01
Conservative Partial Removal
A measured portion of the pad is removed rather than the whole structure, producing definition while leaving volume for the decades ahead. This is our default approach in almost every case.
Face Procedure 11 · Buccal Fat Removal
Buccal Fat Removal in Dubai
Twenty minutes, no external scar, and a permanent change to the lower face. Which is precisely why it deserves a careful conversation before you book it — this is one procedure that cannot be undone.
Board-Certified Surgeons
DHA-licensed surgical facility
Conservative by Default
A measured portion, not the whole pad
No External Scar
Access entirely inside the mouth
We Decline Where Unsuited
Already-slim faces are advised against it
In Short
Buccal fat removal takes out the buccal fat pad, a discrete pad of fat in the lower cheek, through a small incision inside the mouth. It slims the lower face and emphasises cheekbone definition, leaves no external scar, and takes around twenty to forty minutes under local anaesthetic. The result is permanent and cannot be reversed, which is why candidate selection matters — patients with naturally slim faces are usually advised against it.
- Anaesthetic
- Local or sedation
- Procedure time
- 20–40 minutes
- Hospital stay
- Day case
- Back to work
- 3–5 days
- Swelling settles
- 2–4 weeks
- Final result
- 3–6 months
The Procedure
What Is Buccal Fat Removal?
The buccal fat pad is a discrete, encapsulated pad of fat sitting deep in the cheek, between the facial muscles. It is separate from the subcutaneous fat that changes with your weight, which is why some slim, well-trained people still have full lower cheeks. Removing or reducing it slims the lower face and allows the cheekbone above to read more clearly.
The procedure is short and technically straightforward in experienced hands. A small incision is made inside the cheek, the pad is identified and a measured portion removed, and the incision is closed with dissolving sutures. There is no external scar and most patients are back at work within a few days.
The part that requires real care is candidate selection, not surgery. Faces lose volume with age, and removing structural fat in your twenties can contribute to a gaunt, hollow appearance in your forties. It cannot be undone — replacing it later means fat grafting, which does not restore the original anatomy. Elora declines this procedure for patients whose faces are already slim.
Techniques & Options
Your Buccal Fat Removal Options
02
Combined With Chin or Jaw Definition
Slimming the lower cheek alongside a chin or jaw implant defines the lower face from two directions at once, and often achieves the intended look with less fat removed.
03
Combined With Facial Fat Transfer
Occasionally the correct answer is not only removal but redistribution — reducing lower cheek fullness while adding volume over the cheekbone, so definition comes from contrast rather than hollowing.
Candidacy
Is Buccal Fat Removal Right for You?
You are likely a good candidate if
- Genuine lower cheek fullness that persists at a stable, healthy weight
- Rounded lower face with limited natural cheekbone definition
- Facial maturity — generally mid-twenties and above
- Realistic expectations of a subtle change rather than dramatic change
- Understand fully that the result is permanent
This may not be the right procedure if
- Already slim or narrow faces — removal will accelerate ageing
- Very young patients whose facial fullness is likely to reduce naturally
- Low body fat with prominent facial structure already
- Expecting a jawline transformation, which this procedure does not deliver
- Any uncertainty about permanence — this is not a reversible decision
How Buccal Fat Removal Is Performed, Step by Step
1
01
Careful Assessment
Your surgeon assesses lower face fullness, cheekbone projection, skin quality and facial fat distribution. This conversation ends in a recommendation against surgery reasonably often.
2
02
Planning the Extent
How much of the pad to remove is decided in advance, weighted toward conservatism because more can be taken later but nothing can be put back.
3
03
Anaesthesia
Local anaesthetic, with light sedation if you prefer. The procedure is short and most patients are comfortable throughout.
4
04
Intraoral Access
A small incision is made inside the cheek, opposite the upper molars. No external incision is made at any point.
5
05
Measured Removal
The pad is gently identified and a measured portion removed, with symmetry checked directly between sides before closure.
