Bichectomy

Are you a suitable candidate for bichectomy?

Although bichectomy can be performed on people of all ages and genders, the age of 18 is the lower age limit deemed suitable for this surgical procedure. This is because the shape of the cheek and facial contours may change before the age of 18, and from this age the facial contours of the person begin to be permanent and don’t change to a considerable extent. Individuals whose cheeks are not compatible with their facial features and body structure are good candidates for bichectomy.

Bichectomy, which is a procedure preferred by those with chubby cheeks, is not recommended for people with thin cheeks so that it does not lead to negative consequences in later years. Before the operation, the surgeon evaluates the chronic diseases of the patient, if any, and then decides on whether the patient is a suitable candidate for bichectomy accordingly. Therefore, face-to-face interview between the surgeon and the patient is of great importance as with any surgical procedure.

Preoperative Period

The patient should stop alcohol consumption and smoking at least 3 weeks before the date of surgery to accelerate the post-operative recovery and minimize the surgical risks. Although the determination of this period may vary depending on the discretion of the physician, we recommend it to be 3 weeks for protecting the patient’s health, considering the presence of the surgical risks. The patient should also stop taking blood-thinning drugs such as aspirin before the operation.

Patients with chronic diseases or those who use drugs regularly should definitely inform their physicians of their preoperative disorders and drug use. However, patients who have had any previous infection or who are currently pregnant should consult with the specialist physician before the operation and should take their decision based on the results of that interview.

Surgical Process

Bichectomy is an outpatient procedure, which is also known as buccal fat removal. Bichectomy is performed under local anesthesia. It is very important to clean the mouth before surgery. Cleaning before bichectomy helps reduce the possible infection problems.

Bichectomy is a type of surgical procedure that surgeons perform by making a small incision on the inside of the cheek, near the buccal fat pad.  After the completion of the local anesthesia, the surgeon makes a small incision on the inside of the cheek and uses forceps to remove the buccal fat pads (fat tissue) to give a natural look.  After the removal of the fat pads, the wound is sutured. After this procedure is performed on both cheeks, that is, when the operation is completed, the surgeon ends the procedure by applying compressive bandage. The entire bichectomy operation takes 30 to 60 minutes. After the operation, the patient can usually be discharged the same day.

Postoperative Period

Even if the patient is discharged the same day after the bichectomy operation, there are some points to consider for a certain period of time. The patient should consume liquid foods for 2 to 3 days. The patient should abstain from alcohol consumption and smoking until the wound heals because alcohol consumption and smoking damage the wound and delay healing. It is very important to pay attention to dental cleaning to prevent infection of the incisions.

Sutured areas usually heal within 1 week. It is normal for the edema or swelling in the cheek area to persist a little bit longer. Patients are recommended to apply cold compresses to reduce swelling. Painkillers and antibiotics can be used in the postoperative period, in accordance with the prescription to be written by the physician. 

Bichectomy Prices

The price of bichectomy operations vary depending on the experience of the surgeon who will perform the procedure, the clinical environment where the operation will be done, and the quality of the materials that will be used in the operation. You can call our clinic to get detailed information and  make an appointment.