Blog

What Is Buccal Fat Removal?

Do you have “chipmunk cheeks”? Some people have excess fat in their cheeks, causing the appearance of chubby cheeks. The solution is simple: buccal fat removal. This procedure removes some amount of the buccal fat pads located in the cheek for a thinner looking face and a more aesthetically pleasing appearance. If you have a baby face, chipmunk cheeks or chubby cheeks, come see Dr. Sajjadian. Variety of procedures done alone or in combination with buccal fat removal could finally put a stop to your cheek-pinching grandma.

What Is Buccal Fat?

The buccal fat pad is an encapsulated mass of fat cells located on both sides of the face. A portion of this pad (the inferior portion) is found in the buccal space, situated just to the side of the mouth. Some people have a larger than average fat pad due to genetics (an enlarged buccal fat pad can also be caused by generalized weight gain). Surgery is one of the available options for improvement of this area in the right patient.

How Will Buccal Fat Removal Change My Appearance?

Many of our patients considering buccal fat removal wonder how the surgery will impact their appearance. It can create a thinner looking facial silhouette and reduce the size of the cheek area. For many patients, it can transform a “baby face” into a more attractive, chiseled “adult” face. This surgery can make the face appear more defined and less round. Before anything, the face has to be examined and analysis of the anatomy would indicate if you are a good candidate for this procedure. Some patients are not appropriate candidate. Also it is important to note that as one gets older, he or she may need filler or fat to be place in the area if there is lack of volume or indentation/ contour irregularity.

Our past patients explain their results best. Take a look:

  • “Everything went so smoothly on the operating day and a week following the procedures, I viewed the results. Perfect! I can honestly say Dr. Sajjadian achieved perfect results with minimal downtime.” (Read the full review on RealSelf here.)
  • “I’m an underweight 25-year-old with a naturally round/wide face and full cheeks of an 8-year-old. The bottom half of my face is full with extra fat padding… 24 hours after the surgery – There barely was any pain… 3 weeks after surgery – I’m starting to see results. I’ve been taking photos of my face in different angles and I liked what I saw… It’s been more than a month now and I’m really happy with my progress.” (Read the full review of RealSelf here.)

What’s the Procedure Like?

The surgery involves making a small incision inside of the cheek through which the some appropriate amount of fat pad is removed. Since the incision is located inside of the mouth, no visible scarring will remain after surgery. Recovery isn’t typically painful. Many patients describe the recovery period as “painless” and most require no painkillers. There may be some swelling, but typically no bruising. After 4-6 weeks, the swelling subsides and your new, slimmer facial profile can be seen.

If you have chubby cheeks despite being a normal body weight, you may need buccal fat removal to achieve your ideal facial profile. Call us today and schedule a consultation with Dr. Sajjadian to see if you are a right candidate for this procedure.