What is Buccal Fat Pad Removal?

When a patient has a full and round face and despite weight loss the fullness persist or if the patient is in his normal weight and the chipmunk faces has stayed all the time, a bichectomy or buccal fat pad removla is useful. Its true that with aging the buccal fat pad tends to diminish in volume do to atrophy, but if the volume is excessive a bichectomy will not hollow the cheek overtime. Many patients are happy with the results, a proper selection is a very important manner. Usually the procedure takes less than 30 min and you can go homethe same day. You'll be able to go back to work on the 3rd day post-op but 1 week off would be more comfortable. Best regards!

The buccal fat pads are located in the lower portion of both cheeks, and in some patients large buccal fat pads can create chubby "chipmunk" cheeks. Removal of these fat pads or reduction in their size is typically performed through an incision on the inner surface of the cheek. This procedure is not appropriate for everyone, and patients should be very carefully selected. As we age, we lose some of the fat in our face naturally, which is part of what makes a face look older. In the incorrectly selected patient, removing any portion of the buccal fat pad may lead to a gaunt, aged appearance, if not initially then later down the road when the aging process causes atrophy of the remaining facial fat pads. There are other procedures which can provide the slimming effect that you are interested in without removing any fat, such as augmentation of the upper cheeks with fillers or implants, or Botox injection to the masseter muscles that lie over the jaw. I recommend scheduling a consultation with a facial plastic surgery expert who can evaluate your concerns in person in order to determine which procedure or procedures would be most likely to give you the results you desire.
Best wishes,

Hi,
The face has many fat compartments, the buccal fat is one of these compartments. If you clench your teeth, the area just in front of the contracting muscle houses the buccal fat. The fat compartments of the face tend to deflate as you age, so removing buccal fat has to be done conservatively to avoid a hollow or gaunt appearance. Removing the fat can be done through the mouth under local anesthesia with minimal downtime. It is important to seek a consultation with a facial plastic surgeon to determine if you care a good candidate.
Good luck,
Mehdi Sina, MD