Buccal fat removal at a glance
- Duration30 min
- AnaesthesiaLocal with sedation, or general
- Hospital stayDay surgery
- Social downtime0 to 7 days
- Final result3 months
- Price€1,500 to €3,000
The buccal fat pads (boules de Bichat) are pads of fat located inside the cheeks. When they are large, they give a round face and full cheeks. Reducing them (bichectomy) slims the lower face through a 1 to 2 cm incision inside the mouth: no scar is visible. The procedure is carried out as day surgery at Clinique Oxford in Cannes, under local anaesthesia with sedation or under general anaesthesia. The operation takes 30 minutes. Social downtime is 0 to 7 days; the result is final at 3 months.
Price: €1,500 to €3,000, on a written quote after a consultation (€100).
What is a buccal fat pad?
The buccal fat pad (boule de Bichat in French) is a pad of fat located inside the cheek, extending up towards the temple. Its volume varies from one person to another; when it is large, the cheeks look round, even in a slim person. With age, this pad naturally shrinks.
Before: large buccal fat pads make the cheeks look round.
- 1Buccal fat pad: a pad of fat inside the cheek
- 2Its extension towards the temple
- 3Incision of 1 to 2 cm inside the mouth
- 4Salivary duct (Stensen’s duct), preserved
Buccal fat removal or cheek liposuction?
Reduction of the buccal fat pads is the standard technique for slimming round cheeks caused by these fat pads. Cheek liposuction is not an option: it would carry a risk of injury to the facial nerve, which controls the muscles of the face.
Why not remove the whole buccal fat pad?
The buccal fat pads should not be removed entirely. With ageing, these pads naturally shrink: complete removal would leave the cheeks too hollow with age. Dr Médard de Chardon therefore reduces their volume as requested, preserving part of the fat.
Dr Médard de Chardon’s experience
- Qualified plastic surgeon in plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgery, former Chef de Clinique (university hospital senior registrar), Nice Faculty of Medicine; in practice in Cannes since 2011; member of SOFCEP (French Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery), SOFCPRE (French Society of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery) and ISAPS (International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery).
- Performs facial contouring surgery: genioplasty (chin surgery), chin and cheek implants, facial fat grafting (lipostructure).
How does the procedure work?
- ConsultationWith Dr Médard de Chardon (€100): analysis of the face, checking that the fullness of the cheeks is indeed due to the buccal fat pads, written quote. A statutory 15-day cooling-off period applies before any cosmetic surgery.
- Pre-anaesthetic consultationBefore the procedure.
- ProcedureAt Clinique Oxford in Cannes, as day surgery, under local anaesthesia with sedation or under general anaesthesia.
- TechniqueA 1 to 2 cm incision inside the mouth, access to the fat compartment and reduction of the volume of the buccal fat pad. The stitches are dissolvable; there is no drain.
- Follow-upCheck-up appointments at day 10 and month 3.
What is the recovery like?
- Moderate pain.
- Bruising is rare.
- Ice to be applied to the cheeks for the first few days.
- Swelling of the cheeks, which partly hides the result for the first few days.
- Eating and oral hygiene: precautions for 10 days.
- Social downtime: 0 to 7 days.
- Sport: can be resumed from day 7.
- No stitches to remove and no drain.
- Final result at 3 months, partly hidden by the swelling until then. The scar is invisible.
Where will you be?
14 days after the procedure
What are the risks?
The risks are rare, but you should be aware of them:
- haematoma: a blood clot in the fat compartment, causing significant swelling and requiring drainage;
- infection: exceptional;
- injury to the facial nerve: exceptional, thanks to the precision of the technique;
- injury to the salivary duct (Stensen’s duct): exceptional, thanks to the precision of the technique.
Choosing a qualified, experienced and reputable surgeon reduces these risks, and can even eliminate some of them.
How much does buccal fat removal cost?
€1,500 to €3,000
The preliminary consultation costs €100. The procedure costs from €1,500 to €3,000, on a written quote. Cosmetic surgery is not covered by French national health insurance (Assurance Maladie).
Book an appointment: +33 (0)4 93 68 86 68 or Doctolib.
Frequently asked questions about buccal fat removal
Does buccal fat removal leave a scar?
No. The 1 to 2 cm incision is made inside the mouth and closed with dissolvable stitches: no scar is visible.
Is the result of buccal fat removal permanent?
Yes. The result is final at 3 months, once the swelling has gone. The fat removed does not grow back.
Is there a risk of hollow cheeks with age?
No, if the buccal fat pad is only reduced. This is why Dr Médard de Chardon never removes it entirely: these pads naturally shrink with age.
Can cheek liposuction be done instead?
No. Cheek liposuction would carry a risk of injury to the facial nerve. Reduction of the buccal fat pads, through the inside of the mouth, is the appropriate technique.
How long does the swelling last after buccal fat removal?
The swelling of the cheeks partly hides the result for the first few days, then gradually goes down; the result is final at 3 months. Ice helps to reduce it.
When can I return to sport after buccal fat removal?
From day 7 after the procedure.
How much does buccal fat removal cost in Cannes?
The preliminary consultation costs €100. The procedure costs from €1,500 to €3,000.