Dr. Angela Rivera
Facial Plastic Surgeon, MD, FACS
Buccal fat removal is a procedure that reduces the fat pads in your lower cheeks to create a more sculpted, contoured facial appearance. It's become very popular on social media but requires careful patient selection. Good candidates: younger patients (20s-30s) with naturally round, full cheeks who want more defined cheekbone structure—and whose facial fullness is specifically from buccal fat (not overall body weight). Poor candidates: patients with already thin faces, those over 40 (natural volume loss makes buccal fat removal look hollow over time), or patients whose "chubby cheeks" are from overall weight rather than buccal fat specifically. The concern about aging is valid: as we age, we naturally lose facial fat. Removing buccal fat in your 20s may look great now but can lead to a gaunt, hollow appearance in your 40s-50s when that volume would have been an asset. This is a permanent procedure. My recommendation: be very conservative, consult with an experienced facial plastic surgeon, and consider whether your face shape will naturally slim down with age. For many patients, this procedure is not the right choice despite its social media popularity.