A short procedure that removes the buccal fat pad from the lower cheek to create a more sculpted, hollowed look, and the operation most likely to be regretted if done at the wrong age. Compare Tampa clinics below and request a free consultation.
$2,500–$6,000
per procedure · USD
A general range for Tampa, rounded for guidance. Confirm exact pricing with each clinic.
Plastic surgeons in Tampa who list buccal fat removal among their procedures. Tap any surgeon to view details and request a consultation.
Tampa
Financing available
Davis Facial Plastic Surgery: Dean G. Davis, M.D, FACS is a plastic surgery practice in Tampa, Florida, rated 4.9 stars across 364 Google reviews, performing 12 tracked procedures.
Tampa
Financing available
Ravive Plastic Surgery & MedSpa is a plastic surgery practice in Tampa, Florida, rated 5 stars across 170 Google reviews, performing 23 tracked procedures.
A short procedure that removes the buccal fat pad from the lower cheek to create a more sculpted, hollowed look, and the operation most likely to be regretted if done at the wrong age.
One procedure, permanent and not reversible
3 to 7 days of visible swelling, final result at 3 to 6 months
Adults typically over 25 with genuinely full lower cheeks that have persisted at a stable, healthy weight, who understand the change is permanent
3 plastic surgery practices in the Tampa area list buccal fat removal. From Google Places listings; hours and locations change, so confirm with the practice.
What 3 Tampa practices that list buccal fat removal say on their own websites (checked September 2026); one that does not mention something may still offer it, so ask at your consultation.
Buccal fat removal provides a simple and effective solution with no visible scarring.
By removing excess fat from the buccal fat pads, the face can appear more balanced and symmetrical. Typically performed under local anesthesia, the procedure involves making a small incision inside the mouth to access the fat pads.
Buccal Fat Removal (medically referred to as a Bichectomy), is a surgical technique that can reduce the size of larger cheeks by removing the buccal fat tissue and accentuating the natural contours of your face.
Buccal fat removal is performed with the aid of anesthesia to eliminate any pain or discomfort during the treatment process.
Recovery from buccal fat pad removal can vary depending on the individual and the extent of the procedure. Patients can expect some swelling, bruising, and discomfort in the treated area for the first few days following the procedure.
Buccal Fat Removal generally runs $2,500–$6,000 per procedure, and each Tampa clinic sets its own price. The biggest variables are the provider's experience level and the specific device or product used. Newer technology and senior injectors price at the upper end. Pricing is quoted in US dollars (USD). Request a consultation from any of our listed Tampa clinics for a personalized quote.
Initial results in 2–4 weeks, with full results developing over 3 months as collagen builds. Tampa providers typically schedule follow-ups to track progress.
Maintenance schedules vary. Most Tampa providers recommend periodic refresh sessions every 6–12 months once optimal results are achieved.
It is a distinct, encapsulated pad of fat sitting in the hollow of your cheek, separate from the fat layer just under the skin. It is not the same thing as general facial fullness or weight. Removing it narrows the lower cheek specifically. Because it is a discrete structure, the result is predictable, and because it does not grow back, the result is permanent.
Faces lose volume with age, naturally and progressively. Fullness in your twenties often becomes hollowness in your forties without any surgery at all. Removing the buccal fat pad accelerates that trajectory permanently, and a result that looks sculpted at 25 can look gaunt at 45. Many surgeons decline to perform it on younger patients for exactly this reason, and that refusal is good judgment rather than lost business.
Not really. The pad cannot be put back. Volume can be restored with fillers or fat grafting, which means ongoing cost and maintenance for the rest of your life to replace something you paid to have removed. Treat this as a permanent decision, because functionally it is.
Nationally, $2,500 to $6,000, which makes it one of the least expensive procedures on this list. That affordability, combined with heavy social media promotion, is part of why it is so frequently performed on people who are poor candidates. Low cost is not a reason to have an irreversible operation.
Someone with true buccal fat pad prominence, meaning full lower cheeks that persist even at a stable healthy weight, who is old enough that their facial fat distribution has settled, generally mid-twenties and beyond, and who understands the aging trajectory. Someone who simply wants a more contoured face and has seen it online is usually better served by makeup, weight stability, or nothing at all.
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