Buccal Fat Removal: All You Need to Know

Do you desire to have more defined cheeks and jawline rather than a round facial structure? Do you want to break free from your round face or baby-looking chubby cheeks? If you are bothered about your chubby cheeks, buccal fat removal is the best option.

The buccal fat pad is a rounded fat mass in the middle of your cheek. It is located between your facial muscles, in the hollow area just beneath your cheekbone. The size of your buccal fat pads drastically affects your face shape.

Everyone has buccal fat pads on their face. However, the size of buccal fat pads can vary greatly. If you have larger buccal fat pads compared to others, you might feel like your face is too full or round. You may also feel like you have a babyface.

In such cases, this surgery can reduce the size of your cheeks, thereby transforming them into thinner and better-contoured features. Buccal fat removal is an extensive surgery that requires attention to small detail and specialized techniques.

If you are bothered about your buccal fat and are interested in buccal fat removal, read on to learn more about the procedure and the potential complications.

What is Buccal Fat Removal?

The goal of buccal fat removal is to thin the fat accumulated on your cheeks, specifically in the area of the cheek hollows. Although a naturally filled-out and soft face is considered youthful, some individuals find that their face feels too full. Many refer to it as chubby cheeks.

Buccal fat removal is a type of plastic surgery also known as buccal lipectomy or cheek reduction surgery. During the procedure, your surgeon will remove the buccal fat pads in your cheeks using surgical methods. This thins your cheeks and defines facial angles.

A buccal fat removal procedure removes the buccal fat pad – a naturally-occurring pad of fat in the hollow cheek area. In individuals the size of the buccal fat pad varies, and the buccal fat pad in each cheek might be different sizes. 

There is nothing wrong with having bigger cheeks. But if you would like to make them smaller, your plastic surgeon might recommend a buccal fat removal procedure. This surgery is very effective in reducing the width of round faces.

Your surgeon will not perform buccal fat pad extraction surgery if you have thin, narrow faces, as removal of the fat might cause the face to look more gaunt with age.

The surgery can be combined with other forms of plastic surgery, such as facelifts, chin implants, rhinoplasty, lip augmentation, and Botox injection. You need to discuss in detail with your doctor what procedures you want to choose.

What Is Buccal Fat?

Buccal fat, known as the buccal fat pad, is the segment of normal fat found in your lower cheeks. It is part of the human body system of fat that extends from your temples just beneath your jawline.‌

Buccal fat primarily helps you with chewing, and the amount of fat is consistent from one person to another, regardless of gender. The fat tissues remain the same throughout your life, despite changes in body weight or figure.‌

At times, you may find yourself frustrated when your facial structure remains unchanged even after working out to shape your body.

The Benefits of Buccal Fat Removal

It is an excellent procedure for individuals who either have a rounder, more cherubic face or who just want a more chiseled appearance. The good news is that the treatment is easy, quick, leaves no scars, and requires minimal downtime.

It is a fairly subtle change, which might often go unnoticed. For some examples, if you look at the before and after photos, you might get an idea of how subtle the change can be.

The procedure is straightforward and only requires a small incision inside the mouth, detaching the fat, and removing it. Since the incision is done on the inside of the mouth, you do not have visible scarring. This benefit makes the procedure a desirable proposition for many. 

Recovery from the surgery takes only a day, and you can go back to normal within a week. Everyday activities like work can resume the next day after the procedure.

Buccal Fat Reduction Procedure 

The procedure refers to the elimination of the fat pads accumulated in the cheek area. When done successfully through an experienced surgeon the treatment results in a well contoured lower jawline and upper cheekbone.

It is a plastic surgery procedure to typically remove buccal fat pad tissues for the reduction of your protruding or prominent cheeks.

Buccal fat pads are present at deep tissues inside your oral cavity. They are not present at the superficial fat layer under the skin. These tissues develop post the development of puberty and do not change much with body weight.

Buccal fat pads tend to become more prominent on your face due to excess weight or natural aging effects. If the fat pad loosens, it has been noticed that it makes the lower cheek appear saggy and bulging. Hence to alleviate the weight loads on your cheeks, your surgeon might suggest buccal fat pad removal, thus preventing future buccal sagging.

