25 BEST BUCCAL FAT REMOVAL FAQS

25 BEST BUCCAL FAT REMOVAL FAQS

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by Sandia Skin + Face
Albuquerque, NM

25 BEST BUCCAL FAT REMOVAL FAQS

INTRODUCTION

This article will answer the 25 BEST BUCCAL FAT REMOVAL FAQS you will want answers to before deciding on the pros and cons of Buccal Fat Removal surgery and why your trusted provider should be Sandia Skin + Face.

Knowledge brings confidence to our decision-making, especially regarding outward-facing topics such as our appearance. We want you to be confident when using any Sandia Skin + Face Service or Product. Please keep reading to build your knowledge base and make an informed decision on your next steps.

The Buccal Fat Pad is the rounded lump of fat in the middle of your cheek. It’s centered between facial muscles, in the hollow area beneath your cheekbone.

The Buccal Fat Pad is also called Bichat’s Fat Pad, after Xavier Bichat. They also referred to the Buccal Fat Pad as the Buccal Pad of Fat which is one of several encapsulated fat masses in the cheek.

At Sandia Skin + Face, we speak with you to understand your goals and work with you to tailor a personal treatment plan to meet them. Please ask us all your questions. Education about our treatments is a key service we provide to our clients.

The Buccal Fat Pad is a deep fat pad that is on either side of the face between the Buccinator muscle and several more superficial muscles (including the Masseter muscle, the Zygomaticus Major muscle, and the Zygomaticus Minor muscle).

Don’t confuse the Buccal Fat Pad with the Malar Fat Pad, which is directly below the skin of the cheek.

Also, don’t confuse the Buccal Fat Pad with the Jowl Fat Pad.

The Buccal Fat Pad is in the formation of hollow cheeks and the Nasolabial Fold, but not in the formation of jowls.

BUCCAL FAT PAD DIAGRAM
BUCCAL FAT PAD DIAGRAM

At Sandia Skin + Face, we speak with you to understand your goals and work with you to tailor a personal treatment plan to meet them. Please ask us all your questions. Education about our treatments is a key service we provide to our clients.

Buccal Fat is a natural formation of fat in the facial area of the human body.

The first factor in the formation of extra Buccal fat is your weight. Larger fat stores in the face have greater volume for those who have higher body mass.

The second factor is your personal genetics. Your genetic makeup is the explanation that fits most people with buccal fat pads that stubbornly remain regardless of weight, diet, and exercise.

At Sandia Skin + Face, we speak with you to understand your goals and work with you to tailor a personal treatment plan to meet them. Please ask us all your questions. Education about our treatments is a key service we provide to our clients.

If your face feels too round or full, then you may have larger buccal fat pads. Some people with larger buccal fat pads describe themselves as having a “baby face.”

There’s nothing medically wrong with having fatter cheeks. However, if you’d like your cheeks smaller, a plastic surgeon might recommend buccal fat removal.

At Sandia Skin + Face, we speak with you to understand your goals and work with you to tailor a personal treatment plan to meet them. Please ask us all your questions. Education about our treatments is a key service we provide to our clients.

Yes!

The results of Buccal Fat Pad removal surgery are permanent. Buccal Fat does not grow back. However, the final result can take several months to appear because the process of wound healing can take from several months to a year. During this healing time, the area that formerly held the Buccal Fat Pad will slowly shrink.

At Sandia Skin + Face, we speak with you to understand your goals and work with you to tailor a personal treatment plan to meet them. Please ask us all your questions. Education about our treatments is a key service we provide to our clients.

Yes.

There are three potential non-invasive or minimally non-invasive procedures that are used to remove Buccal Fat.

1. Sculpted Liposuction: Also known as Laser Liposuction, sculpted liposuction is very similar to cryolipolysis as it also breaks down the buccal fat cells, which are then sent to the liver and processed out of the body. Sculpted Liposuction uses the heat from lasers to break apart buccal fat cells instead of the extreme cold used by Cryolipolysis. The Sculpted Liposuction procedure only targets the fat cells, so there will be no scars or damage to the skin. Laser liposuction doesn’t use syringes or tubes to suck out the buccal fat. Instead, doctors make a tiny incision that makes it easier for the laser to reach the buccal fat deposits. Laser Liposuction is FDA-approved.

2. Cryolipolysis: Also known as CoolSculpting, Cryolipolysis is one of the best options. In this procedure, extreme cold is used to destroy buccal fat cells. Cryolipolysis removes up to 25 percent of fat from the treatment site with the first procedure. One can increase the total amount removed by having follow-up sessions. The Cryolipolysis process has been FDA-approved since 2012 and is the only fat-freezing technology that holds FDA approval.

