Would buccal fat removal achieve a more defined jaw line and less facial fat or should I consider other options? (photos)

Young patients in their early 20s with normal weight and normal to low body fat who have a chubby face and no well-defined jawline could benefit from several plastic surgery procedures. Commonly, the most prevalent cause of a "fat face" is enlarged buccal fat pads. These pads are pockets of fat in the lower anterior cheeks that are genetically determined and usually resistant to size reduction through diet and exercise. That's why it's common for very thin patients to have chubby cheeks when these buccal fat pads are enlarged. To achieve a less chubby facial look, buccal fat removal is often the recommended plastic surgery.

A not well-defined jawline is often due to either excess fat underneath the jawline (double chin) or an underdefined jawbone. In the first case, to achieve a more defined jawline, extended chin liposuction is the procedure of choice to remove the excess fat underneath the chin, jawline, and angle. This helps achieve a more defined jawline. In the second case, where the jawbone is not well-defined, jaw augmentation with either fillers or chin and jaw implants can enhance the structure of the jawline and provide a more defined look.

I hope this helps!

Sincerely,

John Mesa, MD
Buccal Fat Removal Specialist Plastic Surgeon
New York - New Jersey - Miami

Hello,

Thank you for your question and for sharing your images. Based on the images you submitted, it appears that you have a degree of under-projection of the chin. This can be effectively corrected using a chin implant, which can also help to attenuate the perception of fullness in the lower cheeks as the contours of your jawline change.

Here’s my suggested approach:

1. 3D Imaging and Simulation: I recommend starting with a consultation that includes 3D imaging and simulation. This will help us better define the appearance of the jawline and chin that you wish to achieve, both in profile and in oblique and front views. This comprehensive evaluation will give you a clear idea of how the changes will look from different angles.
2. Chin Augmentation: If the simulations show that chin augmentation provides the desired improvement and reduces the need for volume reduction in the lower cheeks, then buccal fat reduction may not be necessary. Chin augmentation tends to create a more defined jawline, which could address your concerns about the fullness in the lower cheeks.
3. Separate Treatments: It is also a viable option to separate the treatments and start with the one more likely to produce a significant impact on the jawline definition, which in your case seems to be the chin implant. If further volume reduction in the lower cheeks is still desired after the chin augmentation, buccal fat reduction can be considered at that time.

By starting with a chin implant, you can achieve a more defined jawline and then reassess the need for additional procedures based on the results.

You don't appear to have much excess fat, if any, to address surgically, but you have correctly identified weakness in your chin. The size and projection of your chin is deficient relative to the size and shape or your nose and forehead, and augmenting your chin would significantly help to bring greater balance to your face and help you achieve a sharper, more defined appearance.

You don't need buccal fat removal, you are already hollow in that location. I do think you could definitely handle some jaw augmentation either at the chin or angle or possibly both. Based on how things look, you could consider a OMFS consult to see if you might benefit from jaw surgery. Beyond that I can't see where you have any face fat.