Bichectomy is a procedure performed to reduce excess fullness in the lower part of the cheek. Because it is carried out through a small incision inside the mouth, it leaves no visible external scar. In suitable patients, it can also be performed under local anesthesia.
It can be helpful especially in selected patients who have marked fullness in the lower part of the cheek. However, if this procedure is overdone, it may create hollowness and an prematurely aged appearance in the face in later years. For this reason, a conservative approach is important.
An important point here is that cheek fullness is not always caused only by large buccal fat. A wide maxillary bone, excess subcutaneous fat, or thickness of other soft tissues may also make this area look larger. For this reason, buccal fat reduction does not produce the same result in every patient.
In addition, in some older patients the buccal fat may become enlarged or descended. In such cases, it may be possible to reduce it during facelift surgery in the same session, without requiring an additional incision.
