Bichectomy: what it is and why you should think about it before undergoing this operation

The bichectomy It has been carried out for years but lately it has become popular because some public figures have acknowledged having undergone this operation. It is a surgical intervention It consists of removing the fatty accumulations that exist in the area of ​​the cheeks. This is done with the intention of stylizing the face so that it appears more angular.

Besides, It is believed that its popularization has to do with the tendency to use filters on social networks that precisely achieve this effect. Are surgeries like bichectomy really needed? Is it a risk free surgery?

Bichectomy: possible complications

The bichectomy consists of removing the adipose body from the cheek. It is usually done under local anesthesia, making an incision inside the mouth to access the fat body of the cheek and extract it. The wound is sutured closed and an elastic compression bandage is placed for at least 3 days.

Although it is considered a safe operation, it is not without some risks, as is the case with all surgeries. According to a review of cases published in International Journal of Morphology only 8.45% (of 220 patients analyzed) presented minor complications. However, the document says, the effects on facial aging and long-term effects have not been analyzed and therefore, the harmless effect of the procedure for those features is unclear.

The complications after bichectomy can be several:

Hematoma Infection Trismus Prolonged edema Facial nerve injury Parotid duct injury Irregularities and asymmetries of the facial contour.

It must also be taken into account that the Bichectomy involves going through the postoperative period and that during this period (which can last up to a month) annoying symptoms can also be perceived:

The operated area can become inflamed in the first few days. The patient should sleep a little while sitting up for the first few days and avoid hot meals. You must spend several days without chewing too hard food, without physical exercise, and take the medication prescribed by your surgeon.

Bichectomy: when it is not convenient

We all have Bichat fat on our faces but sometimes it is not advisable to remove it. In order to carry out this operation in a completely safe way the patient must be a young or middle-aged person, with a more or less round face and no signs of sagging in the lower facial third.

Let us remember that plastic surgery is of great help to treat burns, frostbite, limb implants… However, as Dr. Pablo Saz explains, the praise of the beautiful part of surgery, of its spectacular achievements in some cases, makes patients currently opt for surgery to modify their image even when it is not necessary.

“Aesthetic surgery is advertised with the propaganda of models that only represent successes, while the large number of side effects and patients who suffer them are hidden,” explains Dr. Pablo Saz.

If you are thinking of doing this Bichectomy, always look for a surgeon who guarantees you a job well done and of quality. Remember that most of the plastic surgeon’s work is aimed at correcting mistakes from previous surgeries. On some occasions, after the bichectomy, an intervention called “lipofilling” or fatty filling is necessary, which consists of taking fat from other parts of the body and grafting it into the area of ​​the Bichat balls.

Considerations before doing a bichectomy

Before undergoing an operation, it is advisable to seriously assess whether this intervention is really necessary. Remember that the use of social networks and the popularization of filters that allow us to achieve unrealistic beauty can lead us to seek through surgery a body image that, in reality, is not at all natural.

According to the psychologist Raquel Tomé – member of the Board of Governors of the Official College of Psychologists of Madrid – it has been observed that girls who retouch and edit their selfies more have more problems with their body image and they reflect poor self-acceptance (International Journal of Eating Disorders, 2020).

Jasmine Fardouly, an independent research psychologist at the University of New South Wales in Australia, has noted that Instagram use has been linked to body image concerns. So, before undergoing an aesthetic intervention, she assesses if you really need to improve your image or if it is the social networks that are pushing you to do so.