3. Deoxycholic Acid: Deoxycholic acid (ATX-10) is a naturally occurring bile acid that exists in our bodies to break down fat. In a Deoxycholic acid procedure, the doctor injects Kybella, one of the most commonly available forms of bile acid, using a grid-like pattern, into the buccal fat tissue. The buccal fat breaks down and will naturally pass out of your body. The Deoxycholic acid treatment will require three to six sessions. Each Deoxycholic acid session is four to six weeks apart. The Deoxycholic acid procedure is also FDA-approved.

At Sandia Skin + Face, we speak with you to understand your goals and work with you to tailor a personal treatment plan to meet them. Please ask us all your questions. Education about our treatments is a key service we provide to our clients.

Buccal Fat Pad Removal is a soft tissue procedure, so discomfort is mild. Although pain is rare, doctors can give pain medications to take home in case needed.

At Sandia Skin + Face, we speak with you to understand your goals and work with you to tailor a personal treatment plan to meet them. Please ask us all your questions. Education about our treatments is a key service we provide to our clients.

Those baby-face cheeks that give us a chubbier-looking face from too much buccal fat can also naturally reduce as we age. Removing buccal fat at too early of an age may cause a premature aging look in later years.

We might also age as a result of involution (aka shrinking of bones) as we age. This can cause your skin to sink into your bone structure. When this happens, what you once considered too much buccal fat might slow your aging look later in life.

Your consultation with us will answer those questions so you can make the best decision for you.

At Sandia Skin + Face, we speak with you to understand your goals and work with you to tailor a personal treatment plan to meet them. Please ask us all your questions. Education about our treatments is a key service we provide to our clients.

Perhaps. It depends on your meaning of “dissolve”.

Deoxycholic Acid (ATX-10) is a naturally occurring bile acid that exists in our bodies to break down fat. In a Deoxycholic acid procedure, the doctor injects Kybella, one of the most commonly available forms of bile acid, using a grid-like pattern, into the buccal fat tissue. The buccal fat breaks down and will naturally pass out of your body. The Deoxycholic acid treatment will require three to six sessions. Each Deoxycholic acid session is four to six weeks apart. The Deoxycholic acid procedure is also FDA-approved.

At Sandia Skin + Face, we speak with you to understand your goals and work with you to tailor a personal treatment plan to meet them. Please ask us all your questions. Education about our treatments is a key service we provide to our clients.

Buccal Fat Removal Surgery permanently removes the excess fullness in your cheeks. Once you’ve had Buccal Fat Removal Surgery, buccal fat does not come back.

Buccal Fat Pad Removal results will last a lifetime, as long as you maintain a healthy weight by eating right and following an exercise regimen. Gaining excessive weight (20+ pounds) might cause your cheeks to be fuller than normal.

At Sandia Skin + Face, we speak with you to understand your goals and work with you to tailor a personal treatment plan to meet them. Please ask us all your questions. Education about our treatments is a key service we provide to our clients.

Buccal Fat Removal Surgery is relatively quick and low-risk in the hands of an experienced board-certified plastic surgeon or facial plastic surgeon such as Dr. Eric Tuggle.

The Buccal Fat Removal procedure takes about one hour, excluding the surgical prep time. Post-surgery, the patient should expect some facial swelling and some mild discomfort.

The swelling will dissipate on its own within two to three weeks. After the swelling abates, your cheeks will look thinner and more contoured.

At Sandia Skin + Face, we speak with you to understand your goals and work with you to tailor a personal treatment plan to meet them. Please ask us all your questions. Education about our treatments is a key service we provide to our clients.

When you’re too young or overweight. Your age is the biggest and most contentious of disqualifying factors. Certain doctors will hesitate to remove buccal fat on patients in their 20s, or even early 30s, who haven’t naturally leaned out yet.

Likewise, if you are overweight, lose excess weight before considering buccal fat removal surgery. Your appearance after your weight loss may be dramatically different.

At Sandia Skin + Face, we speak with you to understand your goals and work with you to tailor a personal treatment plan to meet them. Please ask us all your questions. Education about our treatments is a key service we provide to our clients.

No.

Buccal Fat Pad Removal Surgery eliminates excess fat pads from the cheeks via a surgical procedure.

A Facial Cheek Liposuction procedure requires a Cannula and vacuum device to address chubby cheeks.

We sometimes do Buccal Fat Removal Surgery in combination with liposuction of the chin/neck area and fat graphing to give patients a more sculpted appearance.

At Sandia Skin + Face, we speak with you to understand your goals and work with you to tailor a personal treatment plan to meet them. Please ask us all your questions. Education about our treatments is a key service we provide to our clients.

Buccal Fat Pad Removal Surgery is a trending procedure that has gained increasing popularity nationwide. Your Buccal Fat Pad is a normal part of your body. A Buccal Fat Pad is 8 to 10 cc in volume. Typically, removal of only 2 to 4 cc is good practice.

