BUCCAL FAT REMOVAL SURGERY ALBUQUERQUE NM

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WHAT IS BUCCAL FAT REMOVAL SURGERY?

Buccal Fat is the excess fat in the cheeks that is between facial muscles. Dr. Tuggle performs buccal fat removals every day, and he often pairs the procedure with facelifts.

THE PROCEDURE – WHAT TO EXPECT

Once comfortable under local or IV sedation, Dr. Tuggle goes through your mouth to make a small incision in the inner cheek to remove the buccal fat. He isolates the buccal fat pad, which is not attached to the muscles, and extracts its fat. Next, he uses dissolvable sutures to seal the wound. Dr. Tuggle will send you home with a chin strap for support.

DOES A BUCCAL FAT REMOVAL HURT?

No. We administer the anesthesia of your choice to ensure you are comfortable the entire time. During the recovery phase, you may experience slight soreness and swelling but nothing that you can’t manage with pain medications prescribed by Dr. Tuggle. He’ll also provide you with a headband strap and a medicated mouthwash to prevent infection.

ADVANTAGES OF BUCCAL FAT REMOVAL

No scarring
Permanent results
Quick treatment
Minimal downtime
More mature look, less baby face

AM I A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR BUCCAL FAT REMOVAL?

Buccal fat removal will give you a slim and contoured profile. A buccal fat removal will not help if you are over twenty pounds overweight, if you have overdeveloped jaw muscles, or if you already have a very thin face. We suggest you come in for a consultation in which Dr. Tuggle will review your medical charts and evaluate your facial structure.

HOW FAST WILL I SEE RESULTS?

Due to the significant swelling caused by the surgery, your face will most likely remain full for a couple of weeks. And it may take three to six months for you to see actual results as your skin settles into place.

BUCCAL FAT REMOVAL AFTERCARE

Have ice packs on hand to aid in minimizing swelling and discomfort. We recommend you apply ice packs throughout the day for 3 days and drink plenty of ice water.
Stick to a soft, cool, non-spicy diet the first 24 hours while the incisions in your cheeks heal.
Continue to wear the chin strap at night for the first two weeks.

Contact Dr. Tuggle to discuss your unique needs and a treatment plan tailored to your goals. We try to spend ample time with each patient to answer questions about risks, benefits, costs, and financing.

See our FAQ below. Contact Us with questions.

BUCCAL FAT REMOVAL SURGERY
BEFORE-AFTER IMAGES

BUCCAL FAT REMOVAL SURGERY
FAQ

Because of the significant swelling caused by the surgery, your face will most likely remain full for a couple of weeks. And it may take three to six months for you to see actual results as your skin settles into place.

Buccal Fat Removal Surgery will give you a slim and contoured profile. A Buccal Fat Removal Surgery will not help if you are over twenty pounds overweight, if you have overdeveloped jaw muscles, or if you already have a skinny face. We suggest you come in for a consultation in which Dr. Tuggle will review your medical charts and evaluate your facial structure.

Buccal Fat Removal Surgery is a permanent solution to reducing the size of your cheeks. After surgical removal of the buccal fat, it does not return, valid for buccal fat removal surgery. When the buccal fat pads are entirely removed, not even weight gain will make the pads return.

Your cheeks may be sore, and your diet will comprise soft foods for several days following the procedure. Bruising is unusual and typically mild. Swelling is variable, but is tolerable. However, swelling often takes a while to leave the cheeks, which means the best results will appear after weeks to months, improving with time.

We made incisions for Buccal Fat Removal Surgery inside of the cheek. You should have no visible scarring after surgery, just smaller cheeks.

A buccal lipectomy patient may experience facial swelling following surgery. However, the swelling will dissipate on its own within about two to three weeks. After the swelling stops, the cheeks will look thinner and more contoured.

We permit showering and bathing the day after Buccal Fat Removal Surgery. We encourage light activity. However, no attempt at heavy lifting or strenuous activity should during the first 72 hours after surgery. Avoid aerobic and impact cardio exercise should for one week post-operatively.

Buccal Fat Removal Surgery is a pleasant procedure for patients who feel that their face is overly round or chubby. It creates a slimmer, contoured, and more sculpted lower third of the face.

While these same baby fat cheeks give us a chubbier-looking face, this same buccal fat can also naturally reduce with age. As the name suggests, our baby fat can give us a more youthful appearance, so removing buccal fat too early may cause changing your skin behavior too early.

Since Buccal Fat Removal Surgery is a soft tissue procedure, discomfort is mild. Though pain is rare, we give patients’ pain medications to take home in case they need them.

It takes about seven to 10 days for the tissues inside the mouth to recover following Buccal Fat Removal Surgery. A patient may need to maintain a soft or semi-liquid diet in the first few days after surgery. I sometimes recommend a special mouth rinse for use after a buccal lipectomy.

After your Buccal Fat Removal Surgery, you will need to sleep on your back with your head elevated. If you are a habitual stomach or side sleeper, it’s difficult to change your ways. However, sleeping with your head raised has benefits that aid significantly in your recovery process.

Eat a bland, soft diet (applesauce and broth, for starters). After Buccal Fat Removal Surgery, you will have some pain and discomfort because of the surgery. Some discomfort is to be expected and with pain medications (Tylenol or prescription pain medications only) are appropriate if needed.

Improper Buccal Fat Removal Surgery can lead to premature facial aging because of volume depletion. Over time, a hollowness can develop in the cheeks, and the skin can become lax, especially in older persons or those with less elastic skin.

Will my dimples go away with Buccal Fat Removal Surgery? We relate cheek dimples to muscles, not fat. Removal of the buccal fat rarely interferes with cheek dimples.

