4 Things Buccal Fat Removal Does to a Round Face

The pursuit for a snatched jawline has been going on for decades. There’s never a shortage of hacks to achieve this coveted feature, from gua sha to heavy contouring. If you’re a millennial, chances are you’ve done the duck face in a pic or two to make your face appear thinner. Now, you can keep that “sucked-in” look 24/7 by getting a buccal fat removal procedure.

Does the name ring a bell? Crissy Teigen revealed she had the surgery and, soon after, the trend took off. Bella Hadid, Anya Taylor-Joy, Zoë Kravitz, Sophie Turner, and Lea Michelle, among others, allegedly followed suit. If you’ve been eyeing to get one for a while, here’s what you should know before going under the knife.

Everyone has buccal fat between the cheekbones and jaws. Some people happen to have more of it (thanks, genetics!), giving them a more rounded face structure. The kicker? No amount of dieting or exercise can magically shrink this cheek fat. Cosmetic surgery is the only way to remove it.

Is buccal fat removal safe? Generally, yes. The procedure has been around since the 1930s, and it’s not nearly as complex as the controversial Brazilian butt lift. Plus, it takes less than an hour under anesthesia to get it done. During the procedure, the doctor would make a small incision inside the cheek to pull out the buccal fat. Once finished, your face may be swollen for a few days, but the result will be visible right after.

If you have chubby cheeks, the allure of permanently contouring your face may be too tempting. Before spending thousands of pesos on this treatment, consider its effects.

Let’s start with the obvious: buccal fat removal can give you cheekbones for days. It removes the roundedness around the lower part of the face, so you’ll retain some degree of plumpness on the upper part of the cheeks. To get a rough idea, pucker up your lips and suck in through a straw – that’s how you’d look after the surgery.

However, TikTok’s before-and-after photos don’t show you that many people pair buccal fat removal with cheek and jawline fillers to define their features further. Without the addition of these non-surgical treatments, the result will be more subtle.

Jowls are often the result of sagging skin or buccal fat gradually drooping downward with age. Removing the latter can help reduce the weight of the cheeks and give you a more lifted appearance.

Of course, the jowls can come back after the procedure as the skin becomes thinner and less elastic over time. That’s why it’s also important to take care of your skin from a young age. For your PM skincare routine, use POND'S Bright Miracle Ultimate Clarity Day Serum to renew your skin while sleeping. It contains niasorcinol that fades dark spots twice as fast.

After applying serum, restore any lost moisture with POND'S Age Miracle Anti-Aging Night Cream with 15X Retinol C and Niacinamide to Boost Collagen. The combination of retinol and niacinamide works to reduce the appearance of fine lines and strengthen the skin’s barrier. Plus, the addition of 4D hyaluronic acid, collagen, ceramides, and prebiotics keeps your skin moisturized and glowing.

Many surgeons recommend against getting the buccal fat removed as a standalone procedure. Since plumpness is associated with youth, losing buccal fat can make you look sunken and gaunt immediately, and even more so as you get older. In other words, it adds more years to your actual age. The effect is irreversible and the only way to restore the volume in your cheeks is by adding fillers, which means more dollars down the drain.

The buccal fat removal procedure is less invasive than any V-shape face surgery. It doesn’t involve shaving parts of your jawbones. By contouring the bottom area of the cheekbones, it gives the face an angular appearance. Your cheekbones and chin will become more prominent, too.

Nevertheless, all cosmetic surgeries carry risks. Some potential side effects of buccal fat removal include injury to the facial nerves, infection, muscle weakness, facial asymmetry, and regret. Always research before getting any cosmetic treatment and talk to a reputable doctor. Ask yourself why you want to get it done. If it’s something you believe can help you feel beautiful in your own skin, go for it! But don’t do it for the sake of being trendy. What’s in today may not be tomorrow.