The internet has met its next aesthetic beauty trend, buccal fat removal, which has seen thousands of women remove fat from their cheeks in order to don a more chiseled look. Celebrities like Chrissy Teigen have been open about having the procedure done, whilst rumours of others like Bella Hadid, Megan Fox, Dove Cameron and Lea Michele also having had buccal fat removed…but why?
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In the end, it’s all about the chiseled cheekbone.
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What is buccal fat?
The buccal fat pad, located in the midsection of the face between the cheeks and jaw, fills out the cheeks and shapes the natural roundness of a face. Some people have more buccal fat than others, which results in chubbier cheeks. People who have bigger buccal fat pads often look like they’ve got more of a cherubic, ‘baby face.’
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Why is buccal fat removal trending?
According to Google Trends, buccal fat removal searches have shot up dramatically since mid-December last year…why, you may ask? Celebrities have latched onto the trend and some are openly sharing their experiences of the procedure online.
Recently, Chrissy Teigen took to her Instagram stories, announcing that she had undergone a buccal fat removal procedure:
“I did that Dr. Diamond buccal fat removal thing here,” pointing to her face. “And since I quit drinking, I’m really seeing the results, and I like it. Yeah, I did it, what?”
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Other celebrities like Bella Hadid, Megan Fox, Dove Cameron and Lea Michele have all been rumoured to have undergone the procedure.
Users on TikTok have also been openly documenting their journeys with buccal fat removed (or, cheek reduction).
@samkarounos The swell was worth it 🤩 Full results seen at week 8 (im at week 2) #buccalremoval #fatdissolving ♬ BILLIE EILISH. – Armani White
Well, is it worth it? Opinions are divided, it depends where you’re coming from. According to Darren Smith, a New York based plastic surgeon speaking with CNN about the trend, there are three kinds of people who come in to get the procedure done.
The first kind are people who come in for buccal removal because they’ve got fuller cheeks, with more buccal fat. Patients undergo the procedure to remove this excess fat.
Then, there are those who opt for buccal fat removal who don’t necessarily have fuller cheeks, but are chasing the chiseled look. The majority of buccal fat removal cases popping up around now all tend to fall within this category. These patients are looking for a more sculpted, defined facial profile.
@sagarpatelaesthetics Slimmer face ☑️ #fyp #foryou #foryoupage #fypシ #plasticsurgery #plasticsurgeon #beforeandafter #buccalfatremoval #buccal #buccalfat #summervibes ♬ original sound – Josef
The third case occurs with older patients. As age progresses, buccal fat in cheeks tends to sag and droop with the skin. Partial or full removal of the buccal fat pads can minimise this jowly, drooped effect.
People are on the fence about it
Whilst there are thousands hopping on to the buccal fat removal train, there are also those cautioning against the procedure. Is it just another unattainable beauty standard we’ve invited in?
One TikTok user, @rachelcoolmua counters the trend with a makeup tutorial on how to enhance your fuller cheeks. She says:
“Plastic surgery to remove your fuller cheeks is trending? Not on my watch! Here’s how I use makeup to accentuate my round cheeks…because they’re cute!”
@rachelocoolmua Buccal fat removal can SUCK IT #roundface #roundfacecontour #fullface #contourtutorial #makeuptutorial #blush ♬ You Don’t Own Me – Lesly Gore
We can get behind any narrative that involves embracing your natural look, but there are others who have shared positive feedback about their procedures, like Jaci Marie Smith on TikTok, who says that the procedure has helped her feel more comfortable with her body type, where she had previously felt that her face didn’t match up with everything else.
@jacimariesmith Replying to @wheatykells ♬ original sound – jacimariesmith
In conclusion, if buccal fat removal is for you, then go for it. Though it’s healthier to walk into this procedure doing it for you, and not because of an internet trend, that will likely fade when the next big trend comes along. Who knows, maybe full cherubic cheeks is what the world will latch onto next. Then what?
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Feature Image: Instagram / @leamichile
