Cheek (Bichat) fat, located in the middle third of the cheek, just below the cheekbone. This fat plumps and adds fullness to the lower, outer part of the face. They are particularly visible in infancy and childhood. In adolescence, as the volume of cheek fat decreases, the central part of the cheeks becomes flatter, and the cheekbones and jawline become prominent. However, sometimes the presence of fatty tissue in the cheeks makes the cheeks look plump and the face look chubby and heavy. Bichat fat content remains virtually unchanged even when losing weight.
Cheek liposuction is safe and can be performed on people who want a finer and more rounded face.
Bichat cheek liposuction is usually performed under local anaesthesia or sedation and usually takes about 40 minutes.
During the surgery, an incision about a centimetre long is made in the oral mucosa. Once the cheek fat is released, it is removed through the same incision site. In most cases, only a certain amount of this fat is removed to preserve the proportion of the face and the youthful volume of the cheeks. The oral mucosa is sutured with dissolving sutures that do not need to be removed.