Buccal fat pad removal is a resection procedure performed by a facial cosmetic surgeon and has recently gained increasing popularity in the cosmetic world. When performed by experts, it is safer and relatively cheaper than other facelift procedures.
Buccal fat pad excision aims to thin the patient’s cheeks, especially in the hollow, boneless area. A naturally soft and filled-out face lowers an individual’s value in the beauty industry despite the youthfulness in the features.
The reason might be the ever-growing influence by social media cosmetic influencers and celebrities who have undergone the same before. Chrissy Teigen is a TikTok celebrity who has initially confessed in her platform to have gone through with the surgery.
The Removal Process
The facial procedure varies from one patient to the other as dictated by their buccal fat capacity. The average fat pad volume is anywhere from 8-10 cc. Usually, 40% to 50% is extractable according to the patient’s fat content. The easily accessed percentage is 3-4 cc in volume, leaving 7-8cc as the remainder. It is not prudent to remove 100% of the buccal fat pad as it helps move chewing muscles and is useful in speech. The procedure is conservative on the young individuals to allow room for a natural appearance in old age as cheek fat tends to deflate as you age.
Notably, medics do not perform the fat pad extraction in patients with thin or narrow faces (jawlines) as it might lead to a gaunter-looking face with age. Hence, plastic surgeons and other medical practitioners have been at the forefront to warn patients against the cosmetics risks of such surgeries. Patients should confirm their eligibility before booking an appointment for one.
The beauty and cosmetic universe have gained since the introduction of the procedure. It is a “hack” to a perfect facial structure that fits the field, especially in most prestigious sub-fields like modeling.