I have a dark shadow on my cheekbones while I smile, any suggestions? (Photo)

Question

When I see the side of my cheekbone (when I am not smiling), I don't see that dark shadow or line anymore on my cheekbones. I am not sure why this dark patch appears only when I smile. I have attached the pic for your reference. Note: I recently was on medication for h-pylori. I am still on proton inhibitor.

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

For unique cases where a variety of modalities could be used to treat the condition, I would suggest an in person or virtual consultation to develop a custom and effective treatment plan.  It is difficult to precisely define the best option without collecting the same information. I suggest reaching out to an expert for a consultation with surgical and non-surgical methods to get a comprehensive option. Best, Dr. Emer.

Rosy Sandhu, MD · Answer

Thanks for the question and for the picture. As a normal part of the aging process, our face loses volume and can get sunken in creating mild concavity along the lateral edges, where the light reflex no longer bounces off, casting a 'shadow'.  It's this loss of facial fat or volume that you are noticing, and the best way to correct it would be to get an in person consultation for facial contouring filler injections by an experienced aesthetic physician. In my opinion, you would get a great result with Sculptra which is Poly-L-Lactic acid and a natural biostimulatory injectable, which builds collagen over 6-8 weeks giving you a very natural result which lasts for years.

Hope that helps.
Best
Dr Rosy Sandhu

I have a dark shadow on my cheekbones while I smile, any suggestions? (Photo)

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I have a dark shadow on my cheekbones while I smile, any suggestions? (Photo)

Answers (2)

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