Buccal Fat Removal Surgery for Cheek Reduction

Do you not like your chubby cheeks and want smaller cheeks that are defined and contoured? If so, you can consider getting buccal fat removal surgery in Bangladesh. Book an appointment with our expert plastic surgeons and plan the treatment today.

Do you not like your chubby cheeks and want smaller cheeks that are defined and contoured? If so, you can consider getting buccal ... Read More

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What is Buccal Fat Removal?

Also known as cheek reduction, buccal fat removal is a cosmetic plastic surgery performed to remove the buccal fat pad from the cheeks. These fat pads are encapsulated in the cheeks and make them appear puffed. The surgery removes these fat pads from both sides of the cheeks and reduces puffiness, which improves the jawline contours.

Everyone is born with a buccal fat pad. Typically, this fat pad is grape-sized and doesn’t have a prominent effect on the cheeks. However, in some people, the fat pad can be large and make the cheeks look puffy, even in adulthood. With age, many people start to dislike the chubbiness in the cheeks and wish to get rid of it. If you are among those who want to get rid of the round cheeks, get in touch with Pristyn Care and undergo buccal fat removal surgery in Bangladesh under the care of expert plastic and cosmetic surgeons.

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Various Options for Cheek Reduction

There are several methods available for cheek reduction – surgical and non-surgical, which can be quite effective in improving the cheek’s appearance by reducing chubbiness. The methods that can help to make the face slimmer and provide more defined cheekbones and jawline include the following:

Facial Fillers or Dermal Fillers: In many cases, the chubbiness in the cheeks isn’t caused due to the large size of the buccal fat pad, but lack of symmetry in other areas. For instance, many patients are advised to use dermal fillers, which involves injecting the filler in areas that emphasize the cheekbones and make the jawline more contoured. The fillers can also be used to imitate the bone structure that makes the face appear slimmer and defined. Thus, the face looks more balanced.
Thread Lift: In this method of cheek reduction, the PDO threads are used to lift the skin that is sagging and make the cheeks look fuller. These threads are precisely maneuvered to enhance the definition of the cheeks, and they also help to improve the skin texture, which makes the face look better.
Radiofrequency Treatment or FaceTite: It is a recently developed technique that involves using radiofrequency waves to tighten the facial skin. The radiofrequency heat energy is delivered directly below the skin’s surface to boost collagen production and melt away fat tissues, if any. It gives a slimmer appearance without going under the knife.
Buccal Fat Removal Surgery: This is the standard procedure that effectively extracts the buccal fat pad from the face and makes the cheeks appear thinner. It involves making tiny incisions inside the mouth to remove the fat pad that is responsible for the chubbiness.

The patient should understand each of these methods has several pros and cons, and they are chosen based on the patient’s requirements and personal preferences. The most suitable method for cheek reduction is indeed buccal fat removal, as it removes the fat pad and provides long-lasting results, which often don’t require touch-ups

Benefit	Others	Pristyn Care
Cuts	Multiple	Minimal
Blood Loss	Maximum	Minimal
Scars & Stitches	Yes	Minimal
Recovery	Low	High
Follow Up Consultation	No	Yes
Technology	Traditional	Advanced
Hospital Duration	Long	Short
No Cost EMI	No	Yes

How to Prepare for Buccal Fat Removal Surgery?

Though buccal fat removal surgery is not a major procedure, the patient still needs to take some measures to prepare for the procedure. The preparation steps include the following:

Stop smoking, vaping, or using any nicotine or tobacco-based products at least 2 weeks before the surgery.
Avoid drinking alcohol and caffeine 2 weeks before the surgery, and drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration.
Also, stop taking herbal medicines or supplements as they often have blood-thinning properties, which can increase the risk of excessive bleeding during the surgery.
Discontinue taking aspirin, ibuprofen, Advil, and other blood-thinning medications.
Start taking vitamin C daily and antibiotic medicine prescribed by the doctor.

These measures will help to improve the healing abilities and also ensure that the patient is in optimal health to undergo surgery. For the night before and the day of surgery, further instructions will be provided by the doctor that will include the following:

Refrain from eating or drinking anything 6-8 hours before the procedure, and keep the stomach empty.
Only take the prescribed medicines and avoid taking any other over-the-counter medicines on the day of surgery. And even then, take the medicine with a small sip of water.
Shave the face on the day of surgery and take a bath using antibacterial soap. In some cases, the doctor may recommend not to shave, and a nurse will shave the area to be treated at the treatment facility.
Avoid wearing accessories (nose rings), contact lenses, face cream, makeup, eyeliner, or any other skincare or cosmetic product.
Ask a friend or family member to accompany you to the hospital and arrange transportation to get back home. It’s okay to drive yourself to the treatment center, but you won’t be able to do the same after the surgery.

