As we age, the natural fat deposits that give youthful shape and contour to the face begin to descend resulting in jowls and a sunken appearance. The cheek fat pads begin to drop and herniate resulting in the appearance of being overweight with overly full jowls, necks and “chipmunk cheeks”. Unfortunately, the hereditary condition of excess fat in the lower cheeks cannot be reduced by exercise or diet. For patients that are dealing with this unflattering condition, facial contouring with liposuction and buccal fat pad removal surgery may be the answer to provide a more sculpted and defined face.
Facial contouring procedures can help to reduce full rounded cheeks, jowling and the loss of definition between the lower jaw and the neck, producing a more defined and chiseled look. Working with you, Dr. Mather will remove only the necessary areas of excess fat to produce a slender and more pleasing contour of the face and cheeks to give a more tapered appearance. Sometimes this fat can be purified and injected into back areas of facial contour loss and hollows providing a natural solution to restoring that supple, youthful volume throughout the face.
Dr. Mather performs liposuction and buccal fat pad removal for most patients under local anesthesia or intravenous sedation. In cases where patients are doing more than one procedure, general anesthesia may be used and will be dependent upon the extent of their surgery and each patient’s level of comfort.
FACIAL LIPOSUCTION
For men and women, having a defined look to the chin, jaw and neck signifies youth and vitality. When excess fat fades the natural facial contours, this can cause the appearance of looking prematurely aged, or heavier than you are, often creating a “thick neck”, “turkey neck” or “double chin” appearance. Neck liposuction, also referred to as submental liposuction, is designed to remove stubborn fat from these areas. This common esthetic procedure can make a dramatic change in the way you look by removing the excess fat and enhancing the definition of your cheeks, chin, and neck. Sculpting away areas of excess fat will help define sharper jaw and neck lines as well as helping you look younger and more refreshed. It is not a method of weight loss, rather it is a body contouring procedure that is designed to remove stubborn pockets of fat that are resistant to diet and exercise. The result is a natural, attractive, and artistically contoured facial appearance.
This minimally invasive procedure can procedure amazing, sculpted results. Dr. Mather will work with each patient to produce a treatment plan to allow for surgical results are in line with patient expectations. Liposuction of the face and neck is also frequently performed in combination with other complimentary cosmetic surgery procedures, such as a facelift, cheek or chin implants, buccal fat pad removal, or neck lift to enhance your overall definition and facial appearance.
A predictable, safe and effective way to permanently remove fat from the face and neck liposuction removes the pronounced deposits and bulge to restore the lines between the neck and face enhancing the definition of your cheeks, chin, and neck. Sculpting away areas of excess fat will help define sharper jaw and neck lines as well as helping you look younger and more refreshed.
Liposuction may be just what you need to address the issue and put the
finishing touches on the face that you’ve worked so hard to achieve.
BUCCAL FAT REMOVAL
When we’re young, chubby, round cheeks are a sign of good health and are considered a cute feature. Who doesn’t want to pinch a baby’s chubby little cheeks? As we mature, you may not want that babyish, chubby face anymore, preferring instead to look more mature tapered facial profile. This is where buccal fat removal may be able to help. Buccal fat is the pads of fat located in the lower part of the cheeks and can occasionally be quite prominent. It’s these fat pads that give your cheeks their rounded appearance. For some people, this results in prominent cheeks that may be out of balance with the rest of their facial features. If this applies to you, and you’re self-esteem suffers because of it, buccal fat removal may help balance your features,with a slimmer facial appearance and more contoured cheeks.
The ideal candidate for buccal fat removal surgery include individuals who have an excess of fat or fullness in their lower cheek region. The procedure will benefit both men and women alike leaving patients with a slightly more chiseled appearance in their cheeks. The first step in determining if this procedure is right for you, is to schedule a consultation with Dr. Mather. During the consultation, our team will listen to your concerns and determine the best approach to address these concerns and align with your expectations.
We will provide you with detailed instructions to help you prepare for the buccal fat removal surgery. This will help your procedure go more smoothly, and will set you up for a quicker, easier recovery.
Your buccal fat removal procedure will be performed by Dr. Mather under local anesthetic or intravenous sedation for patients that are little more nervous about the surgery. During the procedure, Dr. Mather will make an incision both sides of the inside of your mouth, between your upper molars and inner cheek. The incisions are then closed with dissolvable stitches. Dr. Mather will provide each patient with simple post-surgical instructions that will ensure that the surgical results are in line with patient expectations. Pain medication may be prescribed if needed and a follow-up appointment will be scheduled before each patient leaves. It is recommended that patients arrange to have a ride home following the procedure.
Recovery following a buccal fat removal procedure involves little to no downtime. Some patients may experience minor swelling and bruising which will subside on their own over the first few days of recovery. The recovery involves little to no pain or discomfort and most patients can return to work the very next day. The results of the surgery will be permanent and often seen immediately following the procedure. The full results of the procedure will become more apparent over the weeks following surgery once all swelling goes down.
This minimally invasive procedure can procedure amazing sculpting results.
When will I see results?
Though a change will be apparent about a week or two following surgery, swelling may hide the results. The true buccal fat removal results appear two to four months following surgery.
How long do buccal fat removal results last?
Buccal fat removal will permanently alter the shape and/or size of your cheeks, though your results may be affected if you gain a large amount of weight after your surgery.
Will I have any visible buccal fat removal scars?
No. Any scars resulting from the surgery will be inside your mouth, and not visible to anyone else.
Does buccal fat removal hurt?
Local anesthesia is administered during buccal fat removal, so you will not feel anything during the procedure. Following the procedure, Dr. Mather will prescribe pain medication to alleviate any pain. Most patients experience more discomfort than pain as they recover.
Am I old enough to have buccal fat removal done?
We strongly recommend buccal fat removal candidates be 18 years old. This is to ensure the face is fully developed as further growth would affect the buccal fat removal results.
Will everyone notice that I had buccal fat removal?
It depends. The point of buccal fat removal is to restore balance to your face and enhance your features. Depending on the amount of correction needed, your face may look different enough for some people to notice. Others may simply think your face has a more harmonious look without realizing exactly why.
How soon can I go back to work?
Typically, you should rest for one – two days after your buccal fat removal procedure. After one week your stitches will be dissolve, and the swelling should have subsided quite a bit.
RESULTS
35 year old patient of mine who was beautiful to begin with wanted to have a more sculpted appearance. She underwent buccal fat pad removal, jaw
line definition with liposuction and cheek volumization with facial face grafting with her own natural fat.
I think she looks amazing with her runway cheeks and supermodel definition to her chin.
