Make your face thinner, chiseled and more youthful. It just got easier with a new cosmetic surgery procedure that is taking the internet by storm. It’s buccal fat removal, or the “celebrity cheek surgery.” Celebrities like Keira Knightley, Naomi Campbell and Natalie Portman, all have enviously high cheekbones, and if you take a look around social media, you’ll see many using advanced contouring – or cosmetic procedures– to achieve a similarly sculpted look. Regardless of whether or not these celebrities have actually had work done, they’re quickly becoming the inspiration for many to go under the knife.

Cheek fat surgery or buccal fat removal is popular today. For people looking for a permanently contoured look, this procedure promises a quick fix. But what exactly does this trendy new procedure entail, and who is an ideal candidate?

What is buccal fat removal?

The goal of buccal fat removal is to thin the cheeks to avoid what some people call “chipmunk cheeks.” It refers to the area of the cheek hollows. Although a face that is naturally soft and filled out is considered youthful, some people find that their face feels too full or chubby.

A buccal fat removal removes the buccal fat pad, a naturally-occurring pad of fat in the cheek hollow area. The size of the buccal fat pad varies with each individual patient, and the buccal fat pad in each cheek may be different sizes. Buccal fat pad extraction surgery is typically not performed in people with thin, narrow faces as removal of the fat may cause the face to look gaunt with age.

Buccal fat removal is an excellent procedure for people who either have a rounder, more cherubic, baby face (or chipmunk cheeks) or who just want a more chiseled appearance. The good news is that it is quick, easy, leaves no scars, and has an extremely limited amount of downtime.

Simply put, this procedure removes excess fat around the cheeks and creates a more contoured look to the face. Prior to it becoming a social media sensation, buccal fat removal was commonly done in conjunction with other facial procedures like face-lifts, but now has emerged into a popular solo procedure.

The procedure itself.

Speak with Dr. Steckman regarding your expectations and goals. Typically, she would begin the procedure by administering local anesthesia on your face. This means that while you’ll be awake for the procedure itself, you won’t feel any pain.

The procedure itself is very simple and involves making a small incision in the inside of the mouth, detaching the fat, and removing it. Since the incision is on the inside of the mouth, there is no visible scarring, which makes the procedure a very attractive proposition. After your 30-minute procedure, you’ll be given a special mouthwash to prevent infections. You’ll also have to follow a liquid diet for a week. After your stitches dissolve, you’ll be left with a sharper, more angular face. For most people, this is a process that takes around 3 weeks.

Does Buccal Fat Grow Back?

Buccal fat removal is a permanent solution to reducing the size of your cheeks. Once fat is removed in any area of the body, it does not come back.

The reality is that for patients who have long disliked their “chipmunk cheeks”, buccal fat pad removal can be a very rewarding procedure.

Dr. Steckman focuses on the artistic and aesthetically natural aspects of cosmetic surgery, and prides herself on maintaining the care and comfort of patients as well as making sure that they get the desired results.

To learn more about any aspect of cosmetic and plastic surgery, including facelifts and noninvasive cosmetic surgery procedures, contact Jouvence Aesthetics and Wellness in New York City, at (646) 752-4138.