6
06
Closure and Recovery
Dissolving sutures close the incision. A soft diet and antiseptic mouthwash are advised for the first week.
Techniques Compared
Buccal Fat Removal Compared With Alternatives
| Buccal Fat Removal | Facial Liposuction | Skin Tightening Devices | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Targets | Deep buccal fat pad | Superficial fat | Skin laxity |
| Permanence | Permanent, irreversible | Permanent | Temporary, repeatable |
| External scar | None | Small sites | None |
| Downtime | 3–5 days | 5–7 days | None |
| Reversible | No | No | N/A |
| Long-term ageing effect | May increase hollowing | Minimal | None |
| Best for | True buccal fullness | Superficial jawline and neck fat | Mild laxity |
The Honest View
Benefits and What to Consider
Benefits
- Slims the lower face and defines the cheekbone above
- No external scar — access is entirely inside the mouth
- Short procedure, usually under local anaesthetic
- Return to work within three to five days
- Permanent, with no maintenance required
- Combines readily with chin or jaw definition procedures
What to consider
This procedure is permanent and cannot be reversed, and that is its most important characteristic. Because faces lose volume with age, removing structural fat can contribute to a hollow appearance in later decades — which is why we remove conservatively and decline patients whose faces are already slim. Risks include infection, asymmetry, swelling, and rarely injury to the facial nerve or salivary duct. Your surgeon will give you a frank assessment, including recommending against it where appropriate.
Recovery
Your Recovery Timeline
Days 1–3
Swelling peaks and cheeks may look fuller than before surgery. Soft diet and antiseptic mouthwash.
Days 3–5
Most patients return to work. Swelling begins to reduce noticeably.
Weeks 1–2
Normal diet resumes. Internal sutures dissolve on their own.
Weeks 2–4
Swelling largely resolved and the change begins to be visible.
Months 1–3
Contour continues to refine as the deep tissue settles.
Months 3–6
Final result, and the point at which the change should be judged.
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What Our Patients Say
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“
Very friendly and professional.
— Alireza Mahmoudian, Verified Google Review
Frequently Asked Questions
Is buccal fat removal permanent?
Yes, entirely. The fat pad does not regenerate. This is the procedure's main appeal and its main risk — there is no undoing it, and replacing volume later requires fat grafting, which does not restore the original anatomy.
Will it make me look older later?
It can, in the wrong candidate. Faces lose volume naturally with age, and removing structural fat in a face that is already slim accelerates a hollow appearance in the forties and beyond. This is exactly why we remove conservatively and decline patients who are not suited.
Will it give me a sharper jawline?
Only indirectly. Buccal fat sits above the jawline, not along it, so removal slims the lower cheek rather than defining the jaw. If jawline definition is your actual goal, a jaw implant or submental liposuction is more likely to achieve it.
Are there any visible scars?
None. The incision is made entirely inside the mouth, opposite the upper molars, and closes with dissolving sutures. There is no external incision at any point.
How much of a difference will I see?
Subtle rather than dramatic, and it emerges gradually as swelling settles over three to six months. Patients expecting a transformation are usually disappointed; patients wanting refinement are usually pleased.
Can I have it done with other procedures?
Yes, and it is frequently combined with chin or jaw implants, rhinoplasty, or facial fat transfer. Combining often means less fat needs removing to achieve the intended look, which is a better long-term outcome.
Why might you refuse to perform it?
If your face is already slim, if you are young enough that facial fullness is likely to reduce naturally, or if what you are describing would be better solved by a jaw implant or fat transfer. Declining is a legitimate outcome of a consultation, and we would rather do that than perform an irreversible procedure you regret.
How much does buccal fat removal cost in Dubai?
At Elora, buccal fat removal is AED 8,000. Your exact quote is confirmed at your free surgical consultation, and depends on whether the procedure is combined with chin, jaw or fat transfer work.
A Frank Assessment Before an Irreversible Decision
A free consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon: your lower face fullness, cheekbone projection and facial fat distribution assessed honestly — including telling you if this is not the right procedure for your face.