Surgeons often advise patients to prepare the recovery area beforehand so that they can be comfortable and relax at home without worrying about anything else other than their health. If there is any other thing that the patient needs to take care of, the surgeon’s team will instruct him/her accordingly.

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Buccal Fat Removal Surgery Procedure

On the day of surgery, once the patient is admitted to the hospital, some routine tests are performed, and an IV line is inserted into the patient’s arm. Before proceeding, the patient is again informed about the risks and complications and asked to sign the consent form.

The steps of buccal fat removal surgery might vary slightly for each patient, but here is a general overview of the procedure:

The patient is positioned over the operating table, and anesthesia is administered to numb the facial region. Local anesthesia with sedation or general anesthesia can be used for the surgery. The choice of anesthesia will depend on the patient’s preference and tolerance.
Once the patient’s face is numb, small incisions are made inside the mouth right above the buccal fat pad or around it to make it easily accessible.
Through the incisions, the surgeon locates the buccal fat pad and makes sure that the malar fat pad is not touched.
The fat pad is removed through careful manipulation, and the surgeon ensures that an equal amount of tissues is removed from both sides to maintain symmetry.
After removal, dissolvable stitches are used to close the incisions. No bandages or dressings are placed over the incisions.

After the surgery, the patient is transferred to a recovery area, and his/her vitals are continuously monitored until the effects of anesthesia wear off. The face will appear thinner and more contoured immediately after the surgery. As the buccal fat pad is removed through an incision inside the mouth, there will be no visible scarring.

What to Expect After Cheek Reduction?

Immediately after the cheek reduction surgery, the patient can expect to feel slightly disoriented and confused due to the lingering effects of anesthesia. In some patients, anesthesia also causes nausea and vomiting for a few hours or a few days.

There won’t be significant swelling on the day of surgery, but the cheek area will appear slightly bruised, and the eyes may also be swollen. The effects of cheek reduction won’t be clearly visible immediately after the surgery. The patient will have to wait for a few weeks to see the final results and adhere to the care guidelines to get the desired results.

As buccal fat removal is performed on an outpatient basis, the patient is discharged from the hospital on the same day after a few hours. Before discharge, the patient receives detailed post-op care instructions regarding pain management, oral care, medication intake, and follow-up schedules.

Potential Risks and Complications of Buccal Fat Removal

Similar to any other surgical procedure, there are certain risks and potential complications of buccal fat removal. Some of them are mentioned below:

Infection: This complication arises when bacteria enter the body through the incision site. It needs to be managed through antibiotic medicines and following post-op oral hygiene.
Excessive Bleeding: If the patient fails to comply with the pre-op instructions of avoiding blood thinners, there will be a higher risk of excessive bleeding during or after the surgery. The same can happen if the patient has certain blood disorders that affect the clotting abilities. In case of excessive bleeding, coagulation factors are given to the patient to stop the bleeding.
Nerve Damage: During the procedure, some nerves in the facial region may get damaged, which can lead to numbness, tingling sensations, or weakness in the facial muscles. In most cases, the damage is reversed as the nerves heal and regenerate. However, in some cases, the sensations and weakness may persist and require further treatment.
Asymmetrical Results: The surgeon usually ensures that the fat pad is equally removed from each side of the cheek. But, sometimes, the results may turn out to be uneven or asymmetrical. This can happen due to surgical technique, variations in facial anatomy, or the surgeon’s skills. Therefore, patients are always advised to choose a reliable and experienced surgeon.
Over-resection or Under-resection: In certain cases, the surgeon may remove either too much or too little of the buccal fat pad, which can have a significant impact on the overall facial appearance of the patient. This can again be avoided by choosing a skilled surgeon.
Delayed Healing: If the patient starts smoking again, fails to eat a healthy and balanced diet, doesn’t drink enough water, or engages in strenuous activities that strain the facial region, the healing process will get disrupted. In severe cases, it can open the incision site (wound dehiscence), due to which the surgeon may need to re-stitch them or use an alternative method to close the incisions.
Reaction to Anesthesia: There is an inherent risk of anesthesia administration, which can lead to minor side effects, such as nausea, vomiting, itchiness, sore throat, muscle aches, confusion, etc., or severe side effects, such as respiratory distress, heartbeat irregularities(arrhythmia), etc.

