Dr. Sheen places the incisions inside your mouth, along the inner cheek. This means you should not have visible scars on the outside of your face from a standalone buccal fat removal procedure.
Buccal Fat Removal in Plano
Define Your Natural Facial Structure
Treatment Overview
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Surgery Length Varies
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Downtime 3 to 7 days
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Recovery Time About 3 Weeks
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Duration of Results Long-lasting
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Anesthetic/Numbing Local anesthesia, sedation, or general anesthesia
Refine Full or Rounded Cheeks
Buccal fat removal reduces fullness between the cheekbones and jawline by removing a portion of the buccal fat pads. Because facial shape and fat distribution vary, Dr. Derek Sheen carefully evaluates your proportions before recommending surgery.
This procedure addresses:
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Fullness in the lower cheeks
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Limited cheekbone definition
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A bottom-heavy facial shape
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Uneven buccal fat pad size
Consultation
Treatment
Results
A More Defined Facial Shape
Buccal fat is a natural pad of fat located between the cheekbones and jaw. Everyone has these fat pads, but their size differs between patients and may even vary from one side of the face to the other.
For patients with lower-cheek fullness, our buccal fat removal in Plano can highlight the natural structure of the cheekbones and create a more defined transition toward the jawline. Dr. Sheen removes a carefully selected amount of fat based on your anatomy, considering the way each facial region relates to the others.
Read more about this process below.
A More Defined Facial Shape
Buccal fat is a natural pad of fat located between the cheekbones and jaw. Everyone has these fat pads, but their size differs between patients and may even vary from one side of the face to the other.
For patients with lower-cheek fullness, our buccal fat removal in Plano can highlight the natural structure of the cheekbones and create a more defined transition toward the jawline. Dr. Sheen removes a carefully selected amount of fat based on your anatomy, considering the way each facial region relates to the others.
Read more about this process below.
Who Is Buccal Fat Removal For?
Ideal candidates generally have fuller or rounded cheeks, maintain a stable weight, and are in good overall health. You should also understand what the surgery can accomplish and pursue it based on your own preferences.
This procedure is not right for every face shape. Patients with thin or narrow faces may not benefit because removing cheek volume can produce a gaunt appearance as aging pulls the fat pads downward. Dr. Sheen considers your cheekbones, jawline, chin, skin quality, and expected aging pattern before recommending surgery.
How Buccal Fat Removal Works
Before surgery, Dr. Sheen reviews your health history, previous procedures, prescriptions, supplements, and aesthetic goals. He may also take photographs to document your facial structure and support treatment planning.
During surgery, you receive anesthesia based on your procedure and whether you are combining it with another facial surgery. Dr. Sheen creates a small incision inside each cheek, gently exposes the buccal fat pads, and removes the amount needed to improve your contours. He then closes the incisions inside your mouth, often with dissolvable sutures.
What to Expect During Recovery
Swelling, bruising, and temporary numbness around the incision sites can occur after surgery. Your postoperative plan may include a special mouth rinse to promote cleanliness and reduce infection risk. You may also need to follow a liquid diet for the first day or 2 before slowly adding soft foods.
Many patients return to routine activities within a few days to 1 week, once Dr. Sheen approves. More complete healing takes about 3 weeks. However, swelling can temporarily hide the new cheek contour, so you may not see your final result for several months.
Buccal Fat Removal Results
As swelling decreases, your lower cheeks should appear less full and your natural cheekbone structure may become more visible.
Dr. Sheen tailors each buccal fat removal in Plano to the individual instead of using a standard amount of fat removal for every patient. This measured approach supports facial balance and reduces the chance of creating a hollow or overly sharp appearance.
The removed fat does not return, but aging, weight changes, and natural volume loss can continue to affect your face. Maintaining a stable weight and following Dr. Sheen’s guidance can help preserve a balanced contour over time.
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Related Facial Procedures
Initial healing often takes about 3 weeks, but residual swelling may continue to obscure the final outcome. Most patients see their results develop over several months.
Buccal fat removal can make the face look too thin if the procedure removes too much fat or if a patient already has a narrow facial shape. Facial fat also decreases naturally with age, so aggressive removal may become more noticeable over time.
Dr. Sheen evaluates your current proportions, cheekbone structure, skin quality, and expected aging pattern before recommending buccal fat removal in Plano. He may advise against surgery if preserving cheek volume would better support your long-term appearance.
All surgeries carry risks. Potential concerns associated with buccal fat removal include infection, bleeding, numbness, changes in sensation, asymmetry, facial nerve injury, and salivary duct injury.
