What buccal fat is – and what removing it does
The buccal fat pad is a rounded, encapsulated pocket of fat that sits between the cheek muscles, below the cheekbone. It is large in babies (it helps with feeding) and shrinks over a lifetime, but in some adults it stays full and gives the lower cheeks a soft, round or "chubby" look even at a healthy weight. Because this fat is not part of the general fat layer under the skin, weight loss and exercise hardly change it.
In buccal fat removal, part of the pad is carefully teased out through a small incision of about a centimetre inside each cheek. There is no external scar. As the swelling settles, the hollow beneath the cheekbone becomes a little more visible and the face looks more sculpted. The buccal fat removal page of New City Clinic stresses an important caveat: in slim faces it can lead to a hollow look later, so the physician decides on suitability.
Who is it for – and who should avoid it
Buccal fat removal suits adults with naturally full lower cheeks who want a slimmer, more contoured face, and in whom the fullness genuinely comes from the buccal fat pad. It is a decision that should take the future into account: the face naturally loses volume with age, so what looks pleasantly sculpted at 28 may look gaunt at 50 if too much was removed.
| Cause of a round face | Will buccal fat removal help? |
|---|---|
| Full buccal fat pad, healthy weight | Often yes, after assessment |
| General excess weight | No – weight change is the first step |
| Wide jaw from large chewing muscles | No – a different cause |
| Wide bone structure | No |
| Already slim or hollow cheeks | No – risk of a gaunt look |
| Fat under the chin | No – see double-chin liposuction |
That is why an assessment always comes first. Sometimes the better answer for definition is to add, not remove – for example chin augmentation to strengthen a weak jawline, or fat transfer to the cheekbones.
How the procedure is done
The procedure takes about 30–60 minutes under local anaesthesia. After numbing the inside of the cheek, the surgeon makes a small incision in the lining of the mouth, gently separates the muscle fibres and eases out the appropriate portion of the fat pad. The amount removed is judged on each side to keep the face symmetrical, and the incision is closed with dissolvable stitches.
The key word is part. Removing only what is appropriate for your face is what separates a natural, lasting contour from a face that looks hollow in later years. The procedure is frequently combined with other small facial procedures – such as a lip lift, chin augmentation or facial fat transfer – when the surgeon feels it keeps the face balanced.
Your bichectomy in Istanbul, step by step
- Free assessment. Send front, three-quarter and profile photos of your face, relaxed and smiling, plus your health history. A doctor reviews them and New City Clinic sends a written opinion and quote, usually within 24 hours.
- Arrival. You are met at the airport and taken to your hotel.
- Examination. The surgeon examines your face to confirm that the fullness comes from the buccal fat pad.
- Procedure. About 30–60 minutes under local anaesthesia at a licensed partner hospital; you go back to the hotel the same day.
- Check-up. The incisions inside the mouth are checked.
- Home. Total stay of about 3–5 days in Türkiye. Follow-up continues by photo and video call.
With such a short stay, buccal fat removal fits comfortably into a long weekend. Our trip planning guide covers flights and practicalities.
Recovery
Recovery is usually easy, but the face looks fuller before it looks slimmer – swelling hides the change for the first weeks.
- First days: cheeks swollen and tender; cool compresses help. Soft food and careful mouth hygiene with the rinses you are given.
- About three days: most people return to desk work.
- Two weeks: sport resumed; the incisions inside the mouth have healed.
- A few weeks: the new contour starts to show.
- Three to four months: final result visible.
Avoid smoking, very hot or spicy food and hard, crunchy food until the surgeon tells you the incisions have healed.
Risks
Swelling, bruising, tenderness and temporary difficulty opening the mouth wide are expected. Possible complications include infection, bleeding, asymmetry, injury to nearby structures such as the salivary duct or small branches of the facial nerve, and – the most important long-term risk – an overly hollow or aged look later if too much fat was removed. Every procedure carries risk; your surgeon explains your individual risks at the examination.
