Buccal fat removals are on the rise, with celebrities such as Lea Michele, Bella Hadid and Anya Taylor Joy dominating the trend. But what is exactly is a buccal fat removal? And what does the procedure involve?
What is buccal fat?
Your buccal fat pad is found in the middle of your cheeks, located between the facial muscles and the hollow area beneath the cheekbones. The size differentiates depending on how big and round your face is. Everybody has them and there isn’t anything wrong with having a rounder face, but if you want to make them smaller, then a plastic surgeon may recommend a buccal fat removal.
How is it removed?
During the procedure, you are given either a local or general anaesthetic depending on if you’re having more than just a buccal fat removal procedure done or not, but you will be awake during it. A plastic surgeon will make an incision inside your cheek and then place pressure on the outside of your cheek, to expose your buccal fat pad. The fat is then cut and removed, with the incision closed with dissolvable stitches.
Aftercare
The full recovery time after a buccal fat removal takes about 3 weeks, but you may not see results until several months after. It’s vital that after your procedure, you follow all of your plastic surgeon’s instructions to protect your incisions from becoming infected. You will be given a special mouthwash to prevent infections, and you need to eat a liquid diet for a few days, then gradually progress to soft foods before eating solids again.
Risks and side effects
With any procedure, there are always a few risks and side effects that can occur. With a buccal fat removal, the risks and side effects are:
- Swelling (this can be prolonged)
- Bruising
- Haematoma
- Excessive bleeding
- Infections
- Injury to a salivary duct
- Asymmetry
- Negative reactions to anaesthesia
- Salivary gland damage
- Lockjaw
- Poor results/healing
Alternative options to buccal fat removal
If invasive surgeries aren’t for you, there are alternative options to achieving results that look like you have had buccal fat removal, but without any of the pain and hassle.
Dermal fillers
A dermal filler is a minimally invasive, non-surgical treatment that can mimic bone structure within the face and often has very natural looking results. Using dermal fillers doesn’t remove the buccal fat from your face.
Here at Refine Pharma, we recommend Eloquence.
Eloquence is a high elasticity, hyaluronic acid dermal filler which can be used to shape and augment the face, whilst reducing the signs of ageing. This can include the appearance of wrinkles, sagging and skin depressions. It aims to add volume and even hydrate the skin.
There are 3 dermal fillers in the Eloquence range, Eloquence Fine, Eloquence Deep and Eloquence Sub-Q. The benefits of these range from:
- Natural looking results
- Promotes collagen production
- Hydration
- Reduces appearance of ageing
- Long-lasting, durable results
- Regenerates skin cells
- Immediate results
Shop Eloquence here.
Botox
Botox (or botulinum toxin) is another minimally invasive, non-surgical approach to sculpting the face to create an appearance that mimics the results of a buccal fat removal procedure. Using botox doesn’t remove the buccal fat from your face.
Here at Refine Pharma, our bestseller Allergen is great for sculpting and contouring facial features. Allergen is a prescription only product that is used for the temporary improvement of the appearance of moderate to severe lines and wrinkles. It can be injected in the forehead, crow’s feet lines, and glabellar lines. It can also be used for the treatment of hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating).
The benefits of using Allergen are:
- Smoother, youthful looking appearance
- Improves look of wrinkles & signs of ageing
- Quick results
- Non-invasive
- Fast procedure
- Little to no downtime
Shop Allergen here.
