Will buccal fat removal help give me defined cheekbones? (Photos)

Dear Rachelx7,it is hard to tell for sure without an examination. If you are considering a surgery, I would suggest you to consult a board-certified plastic surgeon. Only after a thorough examination you will get more information and recommendations.Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Treatment of ‘chubby cheeks’ cannot be achieved alone with buccal fat pad removal; a fact that I encounter time and time again when seeing patients in consultation for lower facial sculpting. My approach is to use a combined protocol that redefines aesthetic contours of the face. This includes the following:

 

Buccal Fat Pad Removal
Non-surgical Muscle-Fascia Tightening
Venus Legacy or Venus Viva
Ultherapy
Submental Liposuction or Coolsculpting
 

The combined approach is ideal. Buccal fat pad removal is a exceptional procedure that can remove excess fat from the cheek pads. Using an intraoral approach, a small incision is carried through the mucosa to remove a small fat pad within the cheek. Closure of the incisions is minimal with an absorbable suture and patients will experience some swelling post-operatively. We use SwellX tablets post treatment. Once healed, the contour of the cheek is improved and we begin Non-invasive tissue tightening to further enhance results.

 

Best,

Dr. Karamanoukian

Realself100 Surgeon

Buccal fat removal does help to achieve more defined cheek bones only in patients with good cheek bones. By removing the fullness of the lower anterior cheeks, the cheek bones become automatically more defined like models. Patients that have weak cheek bones, may not have  achieve more defined cheek bones with buccal fat removal. In these cases, cheek bones shall be enhanced with soft tissue fillers before or at the time of the surgical procedure. 

You have many options. It is all about fat (or volume) in the right places. In addition to facial cosmetic surgery I do feminization procedures in the transgender population and it applies to all sexes and orientations really. The key is Hot is HOT! Buccal fat removal and/or manipulation can be a great and transformational procedure in the right patient.  Oftentimes fat transfer or filler injection in conjunction with this procedure is able to give a more “ideal” heart shaped face. This can make a significant difference in patients as a combo. We are able to create shadows and sharpness where you want it. It may seem counterintuitive to add fat when you say your problem is chubby cheeks but what we do is add volume to the highest and most projected point of the cheek bone and taper it to the lower face. This helps to create a shadow just under the malar area.  This is especially helpful in thin patients and in combination with buccal fat pad removal is a powerful maneuver. Liposuction of the jawline and sculpting is also helpful in some patients. It really depends on your specific anatomy. All of this can be done in clinic with some calming medications and local anesthesia.
I recommend getting a consult with a surgeon who does this procedure frequently to get a full facial analysis to make sure your specific goals are addressed.
Hope this helps.
Best of luck.
DrC

Buccal fat excision is an appropriate surgical procedure for patients that of overly full and wide cheek areas. In common terms, it is good for patients who have chipmunk cheeks. In reviewing your pictures, it is difficult to tell if you're a good candidate because your cheek area is slightly full but not overly full. You are a patient that would need an in person consultation for a complete evaluation and explanation of the positives and negatives of this procedure in your situation. I hope this helps.