If your cheeks are full to the point of making your face look chubby, you may want to consider buccal fat removal. Triple board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Carey Nease, provides buccal fat removal for men and women living in Ft. Payne, Scottsboro, Huntsville, and the surrounding areas of north Alabama.
What is Buccal Fat Removal?
Buccal fat removal (sometimes called buccal lipectomy) refers to thinning out the cheeks by removing the buccal fat pad from the cheek hollows. The fat pad occurs naturally and varies in size from one individual to another. The buccal fat pad can even be a different size in each cheek on the same person.
How Much Does Buccal Fat Removal Cost?
The average cost of buccal fat removal at Nease Cosmetic Surgery is $3,000. Most cosmetic surgery is not covered by insurance providers. In an effort to keep procedures as affordable for our patients as possible, we offer complimentary consultations as well as a variety of payment methods, including cash, major credit cards, and financing through CareCredit®.
What Are the Benefits of Buccal Fat Removal?
For patients who feel they’ve been living their whole life with “chipmunk cheeks,” the benefits of buccal fat removal are great, and those patients find the benefits and results extremely rewarding. Some of the benefits include:
- Quick procedure with no visible scars
- Less of a “baby-face” look; more narrow and better defined facial appearance
- Very little downtime needed
- Overall improvement in facial proportion balance
- Increased feeling of self-confidence
Am I a Good Candidate for Buccal Fat Removal?
If you’re a healthy adult and are bothered by your “chubby cheeks,” you may be a good candidate for buccal fat removal. Your doctor will help make sure your expectations are realistic for your situation.
It’s important that nothing in your current or past medical history will interfere with your ability to heal following the surgery.
Buccal fat removal is seldom performed on patients who have a thin or narrow face, since removing the fat pad may cause them to look gaunt as they age.
What is Buccal Fat Removal Recovery Like?
The procedure itself is fairly short, typically taking about 30 minutes. Recovery time after buccal fat removal is relatively short for most patients. You can expect some swelling following the surgery, which will usually disappear within two or three weeks.
The tissue inside the mouth, where the incisions are made, may take up to 10 days to recover. Your doctor may advise you to stay on a diet of soft or semi-liquid food for the first few days following your buccal fat removal surgery.
You may also be given a special mouth rinse to help prevent any infection risk. After the surgery, your surgeon will provide you with post-op instructions to follow, based on your specific case. Following these directions will give you the best chance for a speedy recovery with optimal results.
Contact Us About Buccal Fat Removal Today
If you have questions about buccal removal and whether it’s right for you, contact our office to set up a consultation. Nease Cosmetic Surgery is pleased to offer removal of cheek fat and other facial rejuvenation surgeries to residents in Chattanooga, Nashville, Scottsboro and surrounding communities.
