If you want to have a thinner and more chiseled face, undergoing buccal fat removal could be your solution.
This procedure is designed mainly for patients that have full or chubby cheeks who want to appear more youthful and slim. The surgeon’s primary focus will be to remove the buccal fat pad, which is a pad of fat found in the area of your cheek hollows. The size of this pad and the amount of fat targeted for removal varies from patient to patient.
Candidates for Buccal Fat Removal
This surgery is designed for specifically for those patients looking to get rid of full or chubby cheeks.
You are eligible for this surgery if you are healthy and have a stable weight. Other requirements for undergoing buccal fat removal include having realistic expectations, which you will review with your doctor, and not smoking for a certain period before the procedure.
We highly recommend that you look at before and after photos from other patients before considering following through with this operation. Preparation beforehand is vital to have the most optimal surgery.
Pricing for a Cheek Reduction
The price of a buccal fat removal is often determined by a multitude of factors, which include the surgeon’s experience and his or her geographical location. Most surgeons offer financing plans for these procedures.
On average, buccal fat extraction will cost you between $2,000 and $5,000. The payment covers items like the surgeon’s fee, the facility fees, anesthesia, prescriptions and medicine, and medical evaluations before and after the procedure.
Always prioritize choosing a surgeon that is board-certified and has much experience in facial surgeries, rather than opting for the most cost-effective procedure.
Risks of Buccal Fat Removal
Like all types of surgeries, buccal fat reduction comes with several potential hazards. You’ll have to consider what changes you want for your self-image and if the benefits from the procedure outweigh possible downsides.
The surgeon will explain all of these risks to you in detail. You’ll then be asked to sign consent forms stating that you understand the risks associated with your surgery.
Some of the unlikely but possible risks associated with this surgery are bleeding, damage to a salivary duct, asymmetry, and consistent pain. To understand the whole scope of your surgery, directly ask your surgeon as many questions as you feel are necessary.
The Surgery
This surgery involves various steps. The first step is the administration of anesthesia to avoid feeling pain during the surgical process. Your doctor will decide whether local or general anesthesia is best for you.
This surgery begins with the doctor making various two to four-centimeter incisions inside your mouth, on the inner portion of the cheek. The fat pad is then removed through these strategically made cuts.
Next, the surgeon will proceed to close the incisions with absorbable sutures. Make sure to not brush your tongue against them after the procedure.
Recovery Following Buccal Fat Extraction
You will feel groggy and may even be nauseous from the anesthesia following your surgery. Patients will also have to contend with some swelling, bruising, and pain, which may be treated with medications prescribed by your surgeon. You will likely receive instructions to eat soft or liquid foods for up to a week after the procedure.
The sutures should dissolve, and the swelling should subside after this weeklong recovery period. After being cleared by your surgeon, you will then be able to live life normally while enjoying the results of having a slimmer, more contoured face.