Understanding the contours and highlights of the face is key in understanding and creating facial balance. For the right candidate, buccal fat pad removal can help contour the cheeks and create a slimmer appearance to the face. As an expert in facial anatomy and aesthetics, Dr. Hutchinson and the team at FACE Atlanta can help you decide if buccal fat pad removal is right for you.
Exploring Buccal Fat: Definition and Role
Buccal fat, also known as the fat pads in the cheeks, plays a significant role in adding fullness and roundness to the face. Understanding the role of buccal fat is crucial when considering its removal. Buccal fat pad removal or buccal lipectomy, involves the removal of excess fat from the lower cheeks. This allows the cheek bones to stand out on the face, while creating subtle contour at the cheeks. By reducing the volume of the buccal fat pads, this plastic surgery procedure can help create a more contoured and sometimes more symmetrical facial appearance.
Signs you might be a good candidate for Buccal Fat Pad Removal
- Persistent fat deposits in the cheeks. This can sometimes be described as “chubby cheeks” or “chipmunk cheeks.”
- Lack of definition between cheek bones and lower cheeks.
- Rounded facial appearance.
- Asymmetric fullness of the cheeks.
Potential Benefits of Buccal Fat Removal
- Facial Balance: Achieving a slimmer and more contoured appearance to the face is one of the potential benefits of buccal fat removal. By enhancing the cheekbones and overall facial symmetry, this procedure can help individuals feel more confident and satisfied with their facial appearance.
- Minimal Downtime: Precise buccal fat pad removal helps patients safely achieve a more defined lower face, with little downtime. This permanent procedure is typically performed under local anesthesia or conscious sedation, allowing you to return home to recover the same day.
- Long-lasting Results: After undergoing buccal fat removal, the results are usually permanent. However, it’s important to note that weight gain can still affect the overall appearance of the face. To maintain the results of the surgery, it is recommended to lead a healthy lifestyle.
The Process of Buccal Fat Removal
- Consultation: Determining the suitability of buccal fat removal involves assessing excess cheek fat, setting realistic expectations, and understanding the associated risks. In your initial consultation, Dr. Hutchinson will help determine if this procedure is appropriate for you.
- Procedure: The procedure involves making small incisions inside the mouth to access the buccal fat pads. The excess fat is carefully reduced or removed, allowing for facial contour to be more visible. This procedure is typically done under local anesthesia or conscious sedation.
- Post-Procedure Care: Buccal fat removal is an outpatient, same-day procedure meaning you return home within a few hours from the start of the procedure. Most individuals return to normal daily activities the next day with minor soreness and swelling. It’s important to note that full recovery can take several weeks, with the results of the procedure becoming more apparent as the healing progresses and swelling subsides.
Maintaining Your Defined Lower Face
- Maintain a Healthy Weight: The removal of the buccal fat pads is a procedure that typically provides permanent results. However, it’s important to note that weight gain can still affect the overall appearance of the face by increasing generalized fatty deposits under the skin. To maintain the results of the surgery, it is recommended to lead a healthy lifestyle.
- Routine Skincare: Maintaining the health of the skin with good nutrition, hydration and a good skin care regimen contributes to an overall more youthful appearance of the face. Regular cleansing, sun-protection, and restoration of the skin contributes to skin turgor and elasticity.
Debunking Myths Around Buccal Fat Removal
- Myth #1- Gaunt Appearance: There are several myths surrounding buccal fat removal that need to be addressed. One common myth is that the procedure leads to a sunken or gaunt appearance. However, when performed by a skilled facial plastic surgeon on the appropriate candidate, buccal fat removal can actually enhance facial contours and create a more sculpted look, without compromising a natural appearance.
- Myth #2- Buccal Fat Regrowth: Another misconception is that the results of buccal fat removal are not permanent. In reality, once the buccal fat pad is removed, it does not grow back. This makes it a long-lasting solution for individuals seeking to reduce the fullness of their lower cheeks. However, excessive weight gain post-procedure can re-create a rounded facial appearance from increased fatty tissue under the skin.
- Myth #3- Limited Indications: It is also important to debunk the notion that only individuals with excessively chubby cheeks are candidates for this procedure. While buccal fat removal can benefit those with round cheeks, it can also be suitable for individuals looking to achieve more defined facial features or address facial asymmetry.
By dispelling these myths and providing accurate information, individuals can make informed decisions about whether buccal fat removal is the right procedure for them. Remember to consult with a qualified plastic surgeon or facial plastic surgeon, like Dr. Hutchinson, to discuss your specific goals and expectations.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How Does Buccal Fat Removal Impact Facial Aesthetics?
Buccal fat removal has a significant impact on facial aesthetics. It can help create a more defined jawline and cheekbones, improving facial proportions and enhancing overall facial harmony. This procedure results in a more sculpted facial appearance.
What should I expect after buccal fat removal?
After undergoing buccal fat removal surgery, it’s important to understand what to expect during the recovery process. Swelling and bruising are common side effects that gradually subside over time. A few days of antibiotics after the procedure decreases infection risk. To aid in the healing process, patients may need to adhere to a soft diet for a few days. Due to post-procedure swelling, final results aren’t fully visualized for weeks to months after the procedure.
What are the risks associated with Buccal Fat Removal?
When considering buccal fat removal surgery, it’s crucial to be aware of the potential risks and complications associated with the procedure. Just like any other surgical intervention, there is a chance of infection, bleeding, scarring, and numbness. To ensure a safe and successful outcome, it is essential to have a detailed discussion about these risks with Dr. Hutchinson and the FACE Atlanta team. We provide personalized guidance based on your unique circumstances and help you make an informed decision about whether buccal fat removal is the right choice for you.
At FACE Atlanta, Your Face is our Focus
Let’s face it, our facial features and expressions are integral to how we interface with the world around us. Achieving better facial balance can improve self-confidence and help you put your best face forward. Buccal fat removal is a surgical procedure that can provide various benefits in improving facial aesthetics. Dr. Hutchinson’s artistic eye and years of experience can help you achieve the results you’ve been waiting for. Let us guide you on your journey by helping you decide what procedure or combination of procedures will work best for you. Contact us for a consultation today!
