Bichectomy
Bichectomy or buccal fat pad removal is a cosmetic surgery procedure with highly satisfactory results. It’s a simple, quick procedure with no external scarring, which is winning over more and more patients. It helps to sculpt the features of the lower face, and to refine the cheeks, offering a more dynamic, more defined face.
What is a bichectomy?
Bichectomy is a cosmetic surgery procedure that involves reducing the fatty structures present in the thickness of the cheek. Also known as “Bichat’s balls”, these are located between the lower jaw and the temple, at cheek level.
The aim is to hollow out the shape of the cheeks, lengthening the curves of the face and making it appear less round.
What are Bichat’s balls?
Bichat’s balls are small, individualized lumps of fat in the cheeks. Present in everyone to a greater or lesser extent, they give the face a rounded appearance.
In some people, they can be particularly developed, even in slim people, and weigh down the face.
Reasons to operate on Bichat’s balls?
Bichectomy is designed for patients who wish to reduce the roundness of their cheeks to obtain more defined features (Slimming Effect). The reduction of the Bichat balls will modify the curves and bring out the cheekbones (correcting proportions). The face then appears more defined and dynamic.
This surgery is indicated for both men and women.
Bichectomy can help individuals feel more comfortable and satisfied with their facial aesthetics (boosting confidence)
This surgery is best suited to patients complaining of the following:
- Cheeks that are too round or chubby
- Heavy lower face
- Lack of definition of facial features
- Unconscious desire to suck in one’s cheeks when one knows one is being observed or in photos, for example
Precautions to be taken prior to bichectomy
Bichectomy is not a slimming procedure. It is intended for people of stable weight. Patients aiming for overall weight loss should consider a bichectomy once they have reached their ideal weight. During an initial consultation, your surgeon will tell you whether this procedure is right for you and may suggest other solutions.
As with all surgical procedures, we recommend that you adopt a healthy lifestyle and stop smoking.
If you are taking any medications that may cause bleeding (anticoagulants, aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs, etc.), you should stop taking them seven days before the operation, as advised by your doctor.
How is a bichectomy performed at Leman Aesthetic Clinic?
Bichectomy is a fast, minimally invasive facial surgical procedure. It is performed on an outpatient basis, under local anesthetic or with intravenous sedation. The operation takes around 30 minutes. Incisions are made in the cheek, inside the mouth. The Bichat’s ball is partially removed to avoid creating an excessively hollow face. No scars are visible on the face. The surgical wound is closed with absorbable stitches that disappear in a few days.
Recovery: Bichat ball surgery
The post-operative course of the bichectomy is straightforward. Pain is slight and easily soothed by simple analgesics. The cheeks are a little swollen for a few days, but bruising is rare. No nursing care is required after the procedure. The oral mucosa heals spontaneously within a few days. You can resume your usual activities the very next day.
What results can be expected after Bichat ball surgery?
The results of Bichat ball surgery can be appreciated progressively, with the disappearance of edema, after around 3 to 6 weeks.
They are definitive after 3 months. Refined cheeks redefine facial curves. Shapes appear more structured, and cheekbones are better defined, giving the features a sense of purpose and confidence.
The price of a bichectomy at Leman Aesthetic Clinic
The cost of a Bichectomy starts at CHF 3,500. A personalized quote is systematically provided during the first consultation.