Precautions and Possible Side Effects to Be Aware of When Removing Buccal Fat

Complications of Buccal Fat Removal

Buccal fat removal surgery can be considered a safe and simple procedure that can be completed in under 10 minutes when performed by an experienced specialist.

 

However, it is also necessary to be aware of the possible side effects associated with buccal fat removal surgery.

 

The side effects that may occur in connection with buccal fat removal include the following:

 

1.     Hematoma at the surgical site or excessive swelling

 

2.     Salivary gland damage

 

As shown in the figure above, the salivary duct is surrounded by buccal fat and connected to the oral mucosa. Therefore, when removing buccal fat, great caution is required because the duct may be cut if care is not taken.

 

 

3.     Excessive hollowing in the cheek fat removal area

 

The photo above shows a case in which the cheek area became hollow due to excessive removal of buccal fat. In general,

this does not happen often, and it may occur when buccal fat is removed excessively during a facelift procedure. 

 

4.     Facial nerve paralysis

 

When removing buccal fat, damage to a branch of the facial nerve is very rare, so it does not require a great deal of concern. However, in some cases, if the surgeon confuses the access route, or if there is a lot of scarring in the cheek fat area of the patient, special caution is needed regarding the risk of injury.