Peanut-Shaped Face: Why It Happens and How to Restore It with Volume

A peanut-shaped face is not caused by enlarged cheekbones; it is a face shape in which hollowing at the temples and the side cheeks below the cheekbones makes only the central cheekbones stand out. So rather than reducing anything, the approach is to fill the hollow areas and reconnect the side contour.

It is not a formal medical term; the name comes from the way the side contour of the face appears pinched in above and below, like a peanut shell. Shadows settle into each hollow, making the face look wider and more uneven than it actually is.

Four changes that pinch in the side contour

With age, changes in facial fat, bone, and skin occur together.

• Hollow temples: As the fat supporting the temples diminishes, they become concave. Shadows begin to appear when viewed from the side.
• Hollow side cheeks: Facial fat is divided into several compartments, so when cheek fat decreases or descends, the area below the cheekbones looks empty.
• Cheekbone illusion: When the areas above and below both hollow, only the central cheekbones appear relatively prominent. The cheekbones themselves have not become larger.
• Softened jawline: Descended tissue combined with partial resorption of facial bone blurs the contour of the lower face.

There are three places to check in the mirror: whether your temples are concave, whether vertical shadows form on the side cheeks below the cheekbones, and whether, from the front, your side contour looks uneven rather than a smooth curve. If two or more apply, it makes more sense to look at the hollow areas first rather than the cheekbones.

Won't adding volume make my face look bigger?

In this face shape, what makes the face look wide is its contours and shadows. Filling the hollows from the temples through the cheekbones to the side cheeks and connecting them into a single curve reduces shadows, so the contour looks more refined.

Conversely, injecting more than needed can actually make the face look wider. Where and how much is injected determines the outcome just as much as what is used.

The difference between fillers and collagen-stimulating injections

Skin boosters such as Rejuran Healer or GOURI address skin texture and elasticity, so their purpose differs from filling hollow volume. If skin texture is also a concern, we plan them alongside volume treatment, with each serving its own purpose.

View what to consider for front cheek, side cheek, and temple fillers

Sequencing with lifting and square jaw Botox

When planning lifting for a face whose cheeks have already hollowed, we first assess the remaining volume. Because ultrasound and radiofrequency treatments are avoided for 2~3 weeks after filler, we leave an interval between the two treatments.

If the lower face looks angular because of well-developed chewing muscles, we assess square jaw Botox separately. Filling treatments, lifting, and muscle-reducing Botox each serve a different role.

Filler procedure at our Suwon branch

1. Personalized Consultation
2. Photos (Before Treatment)
3. Numbing cream or local anesthesia
4. Design
5. Disinfection
6. Treatment
7. Photos (After Treatment)

Precautions on the Day of Treatment (The Most Important 24 Hours)

• Face washing and makeup may resume 2~3 hours later.
• Remove the DuoDERM dressing applied to the treated area after 1–3 days.
• Take the prescribed medication without missing a dose for 3 days to help prevent inflammation and relieve pain.

What to avoid for one to 3 weeks

• For 3~7 days: alcohol and smoking, saunas and jjimjilbang, hot baths, strenuous exercise
• For 2~3 weeks: wearing hats, sleeping face down or on your side, wearing glasses
• For 2~3 weeks: ultrasound and radiofrequency treatments, facial meridian massage, dental treatment

Side effects and when to contact us immediately

• Bruising, swelling, pain, and a foreign-body sensation usually subside within 1~2 weeks. Because using facial expression muscles or external pressure can change the shape, avoid pressure in the early period.
• Rarely, nerve damage, allergic reactions, or inflammation may occur. If filler blocks a blood vessel, skin necrosis may result, and around the eyes there is a risk of vision loss or blindness.
• If pain keeps worsening even after taking the prescribed medication, or if skin discoloration, blisters, itching, or warmth persist, please contact us immediately.
• Please let us know before treatment if you have a medical history such as antibiotic allergy, are pregnant or breastfeeding, have inflammation in the treatment area, or have had filler before.

Booking and consultation

Facefilter Clinic Suwon offers Korean fillers in 1cc, 3cc, and 5cc, and also provides imported fillers, Juvelook Volume, and Sculptra. Through a personalized consultation and pre-treatment photos, we assess which of the temples, lateral cheeks, and front cheeks have hollowed and by how much, then determine the areas and amounts to fill.

View Face Filler (domestic) treatment information

View Juvelook Volume Treatment Information

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