What Is Buccal Fat Removal? Cosmetic Surgery Procedure Trends in Hollywood

While Hollywood is a world-renowned hub for making superstars of everyday people, it has also become something of a de facto capital of cosmetic surgery.

With every celebrity whose beauty dazzles on the silver screen comes questions about whether their looks were achieved with a little surgical help.

Although countless public figures have undergone numerous procedures to achieve what might be seen as the perfect visage or body of the time, only a relatively small number are forthcoming about having done so.

As such, buccal fat pad removal became a trending topic on social media this week, as a host of Twitter users speculated about whether certain celebrities had leaned on the facial procedure. They also discussed the perceived downsides.

"This is what every single celebrity who gets buccal fat removal looks like. Sorry," wrote one person, who shared an image of SpongeBob SquarePants character Squidward in his more handsome form, showing sunken cheeks and a square jaw.

Another expressed frustration at the trend, stating that the baby face look that made model Devon Aoki famous should continue to be embraced.

"The buccal fat removal surgery epidemic is so upsetting cause why are the girlies not following the Devon Aoki blueprint," they wrote. "A top tier face. The CEO of hot girls with baby faces!"

"Ladies, do what I did and lose your buccal fat the natural way: through harrowing life experience that ages you prematurely, and leaves you looking perpetually gaunt and unslept," said The Guardian columnist Moira Donegan.

"Why pay for invasive cosmetic surgery when you can achieve the same results with unceasing horrors," Donegan added in a follow-up tweet.

One person expressed frustration amid the discussion in a viral tweet with over 82,000 likes that seemed to sum up the feelings of many others, asking exactly what is buccal fat and "how are they still inventing new flaws for us."

What Is Buccal Fat Pad Removal?

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, those who undergo the procedure do so to thin their cheeks, specifically in the cheek hollows.

Although naturally filled out cheeks are widely considered to make a person appear youthful, candidates for the surgery often feel their faces are too full or chubby.

As such, the surgery is not typically performed on people with thin, narrow faces, as it could lead to them appearing more gaunt as they age.

During the procedure, surgeons work to remove the buccal fat pad, a naturally-occurring pad of fat in the cheek hollow area. The size of this varies in each patient.

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons states that those who may be a good candidate for the procedure typically must meet certain criteria, including:

• Being physically healthy and at a stable weight
• Having realistic expectations
• Being a non-smoker
• Negatively impacted by the appearance of their chubby cheeks

While undergoing the procedure with a board-certified plastic surgeon is the base standard for a candidate, there are also factors to consider. This includes the amount of experience the surgeon has in that specific area, and a patient's comfort with the surgeon.