A new plastic surgery or cosmetic procedure seems to trend every other day on social media. The number of viral cosmetic procedures promising to enhance or alter a person’s appearance is endless, from brow lifts to baby botox to lip fillers to laser resurfacing.
The current trend is to remove buccal fat. TikTok and Twitter are abuzz with speculation that certain celebrities have artificially hollowed out their cheeks through plastic surgery. NBC News reported that TikTok users criticize the trending procedure for perpetuating unrealistic beauty standards. Here’s what experts have to say.
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Buccal Fat: What Is It?
Dr. Basel Sharaf, practice chair at the Mayo Clinic’s Center for Aesthetic Medicine & Surgery, says buccal fat means cheek fat. It comprises skin, muscle, and fat layers, including subcutaneous fat and fat pads, which fit together like a jigsaw puzzle to give the face shape.
In plastic surgery, Dr. Jason Roostaeian, clinical professor at UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, explains that buccal fat is entirely genetic. Buccal fat volume can fluctuate with weight loss, but it most often remains constant.
Buccal Fat Removal: What Is It?
According to experts, buccal fat removal removes fat pads or portions from the face. Sharaf explains that this can reduce the fullness of the lower cheeks, highlight the cheekbones and facial structure, or slim the lower face. Sharaf says buccal fat removal is not new and has been around for 40 years.
Image Credit: Shutterstock/Rabizo Anatolii
Buccal Fat Removal: Risks And Benefits
Roostaeian says the procedure is powerful and wonderful but can also be overdone. Sharaf says overdone surgery could result in a considerable amount of fat being removed, which can create an apparent hollowing-out effect or change the appearance of the cheeks. Experts note that communication is critical, so patients understand the surgery and its implications. Sharaf says it’s important to discuss expectations with the patient to determine whether this procedure alone will achieve their goals.