Buccal Fat Removal in NYC

If you're feeling subconscious about your cheeks, receiving Buccal fat removal in NYC by Dr. John Mesa provides a slimmer, more contoured facial appearance. Dr. Mesa specializes in chubby cheek reduction under local anesthesia in New York, New Jersey and Miami office locations.

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What is Buccal Fat Removal?

The buccal fat pad is a separate pad of facial fat that has a significant impact on your facial appearance. When this fat pad is overly large, it creates a round, flat, or chubby facial appearance. Removing this fat pad can create a more elegant look, enhancing your overall facial contours and achieving a more defined and attractive appearance that complements your natural features.

Dr. Mesa's buccal fat pad removal in New York City is a minimally invasive procedure that creates a more sculpted facial profile. He performs this procedure with local anesthesia, with the incisions placed within the mouth. The fat pad is surgically removed to create a more structured, V-shaped facial appearance. The V-shape is universally recognized as a factor in human attraction and can be yours with this minor surgery.

Buccal Fat Removal For Women Before & After

Before & After Buccal Fat Removal in NYC

Before & After Buccal Fat Removal in New York City

What Are the Benefits of Removing the Buccal Fat Pad?

Your facial structure is one of the most significant aspects of the first impression you make on other people — whether socially, in business, or when seeking a relationship. If you have a round face, you may feel less confident or be treated differently due to others seeing you as young or inexperienced. The benefits of buccal fat removal in NYC include:

Creates a more defined, sculpted facial structure
Creates a slimmer facial appearance
Subtly thins the cheeks
Enhances the contour of the cheekbones
Makes you appear thinner
Increases your self-confidence
Changes how others see you
Creates a more sculpted elegant facial profile
Ideal for both men and women with round faces
Creates a more V-shaped facial structure

Buccal Fat Removal For Men Before & After

Male Before & After Buccal Fat Removal in NYC

Buccal Fat Removal in NYC Before & After by Dr. Mesa

How much does buccal fat removal surgery cost?

The price of buccal fat removal depends on several factors, including the location and type of anesthesia. Costs can vary based on whether the procedure is performed in New York City (Manhattan) or New Jersey. Additionally, the expense changes depending on whether local anesthesia or IV sedation is used. For a personalized estimate, please call our office.

Buccal Fat Surgery Patient Testimonial

How Is the Buccal Fat Removal Surgery Performed?

Dr. Mesa routinely performs the buccal fat removal procedure at his office-based operating room. It is performed with local anesthesia without any type of sedation (neither oral nor IV sedation), and is an outpatient procedure.

If you are very nervous, Dr. Mesa can perform the procedure under general anesthesia or IV sedation, but this is not needed to stay comfortable. Buccal fat removal takes less than one hour from start to finish. The process is as follows:

Dr. Mesa will place a mouth retractor similar to the one used at the dentist.
A small incision is made between inside the mouth near the second molar tooth.

The incision is gently opened. This allows the buccal fat to present itself between the masticatory muscle called masseter and the soft tissue of the cheek.
Through this incision, Dr. Mesa will gently tease the buccal fat pad out, as it flows freely out of the incision as yolk from an egg.
The right amount of buccal fat is removed, sculpting the cheek to a slender, pleasing contour.

Once the buccal fat has been excised, the small incision is closed dissolvable sutures. These absorbable sutures allow for proper healing of the incision. The oral incisions heal quickly. Any resulting scars are hidden on the inside of the mouth, completely hidden from view.

Buccal Fat Removal Videos

Am I a candidate for buccal fat removal?

Should stitches be removed after buccal fat surgery?

Results from buccal fat removal

Will buccal fat removal in NYC make me look old?

Are there diet restrictions with buccal fat removal?

Why Choose Dr. Mesa for Buccal Fat Removal?

Dr. Mesa is a leading cosmetic plastic surgeon practicing in NYC, with additional offices in New Jersey and Miami. His extensive experience and advanced surgical techniques have earned him a reputation as the top practitioner for cheek fat pad removal. When under Dr. Mesa's care, you can expect a different kind of experience: one that is pleasant, warm, and fully dedicated to helping you look and feel your best. Patients trust him to achieve exceptional results and value the strong doctor-patient bond he creates.

