Face · Gurugram
Buccal Fat Removal
A small procedure with a long time horizon. Removing buccal fat is permanent, and faces get thinner with age rather than fuller.
01 · Understanding the concern
Why patients consider this
Lower cheek fullness can make a face read as round regardless of body weight. The buccal fat pad is a discrete structure in the lower cheek, and reducing it can narrow the mid-to-lower face. The important part of the conversation is not the technique, which is straightforward, but whether it is a good idea for the particular face in front of us.
02 · The procedure
What buccal fat removal involves
Through a small incision inside the cheek, a portion of the buccal fat pad is identified and partially removed. The amount taken is deliberately conservative, since the pad cannot be replaced once removed and the face continues to lose volume with age. There is no external scar.
03 · Candidacy
Who may be considered
This is general guidance rather than a diagnosis. Suitability is decided by examination.
- Genuine lower cheek fullness that persists at a stable weight
- A younger face with adequate facial volume overall
- Realistic understanding that the change is subtle and permanent
- Good dental and gum health
- Not appropriate for already narrow or volume-depleted faces
What it can address
Concerns it is used for
- Fullness in the lower cheek
- A rounded lower face contour
- Definition below the cheekbone, modestly
04 · Planning
Why the planning matters more than the technique
This is one of the procedures most often requested for the wrong reasons. Where facial fullness is due to overall weight, masseter muscle bulk, or skin laxity, removing buccal fat will not address it and may cause hollowing later. Declining to operate is a legitimate outcome of this consultation.
05 · How it works
Step by step
- 01
Assessment
Examination to confirm the fullness is buccal fat rather than another cause.
- 02
Counselling
Discussion of the permanence and how the face is likely to change with age.
- 03
Access
Small incision inside the cheek.
- 04
Conservative removal
A measured portion of the pad is removed, with symmetry assessed.
- 05
Closure
Dissolving sutures inside the mouth.
- 06
Review
Follow-up once swelling has settled.
06 · The procedure journey
Before, during and after
Before
Dental check where relevant, and instructions on oral hygiene before the procedure.
During
Usually local anaesthetic with or without sedation. A short procedure.
After
Swelling inside and outside the cheeks for one to two weeks, with a soft diet initially.
07 · Recovery
What recovery generally involves
Most people return to work within a few days. Swelling initially makes the cheeks look fuller, not slimmer, which is expected. Final contour is assessed at around three months.
Recovery times are general ranges. Your own timeline depends on the extent of treatment, your health and your work, and is given at consultation.
- Soft diet and salt water rinses as instructed
- No vigorous exercise for the period advised
- Expect the cheeks to look fuller before they look slimmer
- Maintain oral hygiene carefully
- Attend the review
08 · Outcomes
What to expect from the result
A modest narrowing of the lower cheek. The change is permanent and cannot be reversed if the face later becomes volume-depleted. Results vary and are not guaranteed.
09 · Safety
Risks and considerations
Risks include asymmetry, over-resection producing a hollowed appearance in later years, injury to the facial nerve branches or duct within the cheek, infection, and bleeding. Conservative removal and careful case selection are the main safeguards.
No procedure is risk-free. A full, individual discussion of risk forms part of consent and takes place before any decision is made.
10 · The surgeon
Why Dr. Swikriti Raniwala
The surgeon who assesses you performs the procedure and reviews you afterwards. Surgical work takes place in accredited surgical facilities with board-certified anaesthesiologists, and you leave the consultation with the plan and the costs in writing.
In Gurugram
Buccal Fat Removal is performed at SWI Infinity in Gurugram, with patients travelling from across Gurugram and Delhi NCR, including Golf Course Road, Sushant Lok, the DLF Phases and the surrounding sectors. If you are travelling from further afield, say so when booking so consultation and follow-up can be scheduled together.
Dr. Swikriti Raniwala
Questions patients ask
Buccal Fat Removal: common questions
Will it give me defined cheekbones?
It narrows the lower cheek rather than augmenting the cheekbone. Definition may improve modestly, but it is not a cheekbone procedure.
Is it reversible?
No. The fat pad cannot be restored once removed, though fat transfer can add volume elsewhere if hollowing develops.
Will my face look gaunt later?
That is the main long-term risk, which is why removal is conservative and why some patients are advised against it.
Is there a visible scar?
No. The incision is inside the cheek.
How long is the recovery?
A few days before returning to work, with swelling for one to two weeks and final contour at around three months.
Can it be combined with other procedures?
Yes, it is often performed alongside other facial work.
Consultation
Discuss buccal fat removal
Consultations are with Dr. Raniwala. You will leave with a written plan, including the alternatives considered and the costs involved.
Or WhatsApp the clinic on +91 7017193675 · info@swiinfinity.com
