Buccal Fat Removal | Scars and incision healing

The buccal fat pad is reached through a small incision inside the mouth, between the upper first and second molars, to avoid an external facial incision and facial nerve injury. A cuff of mouth lining is preserved for closure, and dissolving stitches are used. Over-removal can hollow the cheek, and excess pulling can distort nearby tissue. Possible problems include a small blood collection, prolonged cheek firmness or fullness, and, in combined procedures, unattractive access scars or surface irregularity. The incision is about 2.5 cm, and careful hemostasis is obtained. External pressure guides the fat pad into the wound, and specimens from each side are compared for symmetry.

The buccal fat pad is reached through a small intraoral incision, avoiding an external facial cut and helping protect the facial nerve. The procedure may be performed alone or combined with other aesthetic surgeries. The surgeon removes selected fat to refine the mid-to-lower cheek, not to make a full face skinny. Results depend on your own buccal fat volume and facial structure. Chromic sutures dissolve, and patients are encouraged to maintain oral hygiene and gentle mouth movement while healing. Because buccal fat reduction is conservative, some results are noticeable while others are subtle, and the final contour depends on how much buccal fat you naturally have.

The buccal fat pad sits deep to facial muscles and nerves, so it is reached through a small incision inside the mouth rather than through the skin, keeping the scar hidden. The incision is placed in the cheek lining; chromic sutures dissolve as the mucosa heals. You may be advised to rinse with dilute hydrogen peroxide and maintain oral hygiene while healing. Swelling usually improves within three to five days, though minor limitations in speech, eating or facial movement can occur early. The amount removed is individualized because over-resection can hollow the cheek. Final results usually become visible within a few months once swelling fully subsides. Individual results vary with age, skin quality, bone structure and overall health.

Buccal fat removal uses a small incision inside the mouth to reach fat beneath facial muscles and nerves, so it cannot be done with simple liposuction. After surgery, avoid pressure on the cheeks and follow a soft or liquid diet for the first few days, then gradually return to normal food. An antiseptic mouthwash is typically used for two to three weeks. Swelling usually improves significantly within three to five days, although minor limitations in speech, eating or facial movement may occur early. Most patients return to work within five to seven days. Strenuous activity and contact sports should be avoided for two to three weeks, smoking should be avoided during recovery, and chromic sutures dissolve.

Buccal fat removal refines the midface by removing excess fat from buccal fat pads through a discreet intraoral incision, because the fat lies beneath facial muscles and nerves and cannot be reached by simple liposuction. Oral mucosa heals faster than skin with minimal to no scar formation, although incisions are still planned and closed meticulously. Risks such as bleeding or transient facial palsy are discussed with a qualified surgeon. The incision is typically small and closed with absorbable sutures; final contour changes take months as swelling settles. Patients avoid pressure on the cheeks and follow a soft or liquid diet initially.

Because the mouth is moist and mobile, healing depends on careful closure, good oral hygiene, and avoiding excess mouth opening during early recovery. Textbook guidance notes dehiscence can generally be managed by secondary healing, while other reported complications include swelling and hematoma. Patients are usually advised to use an antiseptic mouthwash for two to three weeks, follow a soft or liquid diet initially, and avoid strenuous activity and contact sports for two to three weeks. Swelling usually improves significantly within three to five days, and many patients return to work within five to seven days. Follow your surgeon's specific instructions, because individual healing varies. Report increasing pain, bleeding, fever, or odor promptly.

The incision is made inside the mouth, and the wound is closed with absorbable sutures that dissolve over time . Because the stitches sit against the oral mucosa, keeping the area clean matters: an antiseptic mouthwash is typically used for two to three weeks, and patients are advised to avoid pressure on the cheeks and follow a soft or liquid diet at first . Mouth rinsing and gentle oral hygiene also help while the incision heals. Mild irritation can occur while the sutures dissolve, but worsening pain, swelling or fever should be checked promptly rather than assumed harmless. If a stitch feels sharp or catches on the cheek, it should be reviewed rather than pulled or cut at home.

The buccal fat pad is reached through a minimal intraoral incision, avoiding an external facial incision. The incision is made between the upper first and second maxillary molars, with care to visualize the papilla and avoid injury. After surgery, a small hematoma in the recess can create an indurated cheek mass that gradually resolves. Prolonged cheek firmness and fullness can also follow excessive intraoperative manipulation, exploration, or hemostasis; this is not a fluid collection or infection and may be managed by external massage and/or ultrasound treatments. Excess traction while grasping the fat pad can distort local anatomy. Transient facial paresis is also reported, so knowledge of the parotid duct and buccal branches of the facial nerve matters.

The buccal fat pad is usually reached through a small incision inside the mouth, near the upper first and second molars, so the wound sits in a moist bacterial environment. One source describes excision being done intraorally before other procedures under nonsterile conditions to decrease infection incidence and facial nerve injury risk. Antibiotics may be prescribed and an antiseptic mouthwash used for two to three weeks to minimize infection risk. Common reported complications are edema and hematoma, especially with poor hemostasis, not infection alone. Careful hemostasis and resorbable sutures are used before closure, and patients should maintain oral hygiene while healing.

The buccal fat pad lies deep beneath facial muscles and nerves, so simple liposuction could risk damage. Instead, the surgeon makes a small intraoral incision between the upper first and second molars, keeps a cuff of mucosa for closure, and guides the fat pad out with gentle pressure. Because the fat pad is not accessible through the skin, this intraoral route avoids an external facial scar. The amount removed is controlled to refine contour rather than create hollowing. Care is taken to avoid injury to nearby structures and over-resection, which can hollow the cheek. Risks include a small hematoma or prolonged firmness from manipulation.

Hematoma and infection are among the most common complications after buccal fat pad removal, so careful hemostasis matters. A small hematoma in the recess can create an indurated cheek mass that gradually resolves over time. Prolonged cheek firmness or fullness may instead come from excessive intraoperative manipulation, exploration, or hemostasis rather than fluid collection or infection, and may be managed with external massage or ultrasound treatments. Swelling usually improves significantly within three to five days, although minor limitations in speech, eating or facial movement may occur early. If a postoperative hematoma does occur after surgery, it should be drained promptly through the mouth to avoid abscess.

The buccal fat pad is reached through a small intraoral incision, avoiding an external facial scar and helping protect the facial nerve. The procedure usually takes about 30 minutes to one hour, is commonly done under local anesthesia, sometimes with light sedation, and is usually outpatient. The incision is closed with dissolving sutures; patients are encouraged to maintain oral hygiene and gradually exercise mouth opening and closing. Early swelling can make chewing or speaking feel awkward for a few days, but this is expected to improve as swelling settles. A soft or liquid diet is advised initially, with antiseptic mouthwash for two to three weeks.

The buccal fat pad can make the lower cheek look rounded, so removing excess fat may refine facial definition. However, over-resection can hollow the cheek area, and removing too much can create an unnatural, skeletal look. The procedure is generally not recommended for naturally narrow or thin faces or significant age-related volume loss because it may accentuate a gaunt appearance over time. The amount removed and your underlying facial structure influence the final contour, and aging can subtly alter facial contours after surgery. Individual results vary. When performed by a qualified plastic surgeon, it is considered safe and effective, but risks should be discussed.