Bichat’s fat pads, also known as buccal fat pads, are small capsules containing fat tissue, located below the cheek zone between the skin and the mucous surface of the cheeks. Bichat’s fat pads enhance the tone of the cheeks and facilitate the process of sucking for infants. As children grow older, these fat pads protect nerve endings from trauma. However, in adults, they serve no functional purpose and only contribute to the fullness of the cheeks. With the onset of the aging process, the fat capsules sag, contributing to the formation of nasolabial folds.
Regardless of their size and shape in a specific individual, Bichat’s fat pads are not considered pathological. Therefore, the only indication for their reduction or removal is the patient’s own desire. Removal of Bichat’s fat pads allows to:
Often, removal is performed during facelift surgery as an additional corrective procedure. Sometimes, the fat capsules are not removed but rather repositioned under the cheeks to increase facial volume in this area.
The operation is not performed if:
The removal of Bichat’s fat pads can be done in two ways – traditional or endoscopic.
Endoscopic surgery is also known as inner access surgery, which is minimally invasive, as a specific tool, an endoscope, is used to access and manipulate target site through a tiny incision. The plastic surgeon makes an incision in the mucous membrane inside the mouth, separates the fat pads, and removes them. The procedure typically takes about half an hour under local or general anesthesia. After completing the procedure, the surgeon applies self-resorbing sutures.
External access is only used if the fat pads are removed in addition to any facial plastic surgery that involves creation of external access site.
