How buccal fat removal affects your face shape

Buccal fat removal Charlotte

Buccal fat removal has been receiving a lot of attention in the last few months, with some celebrities revealing that they’ve had this procedure. While there are some people who get a significant benefit from buccal fat removal, it’s also important to be cautious, because this procedure can create some undesirable outcomes.

What is buccal fat removal? How can you know whether you may be a good candidate? What should you watch out for when considering this procedure?

What is buccal fat removal?

The size and shape of the cheeks is determined by the structure of the cheekbones and jaw bone, along with the buccal fat pads. These are located deep beneath the skin, just underneath the cheek bones.

The structure of both your bones and your facial fat pads is largely determined by genetics. Some people naturally have larger buccal fat pads than others. This can lead to a fuller, rounder face. For those who desire a sleeker and more sophisticated look, these larger cheeks may not be attractive. Although overall weight loss can shrink the buccal fat pads somewhat in people who are overweight, there are no specific exercises that you can do to specifically shrink the buccal fat pads.

During a buccal fat removal procedure, a plastic surgeon makes an incision inside the cheek, and removes some of the fat from the area. It’s important to go to a highly trained plastic surgeon, in order to remove precisely the right amount of tissue from the right place in order to sculpt the look that you’re going for. This requires technical skill as well as artistry.

The ideal candidate for a buccal fat removal procedure is someone who naturally has higher and wider cheekbones. If your cheekbones are naturally more narrow, then buccal fat removal won’t give you that sleek look with high cheekbones that we often see in the media. This procedure doesn’t affect your bone structure, so it’s important to carefully assess what your bones are like before deciding to remove fat tissue.

In addition, a good candidate for this procedure is someone who has buccal fat pads that are out of proportion with the rest of their face and figure. If you’re thin overall, but specifically your cheeks are excessively round, then buccal fat removal might get good results for you. However, if your buccal fat pads are already proportional to the fat pads in other parts of your face and neck, then buccal fat removal is likely to create an unnatural look for you.

What happens if too much buccal fat is removed?

When too much buccal fat is removed, then the person tends to look excessively gaunt. The facial appearance is often somewhat unnatural, and the person may even look unhealthy. It’s important not to remove too much buccal fat in order to avoid this problem. You may have seen images of celebrities who’ve had too much buccal fat removed – they don’t look vibrant and healthy, but rather strange and skeletal.

Unfortunately, it’s difficult to replace buccal fat that’s been removed. Although fillers or fat transfer can be used to add some volume back to the face, these aren’t usually placed in the same deep location where the buccal fat pads are located. This may help, but won’t fully replace the removed tissue. That’s why it’s important to carefully consider buccal fat removal before you commit. This is a permanent procedure, and it’s difficult to reverse if you’re not happy with your results. You’ll want to make sure that you and your surgeon are on the same page about the results that you’re looking for, so they don’t remove too much fat tissue.

It’s also important to know that the buccal fat pads naturally shrink as people age. Almost everyone has a rounder face in their teens and 20s, and then the face naturally becomes more and more narrow as we get older. If a young person has buccal fat removal, then as they get older and more fat is naturally lost from this area, it may lead to a face that looks excessively gaunt, aged, and unhealthy.

Are you considering buccal fat removal Charlotte?

If you’re considering buccal fat removal, it’s important to have a consultation with a plastic surgeon you trust. You’ll need someone to carefully assess your facial structure, to let you know whether buccal fat removal might give you good results, or if it’s something that probably won’t work well for you. In addition, you want to make sure that your surgeon has excellent technical skills. If you’re a good candidate and you do decide to go ahead with the procedure, then you’ll be depending on your surgeon’s skills and artistry to create good results for you.

Dr. Miles is a double-boarded plastic surgeon, who’s been performing plastic surgery for many years. His patients trust him to give them honest advice. He never wants any of his patients to regret their surgical procedures or be unhappy with their results, so he’ll tell you honestly if he doesn’t think that you would get good results from a procedure. To book your appointment for a consultation with Dr. Miles, please contact our office.