BICHECTOMY. The “fat buccal removal” is a cosmetic surgery operation whose objective is to remove fat from the cheeks to have more prominent cheekbones. Trend on social networks and among some celebrities like Bella Hadid, it can be disastrous and difficult to reverse on some faces.
the “fat buccal removal” is a news cosmetic surgery trend which consists of having the fat removed from the cheeks to obtain a “hollow” effect. This operation available in France, called bichectomy or removal of Bichat ballsaims to redraw the lines of the face, making the cheekbones and the angles of the jaw more prominent. On TikTok, the #buccalfatremoval trend has 6.3 million views making it theone of the most popular beauty trends of 2023. Bella Hadid, the model Chrissy Teige or the actress Lea Michele are among the celebrities who have had recourse to “fat buccal removal”. But beware ! “Young people want to get ahead of the biological clock and 10 years later it makes them look older and look bad.” warns Dr. Skander Hendaoui, cosmetic surgeon we contacted. “It is essential to be very demanding in terms of indication and to ensure that the desired effect is that which the operation will produce. On some faces the effect can be disastrous and difficult to reverse. The surgeon’s job is to select eligible patients” insists the specialist.
What is bichectomy?
Bichectomy consists of remove Bichat balls, fat pads naturally located deep in the cheek between the cheekbone and the jawbone. “They are about the size of a nut although their size varies between individuals“ says Dr. Hendaoui. Some people have more “chubbier” cheeks than others. Their volume is constant throughout life. “The superficial surrounding fat tends to decrease with age and give a more sunken appearance to the cheeks.s” underlines the expert.
What is the objective of bichectomy?
Bichectomy gives a hollow aspect to the cheeks and redraws the mandibular lines to make the cheekbones more prominent. “Furthermore, bichectomy reduces the chubby effect of the face“says Dr. Hendaoui.
“Psychological state must be assessed”
“I recommend an operation under general anesthesia because it can be painful under local anesthesia. Grease can be difficult to “fetch”. I practice an incision inside the mouth at the level of the cheeks or the gums and I push the ball out little by little. You have to be careful not to be traumatic in the process, be meticulous in the gestures” develops the expert. The operation lasts about thirty minutes. It is necessary to be off for a weekswelling will be visible for 2 to 3 weeks. The final result is observed after 3 months.
What are the contraindications to bichectomy?
Like all operations, the health of the patient must be checked before performing this surgery and in particular the risks associated with general anesthesia. “Psychological status should be assessed : I check that my patients’ expectations are in line with the results that the operation will give” underlines the surgeon. Overweight people must first lose weight before they can perform the operation. “People with thin faces have a contraindication to perform this operation. And that’s what caused the controversy over the operation” argues Dr. Hendaoui. Bichectomy is interesting for people with round and chubby faces but will cause an aging and bad-looking effect in the long term to a person with an already thin face. “On a thin person, we can propose the alternative which consists in giving an impression of hollowed cheeks by carrying out an injection at the level of the cheekbones and the mandibular line” informs our interlocutor.
Is bichectomy reversible?
Bichectomy is difficult to reverse because the fat removed is located in depth. “Fat injections are usually located on the surface so it will not be possible to reproduce the nature before the operation“notes the surgeon.
What are the dangers of bichectomy?
The classic complications of the operation are bleeding and bruising sometimes with superinfection. “The facial nerve responsible for the mobility of the face, the “mimics”, can be affected if the operation is carried out aggressively which will cause a numbness or paralysis of the face. A canal lesion which pushes saliva out of the parotid (salivary gland) into the mouth with swelling is possible although very rare” emphasizes Dr. Hendaoui. In addition, a small facial asymmetry can be noticed if more fat is removed from one side than the other. Removing buccal fat can cause an aging effect of facial appearance if performed on a thin-faced patient. An article published in the National Library of Medicine in August 2021, of which Dr. Ira Savetsky is one of the co-authors, already mentioned the fact that this surgery has “the possibility of causing premature aging and long-term midface distortion“.
What is the cost of the operation?
In France, bichectomy costs between 3000 to 3500 euro. It is not covered by health insurance.
Thanks to Dr. Skander Hendaouiplastic surgeon.