Buccal Fat Pad Removal In Las Vegas

Buccal Fat Removal By Board Certified Plastic Surgeons In Las Vegas – Creating A More Sculpted Face

What Is Buccal Fat?

Also known as Bichat’s Fat Pad or the Buccal Pad of Fat, and more commonly identified as cheek fat, Buccal Fat is one of several encapsulated fat masses in the cheek, the deep fat pad located on either side of the face.  The amount of fat helps determine the structure of your face. 

This is the facial fat that makes a person’s face less–defined and more rounded. Having excessive Buccal Fat is also often referred to as having “chubby cheeks”.  The Buccal Fat pad is located deep to the facial muscles and extends up to the temporal area (area in front of the ear,) and down to the middle cheek and lower face area.   This fat pad gives the lower face a lot of its fullness.

Why Is Buccal Fat Removed?

As a 4 time Board Certified Plastic Surgeon in Las Vegas, Dr. Lane Smith sees many patients who come to him for consultations because they feel like they have a “Fat Face.”  This is more common in oriental patients and patients with very round faces.   Sometimes male models want that more sculpted chiseled look that comes with a more defined jawline and cheekbones.  Often, mistakenly they ask Dr. Smith to perform facial liposuction.  While liposuction in the neck area and under the chin (submental area,) works very well, liposuction in the face is not nearly as successful and often facial liposuction does not achieve the desired results that a patient is requesting.   This is because the fat that makes up the submalar (under the cheekbones,) area and upper jowl area is not actually under the skin but lies deeper under the facial muscles.

• Removes excess fat from chubby cheeks
• Improves appearance, resulting in thinner and more defined cheeks
• Improves self–confidence and self-esteem
• Involves short surgery time with minor bruising and brief downtime
• No facial scarring or external incisions on the face
• Achieves a more sculpted, balanced facial appearance

In some patients the buccal fat makes the face look better, but in other patients, it is too large and gives the face a rounded “baby face” look.   By removing some of the buccal fat, the area right under the cheekbone becomes more hollow.  This makes the face more oval and it gives the illusion that the cheekbone is more pronounced.  It also makes the jawline appear more defined.  This is useful for patients who feel their face is too round or in male models who wish to appear thinner and more rugged looking with a stronger jawline and more defined cheekbones.    

If you look at some famous reality TV stars like Khloe or Courtney Kardashian, you can see that in some of their photos they have very round unattractive faces.   In their later photos their faces are more defined, look more oval and are much more attractive.   An oval defined face is more attractive than a round face.   It appears as though they have had a combination of cheek augmentation and buccal fat pad removal, giving them higher cheekbone and a thinner more oval lower face.

What Is The Process Of Buccal Fat Pad Removal?

Buccal Fat Pad removal is a very simple operation and has a very quick recovery.   The procedure can be performed under local anesthesia (wide awake with area made numb,) or under sedation or general anesthesia.  The procedure is done by making a small cut inside the mouth and removing some of the Buccal Fat Pad.  There are no scars on the face.   The small opening inside the mouth is closed with a dissolvable suture.   The procedure only takes about 30 minutes to perform and patients can return to work the next day.

What Can I Expect In My Recovery And Following The Procedure?

The removal of the Buccal Fat Pad procedure is very safe and recovery is very quick. Usually, there is a little swelling or fullness in the cheeks but most of this goes away in two to four weeks. The postoperative pain is mild and often patients do not take any of their pain medications. Typically, there is no bruising and other people cannot tell the procedure has been done even early after surgery.   As the swelling goes down the lower face with gets thinner and thinner over the next four to eight weeks.

For more information on Buccal Fat Pad removal and the benefits to your appearance, please contact our office at (702) 838-2455, or email us at [email protected]

If this is the right procedure for you, Dr. Lane Smith or his staff will go over the risks and benefits of the procedure with you.   Most patients are very happy with their procedures.