6 ways to get a slimmer face: apart from buccal fat removal, which Bella Hadid is rumoured to have done, experts also suggest Botox, neck lipo, fillers and facelifts – or straight-up weight loss
If you want to get rid of face fat, general weight loss is obviously the biggest factor that can help get rid of some of the fullness in your cheeks. (Or you could simply embrace your natural looks, body-posi style.) But there seems to be a trend that’s taking off among celebrities and influencers: buccal fat removal, a procedure where a doctor removes the fat pads in your cheeks.
However, going under the knife isn’t the only way that you can achieve a slimmer face. Apart from lifestyle changes, there are also non-surgical cosmetic procedures to change your facial features and structures, such as using injectable filler in your cheekbones or chin to create the appearance of a slimmer face. Other options are to get neck liposuction or Botox injections in your masseter muscle.
Here are six ways to get a slimmer face, explained in detail.
1. General weight loss
If you are overweight, losing weight through lifestyle changes like exercising and eating a healthy diet can help you lose some of the fat in your face. “Exercise and dieting will help tremendously to slim the face and the neck,” says Dr. Alexander Zuriarrain, a quadruple board-certified plastic surgeon at Zuri Plastic Surgery.
But you can’t target your weight loss so it only occurs on your face. Weight loss will cause a general decrease in fat content throughout the entire body, which may include the face and neck, Zuriarrain says.
2. Injectable filler
While it may sound counterintuitive to add filler to your face to make it look slimmer, it’s all about the balance of the facial features and structure.
“You can’t specifically target facial fat with a simple fix like liposuction, but you can use filler to create the illusion of a slimmer face,” says Dr. Craig Lehrman, a plastic surgeon and director of aesthetic surgery in the department of plastic and reconstructive surgery at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
For example, filler can help change the look of your cheekbones, how full the rest of your face looks, making the face appear more slim and youthful, says Lehrman.
Another area that filler can be helpful in is the lower face. By injecting the chin with filler, you can create an elongated appearance which can also help your face look slimmer overall, says Dr. Christopher Lee, a board-certified plastic surgeon at Clareo Aesthetics.
3. Facelift
“A facelift is the cream of the crop and gold standard for the biggest change for the facial features and structure,” Lee says. Not only can this procedure make your face look slimmer, but it will also make you look more youthful.
Lee says during a facelift, the surgeon will lift up the fat pads in your cheeks to reduce folds around the mouth and lessen the appearance of a full lower face. Ultimately, the face will look more contoured. “It is the most invasive option, but it also provides the most effective and long-lasting results,” Zuriarrain says.
Facelifts are often performed in conjunction with neck lifts.
4. Neck liposuction and neck lift
Having excess fat in the neck region can contribute to the appearance of a fatter face. “Liposuction can be used to hollow out excess fat and a neck lift can be used to reduce any excess skin or heaviness created by the muscles in your neck,” Lehrman says.
Liposuction is a procedure that removes fat cells from the desired area. Since there might be excess loose skin left after lipo, the neck lift will tighten this up. By addressing fat and loose skin in the neck area, you can make the face appear slimmer.
5. Masseter Botox
Sometimes, the appearance of a wider or fuller face is due to muscles, not fat. If the bottom part of your face, particularly your jaw, is wide, it could be because your masseter (or jaw) muscle is enlarged. Some potential causes of this include grinding or clenching your teeth or excessively chewing gum. In this case, masseter Botox can help.
By injecting the masseter muscle, you can reduce the size of this muscle over time, lessening the appearance of a wide jaw, says Lee.
6. Buccal fat removal
Finally, you can opt for buccal fat removal if you want a dramatic change. Buccal fat refers to the fat under your cheekbones and above your jawbone. If you want to address puffiness in the cheeks, buccal fat reductions directly target this area, Lee says.
The plastic surgeon will make incisions inside your mouth to remove the buccal fat pads. Once these fat pads are out, the results are permanent and this fat will not come back.
Model Chrissy Teigen has been open about having the procedure in 2021 and other celebrities including Zoë Kravitz, Dove Cameron, Sophie Turner, Bella Hadid and Lea Michele have all been rumoured to have had buccal fat removed.
The main takeaway
While you can’t necessarily directly target overall face fat with exercise or liposuction, there are measures you can take to make your face look slimmer. If you’re interested in cosmetic procedures, make sure to see a reputable board-certified plastic surgeon for the safest and best-looking results.
This article originally appeared on Insider.
