High, rounded cheeks are highly desirable and youthful looking, but fullness in the lower cheek or buccal area is often seen as less aesthetically pleasing. The buccal is the fat pad in the lower cheeks that cushions the chewing muscles in the jaw.
Excessive fullness in the lower face results in a round or square-shaped face rather than the defined V-shape contour and typically it’s not possible to eradicate buccal fat through diet and exercise alone.
Buccal fat removal, also known as cheek reduction or face fat removal surgery, is a relatively simple and straightforward procedure that can produce a significant improvement to confidence and self-esteem.
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Our Buccal Fat Reduction Recovery Guide
Click here to go to the Karidis Clinic guide to your buccal fat reduction recovery including the expected timeline, the questions we always get asked, and tips from Stevie, our highly experienced surgical nurse.
FAQs for Buccal Fat Removal
If you feel your lower face has always been too round and full, then you may benefit from the removal of some of the fat pad in the buccal area. In men, a more chiselled jawline and cheeks emerge and, for women, it’s possible to create a more sculpted, slender facial contour.
The procedure is performed as a day case procedure under local anaesthetic. An incision is made on the inside of your cheek and the buccal fat pad is trimmed down. The incision is then closed with dissolvable sutures.
Downtime is usually minimal after buccal fat removal. Your cheeks may feel sore for a week or so and you will be advised to eat soft foods for the first few days after your operation. The incisions are made through the mouth which means no visible scars. There will be some temporary swelling so the results will continue to improve over the following weeks.
Read our buccal fat removal recovery tips.
Potential risks are minimal however like all operations there are risks with anaesthesia, infection, bleeding and nerve damage. Thankfully these are rare, but there are aesthetic considerations in terms of asymmetry or removing too much of the buccal fat pad, particularly as you continue to lose fatty tissue as you age.
Our plastic surgeons will consider your existing facial fat distribution and your age to ensure that you continue to preserve a naturally aesthetically attractive appearance over time.
The results are permanent, but over time the amount of collagen, elastin and volume present in the face will gradually deplete, resulting in ageing facial changes. Weight fluctuations can also influence your results.
Buccal Fat Removal surgery requires a surgeon fee, an anaesthetist fee and a hospital fee. The price also includes all of your pre-operative and post-operative care. The cost may vary slightly depending on your unique requirements, but we will give you a detailed quotation following your consultation.
For more information on what our surgical fees cover, please click here.
