If somebody came up to you in the street and asked you if you knew what buccal fat was, would you be able to answer them and know exactly where to find it? If the answer is yes then you probably already know a little bit about the buccal fat removal procedure, but if not then you’re not alone seeing as it’s not a term that’s used very often.
Your buccal fat pads are two small discs of fat that are found within the cheeks, and every single person on the planet has them (unless they’ve been removed of course). Because every person is different, so is the amount of fat within these pads which directly means that the size is different for every person too and they’re present regardless of weight. Having said that, it’s often found that having large buccal fat pads can be a genetic feature and rounded cheeks tend to run in families.
As we age, the body and skin naturally lose their youth and the fat beneath the skin is often lost, but the fat pads within the cheeks don’t follow in the same way. Over more time, these pads can end up resulting in a bottom-heavy face with sagging cheeks. This is something that is pretty much permanent, but with buccal fat removal surgery this can be removed.
What is buccal fat removal?
Buccal fat removal surgery is a specialised surgical procedure that is purposely designed to remove the buccal fat pads from within the cheeks, giving the face a more contoured and defined appearance.
The procedure itself is actually relatively simple in surgical terms, and depending on the individual patient can be performed using either local or general anaesthesia. In most cases, a small incision is made on the inside of the cheek where the buccal fat pad is located. Once it has been identified, the buccal fat is removed (hence the name of the surgery) and the incision is closed up with stitches. The entire process is repeated on the opposite side of the mouth and realistically should only take around 30 minutes from start to finish.
It can even be performed alongside other facial surgical procedures where it can use an external incision to be removed, reducing the total amount if incisions required and allows a faster procedure time.
Is the surgery painful?
Considering as it’s being performed under some level of anaesthesia, the procedure itself shouldn’t be painful at all as the area should be completely numb anyway. If there is anything felt as the procedure begins, then the surgeon should be made aware immediately as more anaesthesia will need to be administered.
The stage where you’re likely to feel some discomfort is the recovery period, although this can be managed with the use of ice packs and over the counter pain medications that you would use as normal.
What are the results like?
Well, the big answer to the question “is buccal fat removal permanent?” is yes, the procedure is completely permanent and the fat is incapable of growing back. This means that even if you gain a significant amount of weight in future, the fat pads won’t return as they are no longer within the body.
While they aren’t considered to be results, there are also some major benefits that present themselves with the way the procedure is carried out. Firstly, because the incision is made within the inside of the cheeks, there is no visible scarring that will become present which means that nobody needs to be aware that you have undergone surgery unless you tell them. Another huge benefit is that there is very little downtime associated with buccal fat removal, with the vast majority of patients able to return to their normal day to day lives after around 3 days post surgery.
The downsides to it are that it can take several months for your results to actually show correctly due to the natural wound healing process within the body and you may experience swelling in the cheeks for a few weeks afterwards. Another possible negative is simply just the knowledge that buccal fat pads can naturally shrink over time, which if they are removed can leave your cheek areas looking hollow and empty as you age.
Who is a good candidate for surgery?
Theoretically, anyone would be able to undergo surgery for buccal fat removal but it’s often seen as the perfect procedure for patients who aren’t too far away from their ideal weight, but feel as though their face looks overly rounded. By undergoing surgery, they’re able to create a slimmer and more contoured face.
The issue is that just because you have chubby cheeks or a round face, it doesn’t mean that you have an excessive amount of buccal fat so the key is figuring out if that is what’s responsible for the round appearance. On the other side of things, if your face is naturally thin then removing the fat pads can come with risks of looking even slimmer as you age.
How much does buccal fat removal cost?
The cost of buccal fat removal surgery is different with every cosmetic surgery that you look at, but with Better Body Surgery the prices start from just £2250.
To book a completely free, no-obligation consultation for buccal fat removal, simply follow the link here or contact our team directly on 0800 772 0039.