These complications can arise due to several factors, and it’s the surgeon’s responsibility to inform the patient regarding each possible scenario. Generally, the surgeon takes all preventative measures to mitigate them, but they can still arise if the patient fails to adhere to the post-op care instructions. Therefore, patients are strictly advised to listen to the doctor for a smooth recovery and successful outcome.

Recovery After Cheek Reduction

The entire recovery after buccal fat removal takes place at home. The recovery duration varies for each patient depending on their healing abilities. In general, the recovery after cheek reduction can take around 3-4 weeks, and throughout this period, the patient needs to diligently follow the post-op care instructions to get optimal results. Some general care guidelines include the following:

Initially, the patient will feel nauseated due to the effects of anesthesia. Thus, in the first few days, it’ll be better to stick to a liquid diet consisting of water, electrolyte drinks, coconut water, soup, etc.
For 7 to 10 days, the patient will have to eat a soft and bland diet, such as mashed potatoes, smoothies, soft scrambled eggs, yogurt, etc., and avoid eating sharp, crunchy, and fine granular foods, such as chips, baked seeds, popcorn, nuts, etc., that can rub against the inner skin and tear up the stitches.
Slowly advance from liquid to soft and then to solid foods. For the first week, the patient will be advised to avoid foods that require chewing.
The swelling in the face will appear the next day after surgery and is likely to take 3-4 weeks to resolve completely. The swelling will start to subside after the first week. But if it persists, consult the doctor immediately.
To reduce the swelling, the doctor will recommend using ice packs covered by a thin cloth. It’ll be best to apply these ice packs for 15 minutes and then take a break for 20 to 30 minutes. If the patient regularly uses cold compresses in the first 48 hours of the procedure, the swelling will be less prominent.
The doctor will prescribe a medicated mouthwash that will help to keep the mouth clean and reduce bacterial growth around the incision site. The patient needs to use the mouthwash after every meal for the first 5 days after surgery. Use the mouthwash as prescribed, and don’t engulf the liquid; instead, spit it out.
After 5-6 days, the patient can switch to a regular mouthwash or use salt water to cleanse the oral cavity. This needs to be continued for at least 10 days after surgery.
Be careful while brushing your teeth, and rub the brush gently to avoid rubbing against the incision site. Also, limit jaw movements and stretching during the first week.
Keep the head elevated for the first week to prevent fluid-up buildup and swelling.
Avoid rubbing the nose, cheek, and chin, and don’t put any pressure, even while sleeping. Don’t blow your nose, and avoid sneezing. Even if you do sneeze, do it with your mouth open to prevent pressure build-up.
Take the prescribed pain medications as directed to manage the pain, and if you have any allergic reaction or sensitivity to a specific medication, notify the doctor beforehand. Also, avoid taking over-the-counter medications without consulting and approval from the doctor.
After the surgery, the patient needs to avoid all strenuous activities and excessive facial movements. Light physical movements are fine and encouraged to improve blood circulation. From the next day after surgery, start moving around the house and take short and frequent walks. The physical activity also helps to reduce the risk of blood clots.
With every passing week, increase the physical activities by 15% each day. This will allow the patient to get back to normal activities within 2 weeks.
Don’t smoke for at least 6 weeks after the surgery. Smoking impairs healing and increases the chances of abnormal scarring in the mouth.
Also, avoid drinking alcohol for at least 2 weeks after the procedure, especially while taking pain medications, as it can cause a reaction.
Skip the dental appointments and don’t get any kind of dental treatment, including cleaning, scaling, etc., as they involve stretching the mouth using a gag.
Avoid direct sunlight exposure for at least 3 months. Sunlight can cause hyperpigmentation and darkening of the skin in the treated area.

Throughout the recovery period, if the patient notices signs like severe pain, pus/blood drainage from the incisions, warmth, high fever, persistent swelling, etc., he/she should report them to the surgeon right away and seek timely treatment. The patient is required to take all the follow-ups as scheduled to monitor the healing process and identify early signs of complications.

Buccal Fat Removal Cost in Bangladesh

The buccal fat removal price starts from ৳ 30,000 and goes up to ৳ 50,000. The cost of the procedure varies for each patient due to the following factors: