10/11/2025
The cheek is a combination of bone, fat pads, and soft tissue that together shape the face.
The zygomatic bone provides the framework, while fat pads such as the malar and submalar determine how high, full, or flat the midface appears.
With age, these fat pads shift and volume reduces, which is why cheeks can look less defined over time.
Cheek anatomy also differs naturally between individuals - some have higher projection, others sit flatter through the midface.
Neither is ‘better’, they’re simply variations of natural anatomy.
Understanding these details is essential when assessing the face, because the cheek goes beyond the midface itself, its anatomy impacts the under eye, light reflection, and overall lower face support.