With hundreds of excellent reviews and a commitment to patient care, Dr. Mesa is considered among the most accomplished plastic surgeons practicing in NYC and beyond. His patients consistently experience outstanding results and a supportive, personalized approach to their cosmetic journey.

Expertise and Accomplishments:

Harvard-Trained: Dr. Mesa’s education and training at Harvard Medical School contribute to his exceptional skill and knowledge in plastic surgery.
Extensive Experience: Recognized as a "Top Doctor" by NY Top Docs in 2023.
Highly Reviewed: He has over 1,000 five-star reviews across various platforms, reflecting his patients’ satisfaction and outstanding results.
Prolific Contributor: Dr. Mesa has published several articles and book chapters, contributing to the advancement of plastic surgery knowledge.
RealSelf Achievements: Recently, he had the most new reviews on RealSelf from January to October 2023 and the second most new before-and-after photos compared to all doctors nationwide.

How Do I Prepare for a Buccal Fat Excision Surgery?

Once the buccal fat removal surgery has been scheduled, Dr. Mesa’s staff will give you a complete set of written aftercare instructions; follow them closely for proper healing. In general, these are the main points a patient should remember to ensure a smooth procedure and recovery process:

Avoid any medications and oral supplements thin the blood and therefore increase the risk of bruising (e.g., aspirin, ibuprofen, Motrin, Advil, fish oil, omega oils, multivitamins, etc.)
Fill prescriptions for antibiotics before the day of your surgery.
Fill out your medical-grade oral mouthwash and use it after every meal for one week to avoid food to be trapped close to the incision and decrease the risk of infection.
Drink one bottle of Gatorade the night before the surgery and a second one the morning before the procedure to make sure you are hydrated, so the buccal fat removal is easier).
Avoid eating any hard food like chips, Doritos, crackers, etc., since they could pull the dissolvable stitches inside the mouth.
Schedule your two follow-up appointments with Mesa and add these on your calendar so you don’t miss your visits.

I am so pleased with the results of my buccal fat removal and neck liposuction with Dr. Mesa. He and his team are extraordinary -- so professional and kind. I highly, highly recommend him to anyone interested in making a change!

Mic P.

Who Is a Good Candidate for Buccal Fat Removal?

The ideal candidates for buccal fat excision surgery are both men and women with excessive fullness in the lower cheek area, round face, chubby cheeks, or chipmunk cheeks who would like to have a more sculpted, refined, chiseled facial structure. This video will help you understand who could be a good candidate for buccal fat removal in NYC:

Why is a “V-shaped” Face a Universal Standard of Attraction?

Human attraction has been the subject of many scientific studies. Across all cultures, a V-shaped face is considered the ideal — however, not everyone is lucky enough to be born with this trait. Many ethnicities have a rounder facial look. A V-shape, or V-line facial structure, is a slim, oval face shape that narrows to the chin, along with a defined jawline. The human eye recognizes this facial shape as being attractive both in men and women. If you inherited a rounded face and want to achieve a more structured, chiseled look, buccal fat pad removal in NYC may be the ideal procedure for you. The procedure, when performed by Dr. Mesa, is fast and painless. These images will provide you with an idea of what to expect:

a photo of the inside of someone mouth during operation

a photo of the inside of someone mouth while Dr. Mesa is operating

a photo of the inside of someone mouth when Dr. Mesa has made his first incision

Can I Add Other Procedures to My Buccal Fat Removal?

Buccal fat pad removal can be combined with various other cosmetic procedures. Dr. Mesa usually performs cheek augmentation with soft tissue fillers (like Voluma) to enhance the results of the buccal fat removal surgery. Other cosmetic plastic surgery procedures such as neck liposuction, eyelid lift (blepharoplasty)Fractora facial skin tightening, or other treatments can be performed at the same time.

When you’re under the care of Dr. Mesa, he performs a thorough evaluation of your facial structure, and may recommend added procedures to help you achieve your aesthetic goals. However, he will never pressure you to undergo a surgery or procedure you don’t need, which often occurs in other surgical practices. You may choose to undergo additional treatments during your buccal fat removal, including enhancing your cheekbone size with dermal fillers or implants or surgically crafting a more defined jawline.

