Facial Harmonization · Surgical
Buccal Fat Removal: slimming the cheeks only if fat is the cause
“I lost weight and my face still looks round.” We hear this often, and we understand. Sometimes that volume is in the buccal fat pads (Bichat's fat pads), pockets of fat that belong to the cheeks; other times it comes from muscle or bone, and in that case this surgery does not help. Dr. Thuel and Dr. Juan Ramón Poveda, Physician and Surgeon, Specialist in Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, will tell you together which applies to you. They aim for a more defined contour that keeps your face in harmony, today and over the years.
Medical consultation · US$100, VAT included. This amount is applied in full toward your treatment or procedure if you formalize it with your payment on the same day or within the following seven calendar days. It can be the full payment or a first payment of more than US$100. Booking it does not commit you to having surgery.
Every consultation is handled personally by Dr. Thuel and Dr. Poveda, so their availability is limited. We suggest booking in advance.
- Duration
- 30 minutes to 1 hour
- Recovery
- Office work in 5 to 7 days
- When it shows
- Final result at around 2 to 3 months
- How long it lasts
- Long-lasting; your face keeps changing
Plan calmly, operate as a team.
Dr. Irene Thuel · Physician and Surgeon, Expert in Aesthetic Medicine and Surgery · MED10355
The essentials before you decide
What Buccal Fat Removal involves, step by step
General information so you arrive at your consultation with a clear idea. It may vary in your case; Dr. Thuel and Dr. Poveda will confirm it at your consultation.
It may be right for you if…
- You look at photos and feel your face is rounder than you would like.
- You lost weight, but your cheeks are just as full.
- You would like your cheekbones to stand out a little more.
- You want a more defined contour, without scars on the skin.
- What it is
- A surgery that removes part of the buccal fat pads (Bichat's fat pads), the deep fat of the cheek, to refine the contour of the face.
- How it is done
- Through a small incision inside the mouth, at cheek level. It is usually closed with stitches that dissolve on their own.
- Advantages
- It leaves no scar on the skin, because it is performed from inside the mouth. It is a short outpatient surgery, and the fat removed usually does not form again.
- Who performs it
- Dr. Irene Thuel and Dr. Juan Ramón Poveda Xatruch, plastic surgeon, working as a team in the operating room.
- Anesthesia and discomfort
- It is usually done under local anesthesia, sometimes with sedation; it can also be done under general anesthesia. Discomfort is usually mild to moderate, with swelling and some stiffness when opening the mouth; it is generally relieved with pain medication. The doctors will tell you which anesthesia is right for your case.
- Duration
- Usually between 30 minutes and 1 hour.
- Hospital stay
- It is an outpatient procedure: you go home the same day, after a few hours of observation and with a companion.
- Recovery and care
- The stitches usually dissolve on their own, and a soft diet is recommended for the first few days. The swelling starts to go down at around one week. In general, you return to the office in 5 to 7 days and to intense exercise at around 3 weeks. It is best to rinse your mouth after eating, sleep with your head elevated and avoid hard or very hot foods.
- When it shows
- At first the cheek looks swollen, even fuller. The change becomes noticeable as the swelling goes down, and the final result is usually visible at around 2 to 3 months.
- How long the result lasts
- The fat removed usually does not form again, so the change tends to last. Even so, your face keeps changing with age and weight.
- Who should not have it
- It is not recommended with less defined cheekbones or cheeks lacking volume, nor during pregnancy or with an infection in the mouth. Medical conditions without adequate treatment also rule it out. Both physicians review this during the consultation.
- Follow-up visits
- Usually, one in the first week and others in the following weeks. The dates are set by both physicians.
Cheeks and cheekbones
What can change when the buccal fat pads are removed
Round face
Cheek volume that remains even when you lose weight.
Cheekbone
As the cheek becomes slimmer, the cheekbone may look more defined.
Contour
A more refined contour, in keeping with the structure of your face.
