Can Buccal Fat Pad Removal Help Correct Lines Around Lips?

Removal of the buccal fat pad has no effect on lip lines. In your case, you are indeed likely to look older. Buccal fat pad removal is reserved for patients who have overly full cheeks, often described as "chipmunk cheeks" Cessation of smoking, limiting sun exposure, biofeedback to see if mannerisms are contributing to the lip lines are all possibilities. In the occasional patient, Botox helps in wrinkle lines as well. You have a gorgeous face and shouldn't mess with it other... more

No. Your photograph demonstrates early, subtle signs of aging. The nasolabial lines are beginning to show. Volume loss and sagging tissue, which comes primarily from age, sun, and genetics, contribute to the gradual deepening of the nasolabial lines. Initial treatment of these wrinkles is to (1) add volume, and/or (2) lift the cheek or mid face. Adding volume is done with a quick procedure with any of the available inject able fillers (Restylane, Juvederm, collagen, fat). Facial plastic... more

No. It may make them worse in the near future and horrible in further down the road. Lines are caused by age and sun related facial descent, facial muscle movement with skin creasing and LOSS of facial volume both IN and UNDER the skin. Therefore, it can only be fixed by reversing these factors. Since skin damage is irreversible, while you can stop tanning you can stop further damage but not reverse the damage you had. Adding volume is the answer (Juvederm, Restylane, fat etc) - NOT... more

Buccal fat pad removal wil often make your face look more gaunt as you age.  It is really only recommende in patients that have significant "chipmunk cheeks"  The nasolabial folds are unrelated to the buccal fat pads.

I have never seen or heard of that. The buccal fat pad is larger and more prominent in children and smaller in adults. Since the fat pad is closer to the inside lining of the mouth than the skin and has several muscles between it and the skin, in adults it has very little affect on the cheek skin tightness. Some surgeons have removed it to make the cheek look more hollow. However, with aging it can become too hollow and make the look worse.

 Removal of your buccal fat would not help with the lines and in fact would probably make them worse.  It will also make you age prematurely.  You might try some filler in the lines.

Dear Violet, You do NOT have excessive buccal fat. You have normal folds consistent with your ethnicity. My 35-year-old wife, who is Vietnamese, also has "deep" nasolabial folds, which are appropriate and attractive on her face. If you don't like the folds, see a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon for an evaluation. Many non-surgical fillers (such as Sculptra, Radiesse, Juvederm, and Restylane) could provide the subtle alteration for which you are wishing. Sincerely, Michael C.... more

I would not recommend buccal fat removal for these lines. It would likely result in minimal if any change. Fillers ranging from restylane, juvederm , evolence, radiesse, etc may provide you with some subtle correction.

Unfortunately with all the attention to treatment of "deformities" caused by aging and such, we all tend to lose sight of what is normal and the infinite variations present in the world's population. Naolabial folds or lines are extremely variable and caused by a multitude of factors involving skin, fat, muscle, and even bone and their interrelatinship with eachother. There are treatments for lines that are displeasing but not one single remedy. Your lines are normal and may be... more