Buccal Fat Removal (Hollywood Cheek/Bichatectomy)

Buccal fat removal (Hollywood Cheek/bichatectomy)

Although beauty trends may change over time, the perception of beauty is related to symmetry, the “golden ratio” that Da Vinci revealed. Recognising the relationship between beauty and symmetry has guided the establishment and preservation of symmetry in aesthetic surgery procedures.

Although round and plump facial features of women seem cuter and more sympathetic until puberty, it is considered more interesting to have precise and smooth borders as time progresses. Although round lines were more favourite in the old days, today’s perception is that sharp facial lines look more aesthetic. One of the popular facial beautification procedures is the buccal fat removal, also known as Hollywood Cheek or bichatectomy.

What is Buccal Fat Removal (Hollywood Cheek/Bichatectomy)?

This surgery is called “bichatectomy” in medicine. It has been practiced by plastic surgeons for a long time. The surgery in which the face is shaped in this way is also referred to as the “Hollywood cheek” in the media.

Fat tissue is present in different parts of the face. In buccal fat removal, which is performed by removing the fat tissue (bags) in the cheek area, a thinner appearance is given to the face by surgical intervention and the cheekbones are revealed. Of course, these fat pads on the cheek are not only related to weight. Low-weight patients may also have cheek fat pads. These fat pads, which are taken with a simple surgical operation, make the face thinner and the under-cheek area hollower. This surgery performed on the cheek for facial beautification is called buccal fat removal (Hollywood cheek/bichatectomy). It is considered an effective surgical intervention in terms of its results.

Why is buccal fat removal called Hollywood cheek?

The reason why the procedure is called Hollywood is due to the fact that patients want to achieve an appearance similar to the face shapes of Hollywood stars. The famous actress Angelina Jolie, who made the process popular all over the world, unintentionally led the way for this process to become widespread all over the world.

Who is buccal fat removal (Hollywood Cheek/Bichatectomy) performed for?

It is mostly performed for people who want to have sharp and flat facial features. People have a round face line until the age of 18-20 and the bone structure has not yet settled. Therefore, it is recommended to wait for the age of 20-25 for this procedure. Hollywood cheek can be performed for any individual who has completed the age of 20 and whose facial bone-soft tissue structure has settled. It is a frequently requested procedure in middle-aged and older people.

Can buccal fat removal (Hollywood Cheek/bichatectomy) be performed on men?

Although it is more popular with women, it is a procedure that is increasingly preferred by men.

What should be considered before the surgery?

Before the surgery, nail polish, jewellery and lenses should be removed. The use of drugs and herbal teas with blood thinning properties should be discontinued. Patients should inform their physicians of the drugs they need to use during the examination and the planning should be done accordingly.

How is buccal fat removal (Hollywood Cheek/bichatectomy) done?

Buccal fat removal plastic surgery is started by making an incision of approximately 1 cm in the cheek area in the mouth. Fat pads taken from the inside of the mouth just below the salivary gland ducts are the basis of the surgery. During the surgery, a certain amount of fat on the cheek, that is, approximately 4-6 cc fat pads, is taken by the aesthetic and plastic surgeon. By reducing the fat tissue on the face, the cheekbones and chin area will come to the fore.

How long does buccal fat removal (Hollywood Cheek/bichatectomy) take and which anaesthesia method is administered?

This surgery is usually performed under local and sedation anaesthesia. It is rarely done under general anaesthesia. The process takes between half an hour and one hour. After the intraoral procedure, only one or two stitches are made. This suture is resorbable and there is no need to remove the suture. One of the advantages of buccal fat removal surgery is that there will be no visible scars.

Is a filling procedure performed in cheek aesthetics?

In aesthetic cheek procedures, a combined filling process can be performed in order to make the cheekbones more pronounced according to the patient’s request.

What effect does this procedure have on the face?

Buccal fat removal is a procedure that clarifies the facial features, accentuates the cheekbones, and makes the skin look fresher and younger. As a result of the procedure performed on suitable patients by an experienced plastic surgeon, it is quite permanent, successful and patient satisfaction is high.

