2 Board-Certified Plastic Surgeons Explain the Buccal Fat Removal Surgery
- Buccal fat removal has begun to trend since Chrissy Teigen revealed she underwent the procedure to thin her cheeks.
- The process, while minimally invasive, has doctors polarized on its sudden popularity.
- We asked two board-certified plastic surgeons to explain what the procedure is.
With the rise in discussions surrounding plastic surgery over the last few years, cosmetic procedures have begun to seem more accessible than ever. The procedures that have taken center stage have been ones that yield more extreme results, like the Brazilian butt lift or breast augmentation, but there is one procedure, in particular, that is rising in popularity: buccal fat removal – and it has the medical community divided.
Buccal fat removal has been trending on TikTok ever since Chrissy Teigen revealed she underwent the procedure to thin her cheeks. The procedure, also called buccal fat pad excision, is regarded as the secret to “Instagram cheekbones.” Social media platforms have been flooded with people showing off their transformation from fuller faces to more chiseled cheeks, documenting what they looked like the days leading up to the procedure versus after they healed.
But what exactly does the procedure entail? We spoke with board-certified plastic surgeons Raymond Douglas, MD, PhD, and Darren Smith, MD, FACS, to find out what you should know before getting the surgery, who the best candidates are, and the pros and cons of getting the procedure done. From insurance coverage to longevity of the results and everything in between, read ahead to find out what you should know before getting a buccal fat removal procedure done.