Fat, muscle or bone
Not every round face is due to fat
Buccal fat removal only removes part of the fat in the cheeks. If your cheekbones are not very defined or your cheeks have already lost volume, your face could look hollow over the years. In that case, we tell you before discussing anything else.
Consultation
Dr. Thuel and Dr. Poveda evaluate you together. They check whether the volume comes from fat, from the masseter (the muscle that clenches the jaw) or from bone.
If surgery makes sense
They explain what could change in your cheeks and what the risks are. If you are not a candidate, they tell you that too.
Preparation and surgery
First, the tests. Then both physicians decide the technique and anesthesia, and they are together in the operating room.
Follow-up visits
We check how the swelling goes down and how you open your mouth. The dates are set by the medical evaluation.
Before removing fat from the face
Your face will keep changing over the years
That is why removing fat from the cheeks is a decision worth thinking through carefully. Here is what you should know.
What to expect
- It is usually performed from inside the mouth.
- Swelling and temporary difficulty opening the mouth.
- A soft diet and the care instructions given by the medical team.
- Not recommended with less defined cheekbones or cheeks lacking volume.
Discomfort and risks
- Bleeding, infection, asymmetries or complications from anesthesia.
- Uncommon: injury to nerves or to the salivary duct.
- Its long-term effect has not been studied much: the face could end up looking hollow.
During the consultation, we ask about your health and your medications; the more complete your account, the better. Home care, especially the soft diet, is in your hands. The diagnosis, the technique and the follow-up visits are our part.
If the volume is not fat
Other ways to slim the face
Is this surgery right for you? At the consultation, Dr. Thuel and Dr. Poveda review your case together and tell you frankly whether it suits you and what it involves. The consultation costs US$100, VAT included, which is applied in full toward your treatment or procedure if you formalize it with your payment on the same day or within the following seven calendar days. It can be the full payment or a first payment of more than US$100.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently asked questions about buccal fat removal
Am I a candidate for buccal fat removal?
It is appropriate when the cheek fat is prominent. With less defined cheekbones or cheeks that have already lost volume, the face may look hollow over the years. If that is your case, we will tell you during the consultation.
Buccal fat removal or toxin in the masseters?
Buccal fat removal removes fat through surgery. Toxin relaxes the masseter, the muscle that clenches the jaw, without surgery. Which one is appropriate depends on where the volume comes from.
Is there a visible scar?
It is usually performed from inside the mouth. That is why there is usually no scar on the skin of the face.
What is the investment for buccal fat removal?
It depends on your case and on what both physicians decide. We tell you the cost during the consultation, before you make any decision.
The consultation costs US$100, VAT included. If you decide to have a medical treatment or procedure, that amount is applied in full toward your treatment or procedure when you formalize it with your payment on the same day as the consultation or within the following seven calendar days. It can be the full payment or a first payment of more than US$100.
When can I return to my routine?
Usually, most people return to office work in 5 to 7 days, with a soft diet during the first few days. Full recovery usually takes about 3 weeks. Your case may vary; Dr. Thuel and Dr. Poveda explain the dietary care you should follow.
Who performs my surgery?
You are cared for by a team: Dr. Irene Thuel and Dr. Juan Ramón Poveda Xatruch, MED5800. Both take part in the consultation, the planning, the operating room and the follow-up visits, and Dr. Poveda performs the surgery together with her. Together, they make sure your cheeks stay in proportion with the rest of your face.
A contour that respects your face
During the consultation, Dr. Thuel and Dr. Poveda look together at where the volume in your cheeks comes from. If buccal fat removal is not right for you, they tell you frankly and explain other options.
Medical consultation · US$100, VAT included. This amount is applied in full toward your treatment or procedure if you formalize it with your payment on the same day or within the following seven calendar days. It can be the full payment or a first payment of more than US$100.
Every consultation is handled personally by Dr. Thuel and Dr. Poveda, so their availability is limited. We suggest booking in advance.