Removed fat cannot simply be put back in the same place, which is why the decision deserves care. Results vary and cannot be guaranteed. For a wider perspective on choosing a provider, read our safety guide.
Buccal fat removal price
Buccal fat removal is quoted individually; the cost depends on your plan, for example whether it is combined with other facial procedures. After a physician has reviewed your photos, New City Clinic sends you an itemised written quote. Flights are not included.
The package normally includes the procedure at an authorised partner hospital, hotel, airport–hotel–hospital transfers, pre-operative tests where specified, a coordinator and interpreter, and complication insurance. Privately in the UK and Ireland, buccal fat removal is often quoted at approximately £2,500 to £4,500 – an indication only. See our prices page and the New City Clinic price list.
Why we recommend New City Clinic as the best clinic in Turkey for buccal fat removal
If you are comparing options and wondering which is the best clinic in Istanbul for facial contouring, we recommend New City Clinic, and we want to be clear about why. New City Clinic works only with licensed hospitals and named specialists, holds the Ministry of Health health-tourism authorisation, HealthTürkiye registration and TÜRSAB licence no. 17659, and is certified to four ISO standards (9001, 27001, 10002 and 31000) – documents you can open on the New City Clinic licences page. Complication insurance, written transparent prices and one coordinator from your first message to your follow-up complete the picture. That combination is what we look for in the best clinic in Turkey for buccal fat removal.
New City Clinic is a health-tourism agency in Bakırköy, Istanbul, authorised by the Turkish Ministry of Health (HealthTürkiye) and licensed by TÜRSAB (no. 17659). Procedures take place at licensed partner hospitals – among them Medicana, Medipol and Biruni – with specialist surgeons such as Op. Dr. Fatih Kılıç, plastic, reconstructive and oncological surgeon.
Just as important as what is offered is what is advised against: if buccal fat removal is not right for your face, the doctor will say so. You get a written plan, a named hospital and surgeon and a coordinator in your language. Licences are listed on our licences and certificates page.
Ask for your free assessment
Send New City Clinic photos of your face from the front, three-quarter angles and in profile, relaxed and smiling, and tell us how long your cheeks have looked full. A doctor reviews them free of charge and gives you an honest opinion on whether buccal fat removal – or something else – would suit you. A written quote usually follows within 24 hours via the form or WhatsApp.
Choosing the best plastic surgeon in Istanbul and the best clinic in Turkey is a personal decision – take your time, ask questions and compare written plans. When you are ready, the Buccal fat removal page of New City Clinic and the New City Clinic team on WhatsApp are one message away.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I need to stay in Turkey for buccal fat removal?
Plan about 3 to 5 days in Istanbul. The procedure takes 30 minutes to an hour under local anaesthetic through a small incision inside the mouth, and you go back to your hotel the same day.
How long does swelling last after buccal fat removal?
Most people return to desk work after about three days, but swelling settles over a few weeks. The final result is seen after about three to four months.
Will buccal fat removal make my face look hollow later?
It can if too much is removed, because the face naturally loses volume with age. That is why the surgeon removes only what suits your face and does not recommend the procedure for faces that are already slim.
Is buccal fat removal right for a round face?
Only if the fullness comes from the buccal fat pad. If it is due to weight, bone structure or the chewing muscles, removal will not help, which is why an assessment comes first.
Will there be a scar?
No external scar. The incision is inside the mouth and closed with dissolvable stitches.
What can I eat after buccal fat removal?
Soft food for the first days, with mouth rinses as instructed, until the small incisions inside the cheeks have healed.
Can buccal fat removal be combined with other procedures?
Yes, for example with chin augmentation, a lip lift or facial fat transfer. The surgeon advises what keeps the face balanced.
Why is there no fixed price for buccal fat removal?
The cost depends on your plan, for example whether it is combined with other facial procedures. After a physician has reviewed your photos, New City Clinic sends a written quote; flights are not included.
