Buccal Fat Pads Are in the News

Look in the mirror. Can you see those bulging buccal fat pads staring back at you? 

You know the ones; they’re the size of a grape and they nestle just under your mid- cheekbones but above the jaw.

In the name of beauty, young women seem to be flocking to plastic surgeons to have this very vital pad removed or partially desecrated as a result of a popular TikTok video (125.5 million views). Removing the buccal pads will hopefully, maybe, give you the look of a “hollow” cheek. But that’s not always a youthful look.

This procedure is especially popular with those men and women who wear “round cheeks” and want a slimmer face. This surgical procedure supposedly highlights the cheek bones, making them appear more prominent, the face less heavy. The cost is about $5, 000.

The Buccal (pronounced ‘buckle’) procedure, bichetomy – cheek reduction surgery, has been on plastic surgeons’ menus for quite some time – decades, in fact!  Removing the fat pads under general anesthetic only takes about an hour but – this procedure is not a walk in the park because there are nerves in the cheeks that control your facial movement.  If they are injured, whether temporarily or permanently, you most likely will not like the results.

Again, if you choose surgery, there can be complications and unintended consequences. Let me explain:  this fat pad is essential to the shape and contour of our face so removing it when you’re too young to understand the complications and ramifications of messing with your already perfect face can be eye opening to learn that as we age, fat is generally depleted throughout the face. This means if you elect to participate in this surgery, you run the risk of wearing a face that may look prematurely old as sagging skin can develop.

The goal in removing these essential fat pads:  slender, well-defined cheeks – Maybe…maybe not…you see, results are not typically seen for about six months after the procedure…swelling takes time to recede…discoloration skews perception and can be in evidence more than two weeks.

Less jowly, more chiseled faces are desired by men and women alike.

Does Facial Magic slim the face like Buccal fat pad removal?

You be the judge: