One session lasts twelve to twenty-four months, varying by product. The mid-face moves little, so the filler is less compressed or dispersed and it lasts longer than at other sites. The deeper it is placed, close to bone, the longer it holds.

Downtime is mild at one to three days, with swelling for a few days, because the filler needs time to settle and the surrounding tissue to adapt. Overfilling can look puffy, so rather than filling everything at once it is usually built up across sessions.

Hyaluronic acid filler can be reversed with a dissolving injection. The cheeks change the overall impression a great deal, though, so building up gradually is safer than placing the full amount from the start. Judging after about two weeks, once swelling has gone, is more accurate.