Buccal Removal & Neck Liposuction

Buccal fat refers to the pads of fat in the mid face that give the cheeks body. Some people have excessive fat causing a "chipmunk look." These are the best candidates for the surgery.

Liposuction of the neck removes excess fat from the neck area. Whether it be from aging, fat distribution, being overweight or genetics, this excess fat can lead to double chins or a neck that seems fused from the face to the neck area.

Buccal Fat Pad Removal

• Buccal fat pad removal is a surgery that should not be undergone lightly, particularly for younger people. As we age our cheeks naturally hollow, so removing fat from this area may give an excessive "hollowed" appearance later in life.

  For older people or those with severe excess fat, the surgery is quite straightforward and easy to perform on an outpatient basis under a local anesthetic.

Buccal Fat Extraction Procedure

• Removing buccal fat pads in ideal candidates is done through an incision in the inside of the mouth. The fat pad is roughly the size of a golf ball. This is not the same fat that you have in the "apples" of the cheek but rather is the fat in the mid-face.

  The doctor will usually give a local anesthetic much like those you get when you go to a dentist. The doctor will then remove all excess fat at once as it is generally one lump of fat called a fat pad. The surgery typically takes an hour to complete.

Recovery and Complications

• The patient will not usually bruise as this is all done intra-orally. For about a week, the patient can expect to look like they had their wisdom teeth pulled or other oral surgery done. By two weeks they will look as they did pre-operatively, which can depress some patients. By the third and fourth week the final results will be apparent.

  Complications are rare and can result in a local infection for which the patient is prescribed an antibiotic. The most notable complication is lack of enough fat removal or uneven results which can be corrected by a subsequent surgery.

Liposuction of the Neck

• Neck fat is either hereditary or is a result of being overweight. The operation is performed on an outpatient basis unless you have a lot of fat to be removed or are having surgery to firm sagging skin.

  The procedure is done using a canula (a small crevice-like medical tool) attached to a vacuum machine. An incision is made either behind the ears or in the crease of the chin. If you are having a lot removed you will probably opt to use the area behind the ears so the doctor can stretch and pull the skin taut much like a mid-face lift.

  Depending on the extent of the procedure, it is usually performed on an outpatient basis and with either IV sedation or local anesthetic. Additional procedures may require general anesthetic.

After the Procedure

• Following the procedure you will experience a moderate amount of pain. The doctor will prescribe a pain killer to get you through the first week. You will also have moderate to severe bruising, oozing at the incision site, some numbness, bleeding and crusting at the incision site(s).

  You will be advised to wear a pressure garment for the next few weeks to maintain the new shape of the neck and allow for even healing.

  The results are generally visible within three weeks of the procedure but the full result can take six months to a year to be apparent. The more you have had taken out, the longer it will take you to heal fully.

Complications

• The most common complications with this procedure are uneven or dimpled skin, which is often the case of liposuction anywhere on the body and thus the need to be consistent in using the pressure garments as directed to minimize this.

  Other complications can include uneven fat removal, localized infection, oozing at the incision site and prolonged numbness, sometimes permanent though very rarely.