During your consultation, I’ll be honest with you about whether I believe you are a suitable candidate for a Buccal Fat Removal procedure.

At Sandia Skin + Face, we speak with you to understand your goals and work with you to tailor a personal treatment plan to meet them. Please ask us all your questions. Education about our treatments is a key service we provide to our clients.

Yes!

Everyone has Buccal Fat Pads on their face. You can easily feel them by touching the buccal fat pad area with your fingers.

However, the size of each person’s buccal fat pads can differ. If you have larger buccal fat pads, you might feel like your face looks too round or too full. You may have friends and family who say you have a “baby face.”

At Sandia Skin + Face, we speak with you to understand your goals and work with you to tailor a personal treatment plan to meet them. Please ask us all your questions. Education about our treatments is a key service we provide to our clients.

Yes, your buccal fat pads will shrink slightly with significant weight loss.

As you lose a significant amount of weight, you may notice some diminution of your buccal fat pads. However, your buccal fat pads will still appear larger in proportion to the rest of your face.

At Sandia Skin + Face, we speak with you to understand your goals and work with you to tailor a personal treatment plan to meet them. Please ask us all your questions. Education about our treatments is a key service we provide to our clients.

First, cheek fat is not the same as your buccal fat pad. The simple fact is that you cannot reduce fat in one spot on your body with exercise. Chewing gum can give your facial muscles an overall good workout, but isn’t effective in reducing facial fat.

At Sandia Skin + Face, we speak with you to understand your goals and work with you to tailor a personal treatment plan to meet them. Please ask us all your questions. Education about our treatments is a key service we provide to our clients.

Buccal Fat Removal can slim the face, leading to a more defined profile or jawline.

Cheek liposuction is like liposuction to other parts of your body. They sometimes perform Buccal Fat Removal along with other cosmetic procedures, such as a facelift.

At Sandia Skin + Face, we speak with you to understand your goals and work with you to tailor a personal treatment plan to meet them. Please ask us all your questions. Education about our treatments is a key service we provide to our clients.

Surgeons can perform Buccal Fat Removal Surgery on someone as young as 18 years of age. However, it is important to note that your face thins naturally with age. This facial thinning usually begins in the late 20s and early 30s.

If you have Buccal Fat Removal Surgery before this age, the procedure will not prevent Buccal Fat loss with aging. Surgery at too early an age could cause a sunken cheek, an aged look later in life.

At Sandia Skin + Face, we speak with you to understand your goals and work with you to tailor a personal treatment plan to meet them. Please ask us all your questions. Education about our treatments is a key service we provide to our clients.

There are many benefits to Buccal Fat Pad Removal Surgery, but there are also risks and side effects that may be involved with this surgical procedure. Risks and complications may include:

  • Bleeding
  • Infection
  • Damage to surrounding tissues
  • Slow recovery period
  • Unbalanced appearance, especially during the time of swelling, as one cheek may de-swell faster than the other
  • Hematoma

At Sandia Skin + Face, we speak with you to understand your goals and work with you to tailor a personal treatment plan to meet them. Please ask us all your questions. Education about our treatments is a key service we provide to our clients.

  • Step 1—Anesthesia

Surgeons may administer medications for your comfort during the surgical procedure. The choices include intravenous sedation and general anesthesia. Your doctor will recommend the best choice for you.

  • Step 2—The Incision

Buccal Fat Removal Surgery requires an incision on the inside of the mouth, on the inner portion of your cheek.

  • Step 3—Closing of the Incisions

Sutures close the incisions inside your mouth. These sutures are typically absorbable, but each plastic surgeon performs the surgery differently. Avoid using your tongue and playing with the sutures until cleared by your surgeon. No sharp food like chips for the first few days post surgery. I may prescribe medications to be taken orally, like antibiotics, that will aid the healing process.

  • Step 4—Enjoy the Results!

Your Buccal Fat Removal Surgery will cause a slimmer, more contoured cheek, specifically in the cheek hollow area. Your doctor will set up follow-up appointments.

At Sandia Skin + Face, we speak with you to understand your goals and work with you to tailor a personal treatment plan to meet them. Please ask us all your questions. Education about our treatments is a key service we provide to our clients.

Each surgeon may have a somewhat unique process. To prepare for Buccal Fat Removal Surgery, we may ask you to:

  • Get lab testing or a medical evaluation.
  • Stop smoking.
  • Avoid taking aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs, and herbal supplements, as they can increase bleeding.
  • Take specific medications or adjust your current medications.

Oral Surgeons sometimes perform buccal Fat Removal Surgery in a hospital, in a licensed ambulatory surgery setting, or in an in-office procedure room.

If a surgeon performs your buccal fat removal with general anesthesia or intravenous sedation, be sure to arrange for someone to drive you to and from surgery and to stay with you for at least the first night following surgery.

