Buccal Fat Pad Removal / Cheek Narrowing
Montgomery AL
Buccal fat pad removal is a procedure designed to narrow the region directly below the cheekbone. The current trend is towards strong defined facial features even among women. The upper cheek can be highlighted by removing the buccal fat pad which sites inferior to it (the region women typically shadow with makeup). People who are good candidates usually have excessive width below the cheek and/or complain of having “chubby” cheeks. This is not a procedure performed on thin patients as it can give the appearance of aging due to volume loss. Additionally, we also shrink the masseter muscle which spans from the angle of the jaw to the cheek. This is done with a neurotoxin (think Botox), which weakens the muscle, and just like an arm in a cast, the muscle shrinks over time from no longer contracting. To see if you are a good candidate, place your hand at the angle of your jaw and bite down hard. If this muscle becomes prominent shrinking it can often provide significant narrowing to the lower face in addition to buccal fat pad removal.
Procedure
A small incision is placed inside the mouth. It is typically performed under a light sedation with local anesthesia. The buccal fat is then teased out gently. Resorbable sutures are placed and the procedure is completed.
Recovery
Recovery is straight forward with minimal to no downtime. Warm saltwater rinses are prescribed to sooth the incision in the mouth. There is no need for suture removal as they dissolve on their own. Results are typically seen at 6 weeks after surgical swelling resides.
Click here for Buccal Fat Pad Removal Before and After Pictures
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