Buccal fat removal FAQs answered

Everyone has buccal fats. For some, having buccal fats will make you look youthful while for others, excess buccal fats can make your face too chubby and cause cheek sagging. If you are looking to get buccal fat removal surgery, you will probably have a lot of questions and need some answers. By knowing more about buccal fat removal surgery, it will help you to decide if you really need it and/or know what to expect. So here’s a list of buccal fat removal FAQs and its answers.

Common buccal fat removal FAQs

What is buccal fats?

Buccal fats are fat pads that are found between the hollows of cheeks. Its purpose is to cushion your teeth and jaw. These fat pads store the baby fats in your face but it often starts to disappear when puberty starts. For some, excessive buccal fats may be caused by weight gain while for others, it may be just genetics.

Are you a good candidate for buccal fat removal?

The ideal candidate for buccal fat removal surgery is one who is in a good health condition but has natural excessive fullness in their cheeks, typically younger patients in their 20s to 40s. Not recommended for patients above 50 years old or patients with thin and angular face shapes.

How do you know if you need a buccal fat removal?

As mentioned, excessive buccal fats can be caused by a number of reasons, including weight gain and genetics. Deciding whether you need buccal fat removal or not often requires expert guidance as only professionals will be able to pinpoint if your buccal fat pads are the cause of your cheek fullness or not.

In cases where buccal fat pads are removed when they shouldn’t be or if too much buccal fats are removed, it could lead to hollow cheeks and premature aging.  

Are there any other alternatives to buccal fat removal surgery?

Other alternatives for buccal fat removal includes facial liposuction and fat dissolving injections. For those who have excessive buccal fats due to genetics, buccal fat removal is probably the best option for a more defined look. Read our post on buccal fat removal vs cheek liposuction to find out which procedure suits you more.

Does getting a buccal fat removal make you age more quickly?

Buccal fat removal will not affect the aging process of your face or make you age more quickly. That said however, it is worth to note that although defined cheek hollows and less fats look great on you now when you are young, you should also consider how it will look when you age.

Can buccal fat removal change your face shape?

Yes, it does, in a way. Removal of buccal fats can reduce the fullness and size of your cheeks, giving you a more defined appearance of your cheekbones which will influence your face shape to a certain extend.

Can buccal fat pads grow back after removal?

Once your buccal fat pads are entirely removed, not even weight gain will make the pads grow back. However, partial removal of buccal fats can result in the return of fat volume if you gain weight.

What is recovery like?

After your buccal fat removal surgery, expect major bruising, swelling and soreness to last at least 2~3 weeks. It may look as if you have gotten your wisdom tooth removed. In fact, recovery from buccal fat removal surgery is similar to the recovery from dental surgery. You are advised to avoid strenuous activity, and minimize talking for the first days after the surgery.

You will be prescribed with a special mouthwash or oral antibiotics to prevent possible infections, and might also need to go on a liquid diet for up to 1 week in order to allow the incisions to heal properly. Do take note not to play with the sutures with your tongue to avoid complications in the healing process.

Can you smoke or drink after buccal fat removal surgery?

The success of your buccal fat removal surgery not only lies in the hands of your plastic surgeon but also on how well you recover after surgery. Smoking and drinking alcohol disrupts your healing process by slowing down healing and prohibiting healthy blood flow. This in turn, increases the risk of infections and increases the susceptibility for scarring.

So avoid smoking or being around a smoker, and drinking alcohol for at least 1~2 months. In fact, you should refrain from smoking or drinking alcohol at least 2~3 weeks before your surgery as well. Or better still, use this opportunity to quit smoking in all.

Are there dietary restrictions after removing your buccal fats?

There are no dietary restrictions after buccal fat removal surgery but you should take extra care to ensure oral hygiene so as to prevent complications and infections of your incisions.

When can you see results from your buccal fat removal surgery?

Results will not be immediately apparent due to post-surgery swelling. However, once the swelling has gone down, you will notice that your cheeks are much slimmer than before. The final results are seen after 3~6 months.

Are buccal fat removal surgery scars noticeable?

Buccal fat removal surgery involves making an incision inside the mouth to remove the fat pad from the inner cheeks. This mean no visible scarring!

Conclusion

Sometimes, facial fats may not be all bad as facial fat volume and distribution are important when it comes to sustaining youthfulness and facial contours. In fact, losing or removing too much facial fat can sometimes make one look less youthful and rejuvenated.