10 Q&As About Buccal Fat Removal Surgery

I have organized answers to common questions about buccal fat removal. 

The answers below are my personal opinions, so they may be subjective, 

and there may be differences in opinions and treatment approaches 

depending on the hospital or the doctor performing the procedure.  

 

 

 

1.   What area changes after buccal fat removal surgery?

To predict the changes after buccal fat removal surgery,

it is first necessary to understand

the location and structure of the buccal fat.

As shown in the figure below,

the buccal fat extends from the inner side of the masseter muscle into the cheek area, 

and is structurally connected upward through the inner side of the cheekbone

to the temple area. 

 

 

Therefore, when buccal fat removal is performed, 

as the swelling gradually goes down after surgery, 

you can expect the fuller cheek area extending from outside the lips to the front part of the masseter muscle

to become somewhat slimmer. 

 

2.   Is it possible to return to daily life the next day after buccal fat removal surgery?

Buccal fat removal surgery

is a procedure that removes cheek fat collected in a pouch through an incision of about 1 cm inside the mouth, 

and the surgery time is within 10 minutes. 

Therefore, even immediately after surgery,

normal daily life is possible.

However, swelling at the fat removal site

slightly increases for about 3 days after surgery before going down.

So if you have an important interview or profile photo shoot the next day,

it may be a bit difficult, 

but there is no major problem with ordinary work life. 

 

 

3.   After buccal fat removal surgery, do I need to keep a cotton ball pressed against my cheek area?

Different hospitals may have different treatment approaches

after buccal fat removal surgery, 

but I believe that pressing the cheek area after buccal fat removal surgery

 does not provide much benefit. 

Of course, placing and pressing a cotton ball on the cheek area would not be harmful,

but since I do not think it is very helpful,

I only recommend cold compresses on the day of surgery.

The principle behind compression to prevent swelling

is to apply pressure against a fixed surface. 

However, in buccal fat removal surgery, the area where swelling is more likely to come out is

the oral mucosa, not the cheek area.

Therefore, if a special method to press on the oral mucosa

is used together with pressing a cotton ball on the cheek area,

it may help prevent swelling a bit more, 

but pressing a cotton ball on the cheek area alone

cannot prevent swelling inside the mouth. 

 

 

4.   Can buccal fat removal surgery be done right after a consultation?

Buccal fat removal surgery is a simple procedure that can be completed within 10 minutes

through a small incision inside the mouth of about 1 cm, 

and it can be easily performed under local anesthesia or sedation anesthesia, 

so it is certainly possible to have the surgery right after the consultation. 

However, since the surgical schedule needs to be arranged,

it is necessary to make a reservation in advance.

 

5.   After buccal fat removal surgery, could the cheeks end up looking sunken?

In most cases, even if you try to remove as much buccal fat as possible,

it is difficult to remove more than half of your own buccal fat.

Occasionally, you may see cases where the cheek area looks sunken after buccal fat removal,

but such results are almost never caused by buccal fat removal alone.

When the cheek area looks significantly sunken like this,

it is more likely to occur in older patients

when a facelift procedure (wrinkle surgery)

is performed at the same time.

 

6.   Can nose surgery or forehead surgery be performed together with buccal fat removal surgery?

The surgical areas for nose surgery, eye surgery, forehead plastic surgery, and similar procedures

are far from the area where buccal fat removal surgery is performed, 

so it is fine to perform them together,

and even if they are done at a short interval,

there is no particular problem. 

 

 

7.   Can I eat after buccal fat removal surgery?

After buccal fat removal surgery, meals are possible at any time,

 and there is no major problem.

 

8.   When can I drink alcohol or smoke after buccal fat removal surgery?

For about 3 days after buccal fat removal surgery, swelling gradually increases, 

so it is better to wait at least one week before drinking alcohol. 

Of course, even if you drink alcohol, the chance of a major problem is rare,

but it may slow down recovery.

 

9.   Can swelling differ between the left and right sides after buccal fat removal surgery?

Of course, in all surgeries, the progress on both sides is different. 

After buccal fat removal surgery as well, it is rare for swelling on both sides to be exactly the same. 

However, as the acute swelling subsides, both sides usually become similar over time.

 

10.                  Is the amount of buccal fat different from person to person?

On average, the amount of buccal fat is described as about 9 cc on one side, 

but there can be many individual differences from person to person. 

This file does not support playback. Click to play it in a pop-up window.