Hollywood Cheek done: Angelina Jolie

It is the famous Angelina Jolie who popularised this procedure. The prominent cheekbones and sharp jawline of the famous actress are accepted as an attractive face shape suitable for today’s aesthetic understanding.

Will my cheek return to its original state, are the results permanent?

Buccal fat removal surgery is a procedure performed by removing the fat tissue naturally found in the cheek. After the procedure, the cheek can be restored in high weight gains. However, if the weight is maintained, the results are extremely permanent.

Can the fat taken from the cheek be used in another part of the body?

Since the amount of fat taken from the cheek is low, it can only be applied to areas such as the chin and cheekbones. According to the patient’s request and the evaluation to be made, fat obtained from other parts of the body can be used for fat injection.

Does the patient experience eating and drinking problems following the procedure?

Patients who need to be fed with liquid foods for the first few days can start to eat puree after the third day, and return to their normal diet after a week. This measure speeds up the healing process. Oral health should be maintained very carefully. The nutritional list given by the surgeon should be followed. After the meals, gargling with special solutions recommended by the surgeon is necessary. Apart from this, the patient should stay away from hard, bitter, spicy and crusty food for a while

When can I start working following buccal fat removal (Hollywood Cheek/bichatectomy)?

In this surgery, which is as easy and painless as tooth extraction, you can return to your daily life shortly after the procedure. Except for exceptional cases, there is no pain, inability to speak, and problems in eating and drinking. In other words, after buccal fat removal plastic surgery, you can quickly return to your work and daily life.

Will I have pain following buccal fat removal (Hollywood Cheek/bichatectomy)?

According to the feedback received from patients who have had buccal fat removal surgery, pain is not encountered much after the surgery. Although this depends on the patient’s pain threshold, pain is not generally experienced.

When will the aesthetic change on my face be evident?

Immediately after the surgery, there is a visible change in the patient. However, the exact fit of the procedure and the desired state of the facial procedure may vary from patient to patient and may take 1-2 months

When will my stitches be removed after the surgery?

There is no suture removal in this surgery. The single suture made in both cheeks is resorbable and heals in a short time if oral health is taken care of.

Should the patient pay attention to the sleeping position after the procedure?

After buccal fat removal, patients do not want to lie face down psychologically, but no negative effect has been observed for the patients following this procedure for different sleeping positions.

Is there any difficulty in speaking following buccal fat removal (Hollywood Cheek/bichatectomy)?

There is no problem in speaking. The patient quickly adapts to her daily life.

Does the patient have edema after surgery?

Most patients who have buccal fat removal do not have edema. Since it is an intraoral operation, no deformation is observed on the face. Conditions such as slight swelling or colour change on the skin that may occur in people with very sensitive skin disappear in a short time.

Will there be sagging or deformation in the skin after the surgery?

After buccal fat removal procedure, the patients do not experience any problems such as sagging or skin deformation.

Can buccal fat removal (Hollywood Cheek/bichatectomy) be done without surgery?

The most permanent method of cheek thinning and shaping is the surgical method. Apart from this, it is possible to use some heat and energy-based treatments for thinning the cheeks as well as for regional thinning. However, the permanence of these treatments are not satisfactory.

What are the risks of buccal fat removal (Hollywood Cheek/bichatectomy)?

Those who do not have a genetic excess of fat on their cheeks and have more rounded and fuller facial features due to being overweight may experience a more than desired collapse in the cheeks if they experience a serious weight loss after this procedure. Again, the cheek fat tissue that is taken more than it should be taken may cause the appearance of collapse in later ages, since the adipose tissue will decrease with age. It is beneficial to have this procedure performed by an experienced plastic surgeon.

What is the cost of buccal fat removal (Hollywood Cheek/bichatectomy)?

It is against the law in Turkey for the healthcare organisations including private practices to indicate prices online for procedures, treatments or consultations. Please contact us by calling or texting 📱+90 541 334 3484 (WhatsApp available) or ☏ +90 212 257 1515 for the average cost of the procedure or any other enquiries related to the procedure. You need to send some photos to the Patient Care Coordinator to be examined by Professor Yazar to get the exact price.