Buccal Fat Pad Removal

Your buccal fat pads are located between your cheekbones and jawbones. These fat pads give shape and fullness to your cheeks and face. This fullness can give you a somewhat youthful appearance but also can make your face look chubby.

Buccal fat pad removal in San Antonio is a surgery to remove these fat pads. This facial plastic surgery procedure is also called a cheek reduction and helps highlight your facial bone structure, especially your cheekbones and the areas between your cheeks and jawline. The surgery can make your face appear slimmer and accentuate your cheekbones.

Procedure

Buccal fat pad removal happens in our outpatient surgical center in San Antonio. Before your procedure, you will receive a local anesthetic to numb your face so you will not feel any pain. You will probably remain awake during the surgery. However, you may receive general anesthesia if you have more than one procedure done simultaneously.

Your plastic surgeon will make small incisions on both sides of the inside of your mouth to expose the buccal fat pads. Your doctor will press gently on the fat pads to further expose and remove them; then, they will close the incisions with sutures. The sutures are often dissolvable. If not, your provider will inform you when you need to return for the removal of your sutures. In contrast, the process is called removal; in many ways, it is a reduction. It is important to leave behind some of the buccal fat to protect internal facial structures and avoid premature aging. Our experienced surgeons can help assess your needs and provide attractive and safe results.

It is crucial to follow instructions regarding the care of your incisions. Our team may give you a mouth rinse to prevent infection and help with healing. You may need to follow a liquid diet initially while your incisions heal. After your surgery, you may experience swelling, bruising, and numbness around the incision sites. These will diminish as your body heals. You can return to normal activities within a few days to a week. Recovery usually takes about three weeks, and it will be a few months before you see your final results.

Ideal Candidate

Some people feel the roundness in their cheeks presents a fullness they do not like. A cheek reduction can reduce this fullness. The best candidate for this procedure is healthy and has a stable weight. Buccal fat naturally diminishes with age, meaning an individual over a certain age may not need the benefits of this surgery. One of the experienced plastic surgeons in our San Antonio location can review your buccal fat pad removal options during a comprehensive consultation.

Contact

During your consultation, you will meet with our surgical team. They will discuss what you want to achieve from your surgery and the results you should expect. Our surgeons will perform an examination and take photographs of your face. We will review your overall health, family health history, and past surgeries. Contact our team to discuss your questions and what to expect during the surgery. Take steps to enhance your face with buccal fat pad removal in San Antonio.