Sunken Cheeks – Causes, Meaning, Remedy

Sunken cheeks refer to cheeks that are hollow or have sunk in. It occurs due to reduction of subcutaneous fat in the cheeks as well as loss of elasticity of skin. Sunken cheeks can occur naturally as a part of the ageing process. It can also occur in younger people as a symptom of varied underlying conditions.

Causes of sunken cheeks

Cheeks appear smooth, supple, and puffed up or plump because of the occurrence of large quantities of collagen in skin. Elastin is a skin protein that promotes its firmness. Collagen tissue plays an important role in maintaining elasticity of skin and thus ensures that it stays supple and smooth. Subcutaneous fat which is present under the skin of the face helps ensure that the face remains puffy and plump.

Some of the common causes of sunken cheeks are listed below:

• As humans age, the skin produces less of collagen and elastin. Also, there is mild level of muscle wasting and loss or decline of subcutaneous fat in the cheeks. This typically begins to occur in the 30s and the 40s when the malar fat pads present in cheeks lose their battle with gravity and begin descending. This makes the nasolabial lines occurring between the lips and nose more prominent and increases visibility of concavity of the facial features. These varied alterations that affect the supportive structures of the skin on face cause the cheeks to depress and sink in, thereby resulting in sunken cheeks.
• Excessive and vigorous workouts are often accompanied by loss of fat in certain parts of the body such as the thighs and cheeks; the latter results in sunken cheeks.
• Starvation and limited or nil nourishment can result in decrease of subcutaneous fat present below the cheeks, which then causes them to become sunken.
• Prolonged exposure to extreme or harsh environments or weather as well as smoking for several years can reduce the supply of nutrients to the skin from the tiny blood vessels. This leads to loss of skin elasticity and sunken cheeks.
• Multiple episodes of dehydration, loss of weight, strict dieting, and not eating adequate amounts of food can also cause the cheeks to sink in.
• Sunken cheeks may occur as a symptom of chronic illnesses like tuberculosis, cancer, or of eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia.

Treatment of sunken cheeks

Sunken cheeks can be treated with cosmetic enhancement therapies, exercises, and natural home remedies, as discussed below:

1. Cosmetic treatments

• Fat transplantation/fat transfer/microlipoinjection: It involves accumulation of fat through liposuction and its re-injection into the sunken cheeks to make them bouncy and puffy.
• Dermal fillers- Hyaluronic acid and/or collagen injections: Dermal fillers may be manufactured with synthetic or natural substances like hyaluronic acid and human or bovine obtained collagen. Dermal fillers are injected into skin to make them supple and smooth. Voluma is a novel treatment concept, used to address sunken cheeks.
• Facial implants: In this, fat is surgically removed from certain areas of the body like the thighs, abdomen, or buttocks, and then grafted into the cheek region to treat sunken cheeks. Doctors may supplant grafting with use of fillers to improve the bounciness of cheeks.
• Collagen injectible tissue stimulators: This cosmetic enhancement for sunken cheeks is not like dermal fillers which are focused on mechanical filling of folds, wrinkles and depressions on skin. It involves the use of injectible tissue stimulators which trigger a biological reaction in the skin tissue.

2. Diet

• Drink lots of water and other fluids to prevent dehydration and dry skin.
• Intake a healthy and balanced diet that is full of vital nutrients like fats, proteins, and carbohydrates as well as vitamins and minerals which are essential for maintenance of healthy and strong muscle and skin structure.

3. Exercises

• Smiling helps tone and strengthen the muscles of face and cheeks. Close the lips and smile as long a smile as possible, wherein the mouth corners try to come as close as possible to the ears. Now wrinkle skin of nose. The cheeks muscles will contract. Hold position for about ten seconds and then relax. Repeat exercise many times per day to get rid of sunken cheeks.
• Fill the mouth with air. Close the lips. Now move the air to the left cheek side. Maintain the facial posture for about ten seconds. Then move air to right cheek side and maintain position for ten seconds. Exhale. Repeat exercise five times per day.
• Facial yoga can raise sagging facial skin and promote chubbiness of sunken cheeks by helping increase the production of elastin and collagen.
  • Keep forefingers just below apex of cheekbones along the flare of nostrils. In the depression of cheeks, make small but slightly forceful outward circles for a minute or two.
  • Now, keep forefingers on the furrows of smile on either side of nose, around half an inch away from lips’ outer corners. Make small outward circular motions for a minute or two.
  • Keep forefingers on jaw hinges. Make firm but small upward circular movements in this jaw depression for a minute or two.
  • Repeat facial yoga 4 to 5 times per day.

4. Home remedies

• Monounsaturated fats in olive oil help maintain supple and healthy skin. It moisturizes dry skin, prevents fine lines and wrinkles, and promotes skin softness. Massage sunken cheeks with warm olive oil every day to make them supple and puffy. Add 1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil to daily diet for better facial skin.
• Fenugreek has antioxidants and vitamins that promote healthy and smooth skin as well as firm but chubby cheeks. Create paste of water and fenugreek powder and massage cheeks. You may also massage sunken cheeks with fenugreek oil.
• Antioxidants-rich aloe vera boosts production of collagen, enhances skin elasticity, helps naturally tighten skin, and corrects sagging sunken cheeks. Massage cheeks with aloe vera gel for improved cheeks.
• Shea butter has high levels of fatty acids which are beneficial for skin elasticity. It also has vitamin E which can firm up the cheeks as well as make it chubby looking. Massage Shea butter in circular and upwards motions on the cheeks for getting rid of sunken cheeks.