At Sandia Skin + Face, we speak with you to understand your goals and work with you to tailor a personal treatment plan to meet them. Please ask us all your questions. Education about our treatments is a key service we provide to our clients.

  • Avoid sharp or crunchy foods until at least 2 weeks after the procedure.
  • You should perform no strenuous activity or exercise for the first two weeks.
  • We encourage light mobility, and this is vital to your recovery.
  • Take short, frequent walks around your house to decrease the chances of any complications, avoid developing a leg blood clot, and maintain good circulation.

At Sandia Skin + Face, we speak with you to understand your goals and work with you to tailor a personal treatment plan to meet them. Please ask us all your questions. Education about our treatments is a key service we provide to our clients.

Eat a bland diet (applesauce and broth for starters) for the first 7 to 10 days post-surgery. Post-surgery, you will have some discomfort because of the surgery. This discomfort is controllable with pain medications (Tylenol or prescription pain medications only).

After 10 days, you have normally healed sufficiently to resume most of your normal diet. However, we advise you to avoid sharp or crunchy foods until at least 2 weeks after the procedure.

At Sandia Skin + Face, we speak with you to understand your goals and work with you to tailor a personal treatment plan to meet them. Please ask us all your questions. Education about our treatments is a key service we provide to our clients.

After Buccal Fat Removal Surgery, you will need to sleep on your back with your head elevated for at least the first three nights after surgery. If you can still see facial swelling after the third night, continue sleeping on your back until most of the facial swelling is gone.

If you are a habitual stomach or side sleeper, get a neck pillow and surround yourself with pillows or blankets to prevent yourself from rolling onto your side or stomach when you sleep. Sleeping with your head raised has benefits that aid significantly in your recovery process.

At Sandia Skin + Face, we speak with you to understand your goals and work with you to tailor a personal treatment plan to meet them. Please ask us all your questions. Education about our treatments is a key service we provide to our clients.

Buccal Fat Removal Surgery is Cosmetic Surgery and for most policyholders is not covered by insurance. Most insurance companies do not cover any type of surgery performed for cosmetic reasons, as these surgeries are Elective Surgery and not medically necessary surgery.

At Sandia Skin + Face, we speak with you to understand your goals and work with you to tailor a personal treatment plan to meet your goals. Please ask us all your questions. Education on our treatments is a key service we provide to our clients.

BUCCAL FAT REMOVAL SURGERY BEFORE AND AFTER IMAGES.

BUCCAL FAT REMOVAL SURGERY
BUCCAL FAT REMOVAL SURGERY
BUCCAL FAT REMOVAL SURGERY
BUCCAL FAT REMOVAL SURGERY
BUCCAL FAT REMOVAL SURGERY
BUCCAL FAT REMOVAL SURGERY
BUCCAL FAT REMOVAL SURGERY
BUCCAL FAT REMOVAL SURGERY
BUCCAL FAT REMOVAL SURGERY
BUCCAL FAT REMOVAL SURGERY
BUCCAL FAT REMOVAL SURGERY
BUCCAL FAT REMOVAL SURGERY

CONSULTATIONS ALWAYS COME FIRST AT SANDIA SKIN + FACE

Before any procedure at Sandia Skin + Face, our Master Injector and Nurse Practitioner, Tonya C. Tuggle, provides a full consultation where you can express all your aesthetic concerns, and she can learn about your expectations. Tonya will then discuss potential treatment options for you, including non-invasive alternatives.

If Buccal Fat Removal is your goal, surgeon Dr. Eric Tuggle of Sandia Oral Surgery will meet with you, and together, will determine your plan.

The Final Decision is 100% Yours!

If you have questions, you can call our Sandia Skin + Face office at +1.505.291.9600 or DM us on any of our social media accounts (@sandiaskinface). You can also fill out our easy online booking tool to schedule a consultation! Let us know if you found your questions answered in this article.

If you have Oral Surgery questions, you can call our Sandia Oral Surgery office at +1.505.291.9600. Dr. Eric Tuggle manages a wide variety of problems relating to the mouth, teeth, and facial regions.

CONCLUSION: 25 BEST BUCCAL FAT REMOVAL FAQS

You should now be on a firm footing with our 25 BUCCAL FAT REMOVAL FAQS articles and ready to make your appointment!

If we’ve missed questions in our 25 BUCCAL FAT REMOVAL FAQS article that you need answers to make your appointment decision, you can tap this link to call us (+1.505.291.9600), or you can ask us a question on our Google Business Profile listing via this link: https://bit.ly/34EFbVP.

At Sandia Skin + Face in Albuquerque, NM, we look forward to being your Trusted Medical Spa Services provider. Let us know how we can earn your trust!

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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.

Tonya C. Tuggle
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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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