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Among people considering a facelift, one question comes up especially often: “I have a lot of cheek fat—would simply pulling it up still be effective?”
To get straight to the point, if you have a lot of deep buccal fat and cheek fat, a simple lift alone may have limitations. Today, let’s look at what kind of surgical approach may be effective when removing deep buccal fat.
Does having a lot of cheek fat reduce the effect?
Facelifts have traditionally focused on pulling and fixing the skin, SMAS layer, and platysma upward. However, in face shapes with a lot of cheek fat and a heavy appearance, the following issues can arise. Even if it looks lifted while being pulled, the weight of the fat can cause it to sag again over time. In some cases, people feel disappointed because their face does not look as slim as they expected after facelift surgery. In particular, Korean facial types often have prominent deep buccal fat, so if deep buccal fat removal is not considered together, the results may be less than ideal.
What is deep buccal fat?
Deep buccal fat refers to deep cheek fat that exists as a mass rather than being scattered in small pieces. It cannot be removed by liposuction and can also be a major cause of deep buccal sagging. When there is a lot of deep buccal fat, even if the SMAS is pulled strongly, the weight itself can still act downward, limiting the lifting effect. For that reason, deep buccal fat removal may be considered.
Problems with older methods
In the past, deep buccal fat removal was often performed through an incision inside the mouth. However, this method can create a side effect where only the center becomes hollow while the sides remain, making the face look peanut-shaped, so it is now applied more cautiously.
What if you have deep buccal fat or a lot of cheek fat?
Recently, when performing a facelift, deep buccal fat is not simply removed indiscriminately; instead, a repositioning approach is used. After dissecting the SMAS layer, if there is a lot of deep buccal fat, it can be repositioned upward so that the volume in the central part of the face is preserved while only the cause of sagging is addressed. This can help the face avoid appearing overly sunken, make cheeks with a lot of fat look naturally slimmer, and potentially improve the durability of the lifting effect.
Is it a necessary procedure for everyone?
Deep buccal fat repositioning for deep buccal fat removal is an option, not a must. If you have little cheek fat and the only issue is skin sagging, a standard facelift alone may be enough. On the other hand, if you have a lot of cheek fat and a heavy, sagging facial type, considering deep buccal fat removal together may be helpful.
A facelift is not simply a surgery that pulls the skin tight; it is a procedure that must also take into account the structures and fat positions that make the face feel heavy. In particular, if you have a lot of deep buccal fat or cheek fat, it may be difficult to feel the results you expected unless the underlying cause is identified accurately. Depending on whether your facial shape is simply affected by deep buccal sagging or by the weight of fat, the approach can differ, so before deep buccal fat removal surgery, it is important to find the direction that suits you through 충분한 상담.
