What Is Buccal Fat Removal?

If you’ve ever looked in the mirror and felt that your face was too full or round, you may have an issue with your buccal fat pads.

These are pads of fat that are located in the hollow areas on either side of your face. They rest beneath your cheekbones, and they tend to puff out even more when you smile or laugh. Individuals who have more circular, full faces tend to have larger buccal fat pads in their cheeks. For some, the look is aesthetically pleasing. For others, it can give off the appearance of a “baby face,” which can be embarrassing or make you feel childish — both of which are especially bothersome when you prefer to appear mature and sexy.

A procedure called buccal fat removal can amend this issue by reducing the amount of buccal fat in your cheeks. The following guide will give you a brief introduction to this procedure and what you can expect if you decide to move forward with it.

What Is the Goal of Buccal Fat Removal?

Many men and women who have large buccal fat pads look and feel amazing. Just because you have larger, fuller cheeks doesn’t mean you need to change anything. At the same time, many individuals who have this physical feature feel that they have a “baby face,” and it’s a common a goal to want a more mature, contoured face, which would mean reducing the amount of fat in the cheeks.

If this is an issue that you have, a simple surgical procedure can reduce the amount of fat in your buccal fat pads and give you highlighted cheekbones and a more chiseled facial profile.

Once you have this procedure performed, you can expect the following benefits:

An enhanced, more chiseled appearance of the cheeks and cheekbones
A slimmer, more contoured facial profile
Improved confidence and self-esteem

Who Is the Best Candidate for Buccal Fat Removal?

You may be a good candidate for buccal fat removal if you meet the following criteria:

Full, “chubby” cheeks that you’d like to slim down because they bother you on a consistent basis
Self-consciousness about the size of your full cheeks
Good overall health
Healthy weight and BMI
Non-smoker status (talk to Dr. Stark if you are a smoker and would like to have this surgery)
Reasonable expectations about surgery and the outcome of buccal fat removal

What to Expect Before and During Surgery

Like other cosmetic surgical procedures, you need to meet with Dr. Stark before your surgery for a consultation appointment. This is a very important appointment as it allows Dr. Stark to give you a short physical examination and talk to you about your medical history. As stated above, it’s important that you are in good overall physical health before this procedure. You should be at a healthy weight, and you should not smoke.

Your consultation appointment will involve a short physical examination, a review of your medical history (be sure to mention any current medications or vitamins/supplements you are taking, allergies, past surgeries, tobacco use, etc.), and a discussion about your goals for the procedure. If it helps, take along some photographs, which can help exemplify how you would like your cheeks to ultimately look.

The procedure itself is usually outpatient, which means you won’t need to stay overnight in the hospital or surgical facility. Local anesthetic will be administered to your face so that you are comfortable and do not feel pain throughout the experience. You will, however, be awake during your buccal fat removal.

In the event that you have decided to get additional procedures (a face lift or neck lift, for example) performed during this surgery, however, you may be put to sleep with general anesthesia.

The incisions necessary for this procedure will be made on the inside of your mouth, directly beneath the cheeks. These will be small incisions that will heal quickly after being closed up with dissolvable stitches. Before the stitches close the wounds, however, your surgeon will cut out the excess fat, removing it to immediately reduce the volume of the cheeks.

What to Expect During Recovery

Recovery from buccal fat removal is not too extensive. Because the incisions will be made on the inside of the mouth, you need to eat a liquid diet for a short period of time after your surgery. Dr. Stark will also give you a mouthwash that you will need to use to help prevent infection of the incisions.

Keep in mind that you will experience some slight discomfort, bruising, and swelling after your procedure. As the incisions continue to heal, the symptoms will reduce and eventually go away entirely. You should expect to take a short period of time off from work or school, and full recovery from your procedure will be achieved in approximately three weeks.

During the recovery period, you’ll see Dr. Stark several times so that he can look at your incisions and make sure that they are healing properly. You’ll also get a chance to ensure that you’re happy with the results of your buccal fat removal. Even though you will notice a reduction in the volume of your cheeks right away, the final results of your procedure won’t be apparent for several months.

Book Your Consultation Appointment Today

If you are bothered by excess fat in your cheeks and would like to reduce the overall roundness of your face, buccal fat removal may be for you. To learn more about this procedure and whether or not you are a good candidate, contact Philadelphia plastic surgeon Dr. Ran Stark today to book your consultation appointment.

References

https://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/buccal-fat-removal

What Is Buccal Fat Removal?