At Shafer Clinic Fifth Avenue in New York City, we offer buccal fat pad removal surgery for patients with chubby or oversized cheeks that would like to reduce the size of their cheeks and enhance the overall appearance of their face. Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. David Shafer is a highly skilled plastic surgeon who focuses on providing our patients with beautiful and natural-looking results.
What Is a Buccal Fat Pad?
A buccal fat pad is a mass of fat that accumulates in the middle of your cheeks below the cheekbones. It fills the hollow area of the cheeks and makes a face appear fuller. Some people accumulate extra fat in the area, and their faces appear fuller and rounded. In some cases, the amount of fat may be too much for the aesthetic preferences of the patient. If you fall into that category, you may be interested in buccal fat removal surgery.
Basics of Buccal Fat Removal Surgery
Buccal fat removal surgery, also called cheek reduction surgery or buccal lipectomy, is a facial contouring procedure that reduces the size of the cheeks and brings balance to the proportions of the face.
You can choose buccal fat removal surgery alone or combine with other cosmetic facial procedure for more comprehensive facial enhancement. You can include buccal fat removal in surgeries like botox injection, facelift, lip augmentation, chin implants, and rhinoplasty.
Candidates for Buccal Fat Removal Surgery
- Good candidates for buccal fat pad removal Should:
- Have excess fat in the cheeks.
- Be in good overall health
- Be unhappy with the chubby appearance of their cheeks
- Have realistic expectations regarding the results possible through surgery
Preparing for Your Buccal Fat Pad Removal
The first step is coming in for your initial consultation. During this time, board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. David Shafer will ask about your current health, go over your pertinent medical history, and will ask you about your reasons for undergoing surgery and what your goals are for the procedure.
How Buccal Fat Pad Removal is Performed
Buccal fat pad removal surgery is an outpatient procedure. The procedure can be performed under general anesthesia. The incisions for the procedure are made along the inside of the mouth so no post-surgical marks should be visible once you have fully recovered. Once the desired amount of fat is removed, the incision will be carefully sutured closed.
Recovering from Buccal Fat Pad Removal
You will be provided with a list of post-operative instructions to follow that will help you through the recovery period. The instructions will contain information on how to reduce your risk of infection, issues or potential complications to look out for, and more. Avoid touching the sutures with your tongue. It can take a few weeks for the swelling to dissipate. If you follow your surgeon’s instructions, you would be healed within two or three weeks.
Schedule a Consultation
Contact Shafer Clinic Fifth Avenue today to schedule a consultation for your buccal fat pad removal procedure with Dr. Shafer. He can let you know if you are a good candidate for the procedure and provide you with the results you desire.