How is Buccal Fat Reduction Surgery Done?

The reduction surgery of buccal fat pads is performed under general anesthesia. Your surgeon will make a small incision at the buccal mucosa inside your oral cavity to extract the fat. The incision is made inside of your cheek, near your upper molars, and then the buccal fat pads are gently removed.‌

Your surgeon then applies manual pressure to the exterior of your cheeks that pushes the buccal fat pad to protrude towards the interior of your mouth. Your surgeon will then extract the required amount of tissue from the buccal fat pad to achieve the desired cheek reduction.

Recovery after Buccal Fat Removal Surgery

The buccal fat removal surgery is a thirty minutes procedure and only needs 2-3 days to recover. On the day of the surgery, your surgeon will not permit food, and water intake is permitted till 6 hours after surgery. 

Post which, you will be allowed liquid and soft food to avoid harming the treated area. Food that is hard to chew must be avoided for more than a week post-surgery. Smoking and alcohol should also be avoided for one month post surgery for faster healing.

After your surgery, you will have some swelling, and your cheeks will be sore. Because of your mouth incisions which take time to heal, you will need to be on a soft diet.

Try using a mouth rinse to reduce your risk of infection. The goal of using mouth rinse after every meal is to prevent any fine food particles from getting stuck in your incisions.

You might have some swelling, but if you diligently use ice packs or cold compresses for the first few days, you can dramatically lower your swelling. You can resume your normal activities the next day.

Are You a Good Candidate for Buccal Fat Removal Surgery?

If you feel your lower face is too full or round compared to the rest of your face or body, then you might be a good candidate for the procedure. The procedure can also help to provide greater contour in your cheekbones. 

The decision to undergo buccal fat removal is highly personal. If you grumble about the shape of your face and cheeks, this surgery might give you a slimmer, more angular face shape.

You need to decide by thinking about your health, after serious debates. And should not follow some abstract standard of beauty. Before deciding on getting this treatment done, make sure of the following:

• You are healthy both physically and mentally.
• You do not smoke. 
• Your expectations from the surgery are realistic.

A practical way to decide whether to undergo buccal fat removal or not – is to spend some time looking at photos of individuals who have had the procedure done. 

To summarize, buccal fat removal can be regarded as an efficient and easy procedure that can be performed alone or alongside other facial procedures with little risk. 

Even if you decide to get the surgery done, you should first consult your doctor or plastic surgeon. These professionals can address any concerns or questions you might have about buccal fat removal.

Buccal Fat Removal FAQs

1 Will you be able to eat normally after having buccal fat removal?

You need to keep a watch as to what you are eating. As the food you eat is important after these surgeries to protect your incisions. You need to strictly avoid food with sharp edges and choose fine granular foods. Smooth foods such as smoothies and mashed potatoes should be your choice for a week.

You can also use a special mouthwash to prevent infection.

2 When can you see the results after the surgery?

After this surgery, you will likely have some swelling on your cheeks. Bruising is unusual. You will see an immediate difference in your cheeks after surgery. You will have cheeks that look thinner and a more contoured cheek area.

There will be a depression beneath your cheekbone, and your cheekbones will appear higher. Swelling in the area can last up to three weeks, but you will start to see your final results. 

3 Is anesthesia required?

If buccal fat reduction is the only procedure your surgeon is performing, it can easily be done under local anesthesia, much like a dental operation. However, if your surgeon combines the treatment with additional procedures requiring deeper anesthesia, it would include an overall plan.

4 What are the risks of buccal fat removal surgery?

The most concerning risk of the procedure is removing too much. As we age, the buccal fat pad can atrophy and shrink over time. If you are relatively young, it is critical that the procedure be conservative to allow for a natural appearance when you’re older.

Otherwise, your cheeks will appear deflated. Patient selection is key to ensure that the procedure is only performed on good candidates who have naturally large amounts of buccal fat.

As with all procedures, it is important you fully understand the surgery and have discussed all the alternatives. The reality is that for individuals who have long disliked their rounded cheeks, buccal fat pad removal can be a very rewarding procedure.