Dear Dr. Pertsch: I read about a procedure called “Buccal Fat Removal” Do you do this…is it similar to a Facial Liposuction?
Thank you for your mail. Buccal fat pad removal and liposuction are both similar in that they both remove fat. Removal of the buccal fat pad results in a thinner looking face. After I have removed the buccal fat pad every patient (thus far) has received multiple compliments: “Have you lost weight?”. Its removal makes a round or full face look much thinner and more angular. This fat pad is about the size of the last part of your thumb. The buccal fat is a special packet of fat in the middle of your cheek. To demonstrate where it is on yourself: clench your jaws, start at the corners of your mouth and inch your fingers toward your earlobes. When your index finger strikes a hard edge (the anterior part of the masseter muscle) stop! Your long finger is now over the center of the buccal fat pad. You can mimic the look of buccal fat pad removal by sucking your cheeks in a little bit. The fat pad can easily be removed under IV local anesthesia with the access inside your mouth. There is minim
