Everyone has buccal fat pads as they are the round mass of fat located in the middle of your cheek. It’s located in the hollow beneath your cheekbone between your facial muscles. The size of your buccal fat pads can impact the shape of your face. Some people like the shape of their cheeks, but buccal fat pad removal can help those who are unhappy with the shape of their face. Below you will find how buccal fat removal changes facial shape, and why the procedure may be right for you.

How Buccal Fat Removal Changes Facial Shape

Buccal fat pad removal is a lesser-known cosmetic surgery despite its amazing benefits on facial shape. Buccal fat pads are deep pockets of fat that run from your temple to your lower cheek. They can have a profound impact on the look and shape of your face. The removal of buccal fat pads can decrease your cheek fullness and give you a more striking look. People often want to add volume to their upper cheeks. This can be done using dermal fillers as they can add volume and increase the prominence of your upper cheek area.

However, many people want to reduce the lower portion of their cheeks. Large cheeks can make you look heavier than you are. The increased mass adds to your face and can make if look larger and wider. Additionally, as you age the buccal fat pad can make your face look even wider as your skin begins to sag. Buccal fat removal is a highly beneficial procedure that removes the excess fat to give you a slimmer, more defined look. A skilled plastic surgeon can perform buccal fat pad removal to give your face a more youthful and defined look.

Candidates for Buccal Fat Removal

A skilled plastic surgeon can determine if you are a good candidate for the procedure. If you have a round and full-looking face with large cheeks and are unhappy with it, you may be a good candidate for buccal fat removal. Potential patients should be in good physical health, at a healthy weight, be a non-smoker, and have realistic expectations about the procedure. The procedure is also beneficial for those seeking facial feminization surgery. Buccal fat removal isn’t for everyone. So your surgeon will likely provide you with alternative procedures that can help achieve your desired results if buccal fat removal is not for you.

Buccal Fat Removal Procedure

Before moving forward with the procedure, you’ll need to schedule a consultation with a skilled plastic surgeon in Los Angeles. Once it has been determined that you are a good candidate for buccal fat removal, the procedure itself is simple and fast. Depending on your needs the procedure can be performed under local anesthesia, IV sedation, or general anesthesia. The procedure alone takes just 30 minutes, but it can take longer if you are getting multiple procedures done at once.

Once you have been sedated and local anesthetic has been applied, a small incision is made on the inside of your cheek. The surgeon then locates and isolates the buccal fat pad for removal. Because the buccal fat pad has minimal connections to the surrounding structures in your cheek, removal is very smooth. Once the fat pad has been removed, the surgeon will use dissolvable sutures to close up the incision.

Recovery

Recovering from buccal fat removal in Beverly Hills is smooth and easy. Unlike other cosmetic procedures, the recovery process will have minimal impact on your day-to-day activities. You will notice some swelling and soreness, but that is completely normal. Any symptoms should subside within the first week after the procedure. You will notice your immediate results, but it can take weeks to see your final results due to the swelling.