Dr Ivan Puah Explains Major Differences Between Buccal Fat Removal And Cheek Liposuction Results

Depending on your beauty goal, it is crucial to understand better the true result difference between buccal fat pad removal and cheek liposuction before committing to the surgery.

Singapore, April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 2022

SINGAPORE, April 2022 — Buccal fat removal, also known as buccal lipectomy, is a facial cosmetic procedure for those who have a naturally fuller face ("baby face" or chipmunk cheeks") and yearn to define their facial symmetry. Despite having been around for some time, it is become a trending facial cosmetic procedure over the recent years due to the rise of social media, shares Dr Ivan Puah, Medical Director at Amaris B. Clinic, who has more than 15 years of facial liposuction and body sculpting procedure experience on a diverse portfolio of male and female patients in Singapore.

Buccal fat, located close to facial nerves and other vessels, sits between the cheekbones and the jaw. It is a vital structure that impacts our overall face shape and facial symmetry. Buccal fat pad increases between the ages of 10 and 20 and then slowly decreases until about 50, but some may also experience early loss in their buccal pads in their 30s.

Dr Rod Rohrich, surgeon and author of The Role of Buccal Fat Pad in Facial Aesthetic Surgery, says, "For every five patients I see who want their buccal fat pads removed, only one needs it." This statement highlights an important issue - people do not necessarily understand what they need to achieve what they want. Therefore, a doctor's responsibility is to educate and propose the right treatment or procedure to their patients, advises Dr Ivan Puah.

Neglected importance of buccal fat pad and common side effects of buccal fat removal

The buccal fat pad is an important structure as it facilitates gliding with the muscles of speech and chewing, and the movement of facial muscles. It also plays a role in facial aesthetics and can be modified to define an appearance. The raised realisation on the importance of facial appearance, where much credit is due to the influence of social media, has led to many people subscribing to buccal fat removal as a facial cosmetic procedure solution to their specific appearance issues.

Age, skin, face shape, and thickness of the buccal fat pad are vital considerations for buccal fat removal. Like all other cosmetic surgeries, buccal fat removal is a delicate procedure requiring skilled and experienced cosmetic surgeons to perform it meticulously. As buccal fat removal is permanent, over-resection of the buccal fat pad may cause a deflated midface, which may contribute to premature ageing.