Would buccal fat removal help me achieve a more defined look in my cheekbones and jawline?

Question

I recently had a Restylane chin filler to give my face a bit more definition. I did not want to do anything invasive to my face, but I'm wondering how I'd achieve a more defined look (especially from my side profile). Attaching my pic with a bit of filter vs. none, and want to look more like the filtered image. Would I absolutely need buccal fat removal (I don't want to look old), or SIMPLY just cheek and jaw fillers? Been on Hormone therapy too (so my face will masculinize).

Roger Tsai, MD · Answer

Great question!  Yes a buccal fat pad removal will create a more defined appearance.  This is usually seen more on the frontal view.  Since the volume in the lower cheeks will be less, you will notice the cheekbone will be seem more pronounced with an improved taper down to the chin.  It may or may not create a more defined jawline if that is what you are looking for.  However, looking at your photos, you are a good candidate for this procedure and can get you very close to your filtered image.  The tiny incisions are inside the mouth so there are no external scars!Best of luck and hope this information helps!- Dr. Roger Tsai   @DrRogerTsai

Goretti Ho Taghva, MD, FACS · Answer

Thank you for your question.  Buccal fat removal may give you a slightly more chiseled appearance from the front view, but may not improve your side profile that much. If you want more definition in your side profile and jawline, I'd recommend liposuction of your submental fat (or Kybella injection if you want to go the non-surgical route, but may need a few treatments). Good luck!Goretti H. Taghva MD

John Mesa, MD · Answer

Buccal fat removal is a plastic surgery procedure that removes the fullness of the lower cheeks ( chubby cheeks ), thus helping to achieve a chiseled look in patient candidates.
Patients with good well defined cheek bones and strong jaw bone and jaw angle definite will achieve a very masculine look after buccal fat removal. Therefore, in patients with weak cheek bones and weak jaw bone, these structure should be enhanced either soft tissue fillers like Voluma or medpore implants ( cheek and jaw implants).
Buccal fat removal will NOT improve the side profile view of the face. This is improved only by either chin augmentation with fillers or implants and /or chin liposuction ( to remove the double chin and enhance the jaw line)

Nima Shemirani, MD · Answer

Dear M4jr,
Thank you for your question and photos. In order to create more definition, there are a combination of procedures which would look excellent.  Unfortunately, fillers can achieve somewhat similar results, but they will be much more expensive and time consuming in the long run.Buccal fat removal will create a more masculine look because it will give more definition to the cheek and jaw lines.  It will not necessarily make you look older, just more masculine.  Masculine faces are more square than round, which means a slightly more hollow look.Adding a chin implant along with some jaw and neck liposuction would further define those areas.  Hormonal therapy may help, but it will not get you all the way there.If you come in for a consultation, we can morph a surgical result to show you what you would look like with the procedures I mentioned.Best regards,
Nima Shemirani

Lawrence Scott Ennis, MD, FACS · Answer

The buccal fat pads are an often-overlooked portion of the facial aging process.  The buccal fat pads naturally sit in the upper portion of the cheek and are designed to help us suckle as an infant.  As we get older, the buccal fat pad descends into the jowl, giving the face a tired look.  I often see patients from outside facilities who have had a facelift and they present stating “their jowls are back.”  Typically, in these patients, the jawline still looks nice, but they have the “chipmunk cheeks” or what appears to be a “walnut” in their jaw, which is this buccal fat pad. 
This can be identified by pushing up on this small area just above the jawline and then releasing.  The skin will fall rapidly back into place, but you will typically see the fat pad descend back into the jowl slowly over 2- or 3-seconds as it refills this area.  This is indicative of a sliding buccal fat pad.
These are removed through a small incision inside the mouth.  Recovery is typically quick with minimal bruising. This is often done for younger people with chubby cheeks and can help with the fullness in the central and lower cheeks in the right person, so yes, a surgeon who is experienced in buccal fat pad removal can do this for you.

Would buccal fat removal help me achieve a more defined look in my cheekbones and jawline?

Answers (5)

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