic results.
Non-Surgical Options for Defined Cheekbones
Cheek Fillers
Cheek bone fillers are a great non-surgical option to replace lost volume and define your cheekbones.
Dermal Filler corrects this volume loss by injecting a soft injectable gel. The filler is made from hyaluronic acid – a sugar molecule which naturally occurs in the body.
Many people ask – how long does filler last in cheeks? Cheek fillers will last from 6 months to 2 years. The length of time is different for everyone because your metabolism affects how long it takes for the filler to gradually break down. Learn more with this Cosmetic Injectables Guide.
Please note that due to TGA guidelines, we are unable to advertise the brand names of dermal filler injectables on our website. However, we stock the leading brands of all injectable fillers and can discuss these freely during your consultation.
Cheekbone Contouring with Make-Up Techniques
- Apply contour make-up beneath the malar bones and blend upwards for a more sculpted look
- You can use highlighter to highlight the top of the cheekbones and enhance the appearance of your cheekbones.
Final Thoughts: Which Option is Best?
There are a variety of ways to define and enhance your cheekbones without undergoing cheekbone surgery. Options to achieve more sculpted, defined cheeks include makeup techniques, facial fillers, face lifts and facial fat transfer.
Have you tried any of these methods for defining your cheekbones? Always consult a medical professional before deciding on a treatment. Book a consultation with Dr Doyle to explore which option is best for you.
About Dr Mark Doyle FRACS (Plas) – Queensland Plastic Surgeon
Servicing patients in Gold Coast, Brisbane, Sunshine Coast, Cairns and New South Wales NSW – Northern Rivers, Byron Bay, Ballina, Lismore and more.
Dr Mark Doyle is a Specialist Plastic Surgeon with over thirty years of experience performing Breast, Body, Face and Nose surgery. Dr Doyle is a fully qualified Specialist Plastic Surgeon with 30+ years of experience. He has completed all required training and only carries out approved surgical practices. There are absolutely NO undertrained doctors or cosmetic doctors acting as surgeons in our clinic.
As a highly esteemed plastic surgeon, Dr Mark is committed to achieving the best possible results for all his breast, body, face and nose patients, both men and women.
