Buccal fat removal (cheek slimming)

Yes, it is the same procedure. Bichectomy — commonly known as cheek fat removal, and referred to in international sources as buccal fat removal — is a facial slimming operation. A portion of the Bichat fat pad in the deep layer of the cheek is removed from inside the mouth, reducing the full appearance of the cheeks.

The price varies depending on the type of anesthesia, the clinic, the surgeon's experience, and whether the operation is combined with other procedures (for example, chin correction or Botox). An exact price can only be given after an in-person consultation and examination — you can book a free consultation for this.

Since the operation is performed under local anesthesia, no pain is felt during the procedure. Over the following few days there may be mild discomfort and a feeling of tightness while chewing, which is easily managed with prescribed pain medication.

No, no scar remains on the outer surface of the face. All incisions are made inside the mouth, on the inner surface of the cheek, and are closed with dissolvable sutures. This is one of the advantages of buccal fat removal — no sign of surgical intervention is visible from the outside.

A return to office-type work is usually possible within 3-5 days — the swelling of the first days should be taken into account. For physically demanding work, waiting 1-2 weeks is recommended.

It is usually recommended after age 20, once the facial bone structure and fat distribution have finished developing. At a young age, facial fullness can be natural and decreases on its own over time, so a hasty decision is not the right approach. After age 40, since facial volume loss begins, candidacy is assessed more carefully.

The removed Bichat fat pad does not come back, so the result is considered permanent. However, this permanence cuts both ways — since the face's overall fat tissue naturally decreases with age, an operation that was not properly planned in time can create unwanted hollowing years later. This is why the amount to be removed must be chosen cautiously.

This is an important question that deserves an honest answer. In the right candidate, a facial slimming operation performed in a measured way gives a natural result. However, in people with thin faces or when too much fat is removed, hollowing in the cheeks and a tired expression can develop as facial fat decreases with age — meaning that in the long-term perspective the face may look older. This is why a long-term assessment during the consultation is essential.

This operation is not recommended for people whose face is already thin and narrow — their existing fat tissue preserves the youthful look of their face, and removing it increases the risk of a hollow appearance in the future. Likewise, for those whose fullness comes from excess weight or from enlargement of the chewing muscle, and for people over 40 who have started to lose facial volume, different approaches are usually more suitable.

Partly, yes. Overall weight loss reduces the superficial fat layer of the cheeks, but the Bichat fat pad is relatively resistant to weight changes — in some people the cheeks remain full even at a lean body weight. It is precisely in these cases that bichectomy is considered. For those with excess weight, weight stabilization is expected first.

For the first 2-3 days, only soft and lukewarm foods (puree, soup, yogurt, smoothies) are recommended. Hot, spicy, sour, and crumbly foods should be avoided — since the incision is inside the mouth, it is in direct contact with food. An antiseptic mouth rinse after every meal reduces the risk of infection. A gradual return to a normal diet usually happens within a week.

In the first weeks, the face may even look fuller than before because of swelling — this is normal. Visible slimming usually starts to be noticeable after 2-4 weeks, while the final contour emerges once the deep swelling has fully resolved, within roughly 2-4 months (sometimes up to 6 months).

Yes, for overall facial harmony, in some patients it can be planned in the same period as chin correction (genioplasty), submental liposuction, or Botox-filler procedures. Which combination makes sense is determined individually during the consultation, based on a facial analysis.