A Buccal Fat Pad Excision is a simple and effective procedure used to thin and shape the face. This Austin TX minimally invasive procedure is performed through a small incision inside the mouth to decrease volume in the mid cheek. Good candidates for this procedure have a full face or rounded cheeks and can improve the facial definition and balance with this slimming procedure.There are many distinct features of the face that create an overall attractive appearance. Defined cheek bones and a tapered lower face are among them. If your cheek bones are hidden underneath rounded, square or chubby cheeks, buccal fat pad removal can help. Dr. Stong proudly offers buccal fat pad removal, or cheek reduction surgery, as an ideal facial cosmetic treatment for patients who want to create definition in their cheeks and a heart shaped attractive appearance to their face.
Dr. White explains that the buccal fat pads are triangular structures of adipose (fat) tissue that extend from the temple to underneath the cheekbone to the back corner of the mouth. He goes on to say that, typically, the size of the buccal fat pads is determined by genetics, and the volume is rarely affected by weight fluctuation, often making surgical contouring the only viable method for reducing their prominence.
Final results are apparent in about 3 months when all internal swelling has gone away. After surgery you will need to rest for a day. No overnight stay is required as it’s a day care procedure. There will be some swelling which will reduce over a period of a week.
The surgeon removes buccal fat through these incisions before closing them with sutures. Your surgeon may then place antibiotic-soaked gauze along the incisions and/or wrap your head in a pressure dressing. Ask about your surgeon's preference and his or her reason for it. Like all surgeries, buccal fat reduction poses risks. These risks can be minimized by choosing a highly qualified, board-certified plastic surgeon and following his or her pre- and postsurgical guidelines. For example, taking all your antibiotics as prescribed can help prevent infection, while avoiding aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications can help prevent bleeding.
For example, buccal fat can be re-injected into the lips or into the malar (cheek bone) region of the face. Buccal fat pad removal and re-injection to upper cheeks by Sam Naficy, MD. Individual results may vary. You may wish to browse through the gallery of representative before and after buccal fat removal pictures. Click on any of the thumbnails to enter the slide show.
These are important factors that should be discussed during your consultation. Your surgeon should provide you with detailed instructions on what to do and what not to do prior to your procedure. These guidelines will include what prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medications and herbal supplements are acceptable to take in the days leading up to your surgery and during your recovery. If you are a smoker, your surgeon will likely require you to quit smoking prior to and following surgery. Smoking increases the risks of any surgery and can interfere with your recovery and compromise your results.
When the procedure is finished, the relaxing medication is discontinued and you begin to wake up. Because the medications used in IV sedation anesthesia clear the system rather quickly, most of our patients are typically able to go home in less than 30 minutes after the procedure is completed. What is the recovery like? Typically, after buccal fat removal, there is minimal pain.
The face is the first thing noticed by people, and the cheeks, being the biggest area visible in the face, can have a very significant impression. The cheeks can make even thin people look chubby or round, simply because of their shape and size. This can make people very self-conscious about the appearance of their cheeks, but unlike most body parts, the cheeks are very hard to reduce in size without adversely affecting the rest of the body. This cheek fat, or buccal fat, can be very hard to reduce.
