The snatched look is all over the internet. You’ve probably seen the photos of celebrities with high cheekbones and very thin, hollow cheeks. This trend has made buccal fat removal surgery very popular. People think of it as a quick way to fix round cheeks or a very full lower face.
But before you think about getting it, you need to know the facts. This isn't like getting a facial or a little bit of filler. This buccal fat removal procedure changes your facial structure permanently. In the world of plastic surgery, trends change fast. While having a slimmer face might be in right now, your facial anatomy will change as your face matures. Understanding what your facial volume will look like in ten, twenty, or thirty years is the most important part of making an informed decision.
It helps to know exactly what happens during this cosmetic procedure:
The buccal fat pad is a specific pocket of fat in the lower cheek. It sits right between your lower jaw and your cheekbone. Unlike the facial fat you might lose when you go to the gym, this buccal fat is buried deep under your facial muscles.
Everyone has these natural fat pads, but some people are born with larger ones because of their genes. Some people still have fuller cheeks even if they are at a healthy weight. Because this fat is buried so deep, it doesn’t really change much during weight loss. This is why people look for a long-lasting solution to reduce fullness, but that fat is also there to support your facial shape.
From a medical standpoint, buccal fat has a job to do. It acts like a soft cushion that helps your jaw muscles slide smoothly when you eat or talk. It’s like a built-in shock absorber for your face.
Beyond helping your muscles move, these fat pads also hold up your skin. When you are young, this fat gives your face the soft, curved look that creates a youthful appearance. It acts like a foundation for your cheeks. When those fat cells are taken out, the foundation is gone for good.
The most important part of cheek reduction surgery is making sure your face is actually right for it. If your face is already narrow or thin, removing buccal fat is a bad idea.
Ideal candidates are usually young people with very round appearance in their cheeks that doesn't match the rest of their body. These are people whose cheeks stay round no matter how much they exercise. On the other hand, if you have low skin elasticity or a sharp bone structure already, you should stay away from this surgery. Taking the fat out could lead to a prematurely aged appearance. Also, you should be at a steady weight for about six months before you even think about this, as weight fluctuations can change your final results.
Social media makes buccal fat pad removal look like an edit button. But your face is not a photo you can just change back. The biggest problem with this trend is that it forgets how people naturally age.
When you are 20, baby fat is what keeps you looking young. As you get into your 40s and 50s, everyone naturally loses fat in their face. These fat pads are like a backup plan that keeps your skin from looking too sunken. If you take it out too early, you might love the sculpted appearance today, but you might really regret it when you look much older than your friends in ten years.
One of the biggest questions people ask is: "Does buccal fat removal age you?" The truth is that for some patients, the answer is yes.
Aging makes the face deflate. As we get older, we lose the fat that keeps our skin looking plump. Buccal fat is part of the cushion that keeps this from happening too fast. If you take that cushion out when you are young, you are basically pre-deflating your face. While you get a more sculpted appearance now, in fifteen years, those hollow spots can turn into deep pits.
You want a plastic surgeon who knows when to say "no." Finding a doctor who will tell you that you aren't a good candidate is more valuable than finding one who will just take your money. We look at your bones and your skin to make sure this is a smart choice for your future.
Even though it’s a short surgery, it takes a lot of skill. The fat pad is very close to the facial nerves and the salivary ducts. An experienced surgeon doesn't just take out all the fat.
Using a conservative approach, the plastic surgeon carefully removes just enough fat to create a shadow. This helps you reach your aesthetic goals, like a V-shaped face, while still leaving enough fat to support your face as you get older. This is usually done under local anesthesia, though general anesthesia is an option if you are combining it with other work.
Since the cuts are inside your mouth, the recovery time is a little different than other surgeries. For the first few days, you will have some bruising and swelling. You might actually look more round in the face than you did before!
You will need to follow a liquid diet and eat soft foods (like smoothies or yogurt) for a few days to protect the cuts. Keeping your mouth clean is the most important part of your surgical plan to avoid excessive bleeding or infection. While most people return to normal activities after about five days, the swelling will gradually fade over about three weeks. It takes three to six months to see the final results.
If you want a slimmer face but are worried about making a permanent change to your facial aesthetics, there are other ways to get that look.
When you think about changing your face, you have to think about balance. Your face is a mix of fat, muscle, and bone that changes every single year. When you take out a piece of that foundation, you are changing how you will age for the rest of your life.
Expert work is about more than just what is taken away, it’s about what is kept. Making sure your skin stays healthy and your face stays supported is the best way to look good. You want to look healthy and bright, not just today, but for the next fifty years.