How Long Does the Buccal Fat Excision Take?

Buccal fat removal surgery in NYC is a relatively short procedure and performed in-office. The entire process can take as little as 30 minutes to complete, and recovery time is minimal. Different from other surgeons, Dr. Mesa performs the procedure under pure local anesthetic without sedation to ensure patients can commute to the office, driving themselves, or using public transportation without the need of a companion to maintain the privacy of the procedure.

What is the Recovery After Buccal Fat Removal Surgery?

There is minimal downtime after a buccal fat excision surgery for 90% of the patients. It is normal to experience some minimal swelling for a few days. The cheeks could appear fuller than before, but this subsides as the swelling goes away.

Bruising may occur but is extremely rare. The recovery is virtually pain-free. Most patients can return to work or school the next day. You should begin to see thinning in your cheeks within four weeks after your buccal fat removal surgery. In 10% of the patients, the swelling is significant, and it could last up to one week. In those cases, Dr. Mesa recommends continuing to ice the cheeks until the swelling subsides. Dr. Mesa will request that you avoid vigorous exercise or activities for one to two weeks after the procedure.

Buccal Fat Removal FAQs:

Can I improve my “chipmunk cheeks” (chubby cheeks) with another procedure other than buccal fat excision, such as liposuction?

Buccal fat (Bichat’s fat or buccal fat pad) is a distinct encased fat pad within each the cheeks, located underneath the deep tissues that can’t be accessed easily with a liposuction cannula. Liposuction and skin tightening techniques don’t work as they do on other parts of the body.

At what age can a buccal fat excision be performed?

Candidates for buccal fat removal are patients of all ages. Patients from their 20’s to their 60’s can benefit from this facial sculpting procedure.

How much bruising occurs after buccal fat pad removal?

Since the incision is inside the mouth, bruising is minimal and not visible to others.

How soon can I go back to work or school after buccal fat excision surgery?

Most of the patients undergoing buccal fat removal surgery with Dr. Mesa typically feel fine after the procedure and return to work or school as early as the following day.

Do I need to stay in the hospital for buccal fat removal surgery?

No, you don’t. Buccal fat removal surgery with Dr. Mesa is an outpatient procedure. Therefore, you will be able to go home the same day, just right after the operation. Dr. Mesa performs the procedure with pure local anesthesia without oral or IV sedation. You can drive yourself safely to our office, and keep your procedure 100 percent confidential!

When will I see the results of buccal fat excision surgery?

Results start to appear at about the three-week mark following your procedure. The final results will become noticeable generally after six weeks when the swelling disappears. Your full results could take up to three or more months to fully settle in.

Will buccal fat removal surgery affect the parotid gland salivary tube or muscles inside the cheeks, such as the masseter muscle or pterygoid muscles or other structures?

Dr. Mesa is a very skilled board-certified plastic surgeon that performs hundreds of buccal fat removal surgeries. During the procedure, Dr. Mesa avoids damage to the parotid gland salivary tube or those muscles.

Can anything be done to help prevent or decrease the swelling after buccal fat removal surgery?

Swelling after buccal fat removal surgery will occur, but it is minimal. Following Dr. Mesa’s post-procedure instructions will further reduce the swelling. Sleeping with your head elevated and wearing the compression bandage around the cheeks until the next day is the most critical measure to decrease the swelling.

Will medical insurance pay for buccal fat removal?

No. This is a cosmetic procedure, and insurance does not cover it. Our office offers financing options, and we are happy to provide you the information in our business office.

Do you finance buccal fat removal surgery?

Yes, Dr. Mesa offers financing options. Buccal fat removal surgery can be paid with cash, all credit cards, and cashiers checks. Dr. Mesa offers medical financing for buccal fat removal surgery through two companies: CareCredit and Alphaeon Credit

Is Buccal Fat Removal Right For You?

If you inherited a round, chubby, or childish facial structure, your look can be enhanced with a customized facial procedure called buccal fat removal in NYC with Dr. Mesa. A rounded facial structure — a “baby face” or “chipmunk cheeks” — can make you look heavier, even if you are slim and in good physical condition.

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