Our facial appearance is a result of many different features. The nose, chin, lips, cheeks, and eyelids all contribute to your overall facial structure.

There are many options for people wanting to improve a facial aesthetic concern, including rhinoplasty, chin augmentation, lip filling, brow lift, and also cheek augmentation, either via cheek implants or buccal fat removal.

A relatively lesser-known procedure, buccal fat pad removal can drastically change the face’s overall facial structure and appearance. Depending on your aesthetic desires, buccal fat removal in San Antonio, Texas, might be the procedure necessary to help you realize your goals.

This blog post aims to answer all your questions about what the buccal fat pad is, how it impacts facial appearance, and how removing some or all of the buccal fat pad can drastically refine your look.

What Is the Buccal Fat Pad?

Your buccal fat pad is an oval-shaped deposit of fatty tissue in the center of your cheek. Positioned between facial muscles, the buccal fat pad occupies the hollow area of skin just underneath the cheekbone.

The buccal fat pad’s size and shape significantly impact the shape of your face, as a large, rounded buccal pad creates “chipmunk cheeks.” For some patients, this aesthetic is highly desirable, as it lends a youthful hint to the face.

However, other patients prefer to have smaller or even nonexistent buccal fat pads, which gives the facial contours more definition.

How Does Buccal Fat Removal Change the Shape of My Face?

The size of your buccal pads depends on your genetics and your weight. Overweight or obese people tend to have larger buccal fat pads, as the buccal fat is is a localized deposit of fatty tissue.

Removing some or all of the buccal fat pad eliminates a significant amount of tissue volume from the cheeks and mid-face, which creates a more angular, thinner, defined cheekbone aesthetic. However, surgeons must be careful not to remove too much fat, which can result in a hollow, skeletal appearance.

Precision buccal fat removal also makes the cheekbones appear higher, which is a desirable facial feature in many societies throughout the world.

What Does Buccal Fat Removal Entail?

Dr. Barrera performs buccal fat pad removal via a precise incision inside each cheek. While you are comfortable under local anesthetic, he will operate inside your mouth and remove the required amount of fat. There is no visible scarring, and using absorbable micro-sutures minimizes recovery time.

Buccal Fat Removal in San Antonio, Texas

Buccal fat removal may be the facial contouring procedure you’ve been looking for. Dr. Jose Barrera is a trained and well-practiced reconstructive plastic surgeon, whose understanding of facial anatomy is unrivaled. Call us at 210-468-5426 or fill out our online form to discuss what buccal fat removal can do for you.