Is Buccal Fat Removal Right for You? Signs You're a Good Candidate

Facial balance is a key factor of how we look, and it is quite common for people to have very full cheeks that stay that way, even when maintaining a healthy lifestyle and weight. If you have been thinking of giving your face a more angular look, you might want to investigate buccal fat removal. This procedure is a surgery that can address fullness in the lower cheek. It can reduce the volume, giving you a more contoured and slender face.

Buccal fat removal is not appropriate for everyone, so it is important to consider if you might be a good candidate in order to get natural results. When searching for Buccal Fat Removal Cape Town, reviewing the characteristics of a good candidate is the very first step in determining if this procedure is the right one for you.

What is Buccal Fat Removal?

Buccal fat removal is a minimally invasive procedure that involves removing a portion of the buccal fat pads, which are a natural part of your lower face. They are located on the inside of your cheeks and vary in size among individuals.

This procedure requires a small incision to be made on the inside of your mouth, so there is no visible external scar left by the surgery. Once the appropriate amount of fat has been removed from your cheeks, the sutures will be removed as they are naturally dissolvable. 

Why Do People Get Buccal Fat Removal?

Many patients choose to have buccal fat removal because they feel that their face appears a bit too round and full. It is common for this problem to persist even with strict diet and exercise regimes. Although other fat on your body can be reduced with healthy habits, it is often not possible to reduce fat in your lower cheeks in this way.

Common reasons that people undergo buccal fat removal are:

• To give the face a slimmer appearance

• To enhance the contour of the face

• To make cheek bones more prominent

• To improve facial proportions

• To gain more confidence in one's appearance

The aim is to enhance your features rather than changing your appearance dramatically.

Who Is a Good Candidate?

Just because someone has full cheeks does not mean that they are suited for buccal fat removal. There are a variety of factors that will be assessed when considering the surgery and they will also be assessed during your consultation with your surgeon.

• You Have Naturally Full Cheeks: If you consistently have full cheeks, even at a stable and healthy weight, then you will likely benefit from buccal fat removal. Even if you have lost a significant amount of weight, if your cheeks remain full it is due to genetics rather than fat storage and the surgery will enhance your facial definition.
  

• You Are in Good Health: This is one of the main requirements when undergoing any surgical procedure. If you are suffering from an underlying health condition that may make you a risk or interfere with your body’s recovery from the surgery, then you may not be an ideal candidate.
  

• You Maintain a Stable Weight: It is highly unlikely that any future weight gain or loss will change the final result of your surgery significantly. If you have a stable weight at the time you undertake the surgery, it will prevent any change in the overall shape of your face that could be caused by further weight change.
  

• You Have Realistic Expectations: It is important to be aware of the expected results and what buccal fat removal will do for you, as well as what it won't do. The surgery should give you a more contoured appearance that highlights your natural facial shape, not change you into an entirely different person, and it does not stop the process of ageing.
  

• You Don't Smoke: This procedure, like all others, is dependent on the healing capabilities of the body. It is well known that smoking impairs this, and so if you wish to achieve the best results without the complications that are associated with surgery in smokers, you will want to refrain from smoking beforehand and afterward.

  
  

Who May Not Be an Ideal Candidate?

While buccal fat removal has helped many achieve their desired results, it is important to know who will not make a good candidate so you don't waste your time pursuing an option that is not right for you.

• You may not be suitable if you have naturally thin or narrow cheeks.

• If you are looking to combat a loss of facial volume due to ageing, this is not the correct procedure.

• If you have cosmetic expectations that you are unlikely to achieve from surgery.

• If you have certain medical conditions that make the risks associated with surgery too great.

• If you plan to undertake significant weight loss within the next few months.

It is crucial that your surgeon accurately assesses the structure of your face before they advise that you are a candidate.

What to Expect During Recovery

Recovery following buccal fat removal is a very simple process. You may feel mild discomfort, and some swelling is common in the first few days of recovery, however both should subside naturally.

You will be able to resume your daily life within a few days, although vigorous activity should be avoided for the first few weeks and until it is deemed safe by your surgeon.

The new shape of your face will slowly become apparent as the swelling begins to subside. Although some changes can be seen immediately after the swelling subsides, the full results of the surgery typically take a few months to become completely apparent.

What Results Can I Expect?

The outcome should not be too dramatic; buccal fat removal should provide a natural-looking result. You will notice after the swelling subsides that you:

• Have more defined cheek bones

• Have better jaw line balance

• Have a more slender lower face

• Have improved facial proportions

• Have enhanced contour definition for years to come

Since the fat cells that have been removed will not return, it is a procedure that will have a permanent effect, provided you don't have drastic weight fluctuations.

Is Buccal Fat Removal the Right Choice for You?

Whether or not to go ahead with surgery is a highly personal decision that should be guided by your own unique facial structure, aspirations and preferences. Buccal fat removal may be a suitable solution for you if you find that your cheeks continue to look too full despite a healthy lifestyle, and if you are searching for a more defined face. Meeting with your surgeon for a consultation will allow them to assess if the procedure can provide the results you are hoping for while maintaining the health risks at an absolute minimum.

Here at YourLipo patients can receive their very own professional consultation, to establish if Buccal Fat Removal is the best procedure to gain the symmetrical, naturally defined face that you desire. You will also receive clear and concise advice from a highly experienced surgical team to ensure that you are able to make a confident and informed decision regarding the surgery.