Buccal fat functions to fill the deep tissue spaces, act as gliding pads when masticatory and mimetic muscles contract, and cushion essential structures from the extrusion of muscle contraction or external force impulsion. The volume of the buccal fat pad may change throughout a person’s life.

Whereas Buccal Fat Removal Surgery eliminates excess fat pads from the cheeks via surgery, a cheek liposuction procedure requires a cannula and vacuum device to address chubby cheeks. Deciding between buccal fat pad removal and cheek liposuction often requires expert guidance.

CORNERSTONE ARTICLE

25 BEST BUCCAL FAT REMOVAL FAQS (2022) — **25 BEST BUCCAL FAT REMOVAL FAQS – TAP THE IMAGE TO READ**

PATIENT TESTIMONIALS

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The office staff is super accommodating and helpful, and Dr. Tuggle and Tonya Tuggle are both wonderful at what they do. I have had multiple procedures/treatments here over the years and highly recommend them. I never feel uncomfortable or judged, which is huge when deciding on cosmetic procedures. I also never felt pressured into anything and always felt informed about all of my decisions. They have great seasonal specials on fillers, etc!

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BUCCAL FAT REMOVAL SURGERY
PROCEDURE PREP

Pre and Post-Operative Instructions

Please read these instructions before and after your surgery? Carefully following these guidelines will help you get the best possible result. Take this information with you on the day of surgery to follow the instructions that day. If you have questions, contact our office. We want you to have a pleasant experience.

Preparing for Surgery

Avoid aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve), and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications), Vitamin E, herbal supplements, or medicines containing these compounds and alcohol for two weeks before surgery. Acetaminophen (Tylenol or generic equivalent) and a daily multivitamin are OK.
Refrain from smoking two weeks before and two weeks after surgery. Nicotine and tobacco smoke delay healing and can cause scarring.
Avoid sun damage two weeks before surgery. We recommend wearing an SPF 30 or higher.
You get your prescriptions for after surgery (typically an antibiotic and pain med) on the day of surgery.
Do not eat or drink anything, including water, after midnight the night before your surgery.
Please arrange for someone to take you home from our surgery center? You may not drive or leave alone. Arrange for someone to stay with you for the first 24 hours after surgery.
Plan to stay in the Albuquerque City area on the night of your surgery if you live more than an hour’s drive away.

On the day before Surgery

On the day before surgery, you will receive a phone call informing you of the exact time to report to our surgery center.

Day of Surgery

Do not eat or drink anything, including water, the morning of surgery. You may take essential meds with a sip of water 1 hour before the surgery appointment.
Wear loose-fitting clothes. Short-Sleeved Shirt is required.
Leave all valuables at home; do not wear jewelry.
Do not wear any facial or eye make-up. Avoid nail polish.
You may wear glasses but do not wear contact lenses.
If you wear dentures, keep them in.
Bring your ID and insurance card with you.

BUCCAL FAT REMOVAL SURGERY
AFTERCARE

Procedures can make you feel groggy for up to 48 hours after surgery. Grogginess can cause nausea and sometimes vomiting. Keep yourself hydrated with water, ginger ale, Gatorade, and electrolyte drinks. Eat a bland, soft diet (applesauce and broth, for starters).

After surgery, you will have some pain and discomfort because of the surgery, which is to be expected and is controllable with pain medications (Tylenol or prescription pain medications only).
Escalating, severe pain is not typical, and you should contact us immediately. Contact us or a medical professional promptly.
Swelling is common after facial surgery. Swelling usually peaks at day three and subsides afterward. It is not uncommon for some minor swelling to last 2-5 weeks after surgery. Each patient experiences a different healing process.
When resting, elevate your head above your heart to help decrease swelling for the first three days after surgery. A pillow or two is appropriate.

Sleeping sitting up is unnecessary.

Wound Care:

One of the critical things after buccal fat removal is to avoid “sharp, fine granular foods.” For example, couscous or rice would not be a good choice. Tortilla chips would also be a poor choice. In contrast, fine, soft foods such as a well-blended smoothie or mashed potatoes can be examples of good food choices.
Apply ice packs to the outside of your cheeks. Everyone will experience swelling after a procedure. Patients who are most diligent in their icing the first 48 hours after a procedure have less swelling.
Use common sense, and if the skin is getting too cold, remove the compresses for approximately 20 minutes before resuming cooling. You only need to continue this process for waking hours.
After every meal, you will want will complete an oral swish with the prescribed mouthwash. For the first five days after surgery, dilute approx. One ounce of mouthwash into a cup of water. Swish this around your mouth after every meal, and spit out. The goal here is to prevent any fine food particles from getting stuck in the incisions inside the mouth (this could lead to infection).
After the 5th day, switch the mouth cleansing solution to lukewarm saltwater. Again, swish and spit after every meal and continue this until ten days post-procedure.

DON’T TAKE CHANCES! If you are concerned about anything you consider significant, call us at:
505-291-9600 Mon-Thurs 8-4, Fri 8-12.
Afterhours 505-857-3721

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Registered Nurse Practitioner Tonya Tuggle is Albuquerque’s choice for those who want to keep their youthful appearance and healthy glow. Tonya is passionate about educating patients on preventative skin care and providing non-surgical maintenance for graceful aging. We can’t wait to meet you!

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Tonya C. Tuggle, FNP-C

Tonya C Tuggle specializes in non-surgical facial cosmetic procedures and is a Nurse Practitioner and Master Level Injector.

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Eric Tuggle, DDS

Dr. Eric Tuggle is a specialist in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and is Board Certified in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.

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BUCCAL FAT REMOVAL SURGERY ALBUQUERQUE NM

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