Chiseled, Contoured Cheeks
Cheek Reduction
Dr. Jonathan Zelken, MD · Board-Certified · Newport Beach, CA
As an artist and scientist, Dr. Zelken sculpts chiseled, defined cheeks by precisely removing the buccal fat pad — enhancing your natural contours while keeping your results balanced and unmistakably your own.
Approach
Dr. Zelken's Philosophy
A cheek reduction should refine your profile without ever looking overdone. At the Zelken Institute for Aesthetic Medicine in Newport Beach, board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Jonathan Zelken approaches buccal fat removal as a sculptor would — assessing each face individually, because one size never fits all.
The size of the buccal fat pad varies from person to person, and even between your left and right cheek. Rather than chasing a trend, Dr. Zelken removes only what's needed to bring out the natural definition already present in your features.
As both an artist and a scientist, he has performed many cheek reduction procedures with a focus on results that look balanced, contoured, and entirely your own — never hollow or overdone.
The Procedure
What is Cheek Reduction?
Buccal fat removal — also called cheek reduction, bichectomy, or buccal lipectomy — thins the cheeks in the area of the cheek hollows to create a more contoured facial appearance. It works by removing the buccal fat pad, a naturally occurring pad of fat found in the cheek hollow.
While a soft, full face is often considered youthful, some people feel their face looks too full or "chubby" — and this area can be highly resistant to diet and exercise, so your face may stay round even when you're thin everywhere else. Because the buccal fat pad differs in size from patient to patient, Dr. Zelken assesses every case individually and removes only what will enhance your definition.
In the video below, Dr. Zelken demonstrates his technique for the procedure.
Buccal Fat Pad Removal — Dr. Jonathan Zelken, MD · Warning: graphic surgical content
Assess Your Candidacy
Make Your Own Bucc-O-Meter
A simple at-home tool to visualize where your buccal fat sits — a fun starting point before your consultation.
- Gather Your Supplies You'll need cardboard or construction paper, scissors or an X-Acto knife, a marker, a ruler, and a Post-it note.
- Cut a 9 cm Square Mark and cut a 9 cm (3.5 in) square. This shapes to your left cheek — flip it over for the right.
- Mark the Triangles On the bottom edge mark 2 cm from the left; on the right edge mark 3 cm up. Connect the dots and cut out two triangles.
- Hollow the Center Cut out the center, leaving about a 2 cm border all the way around the frame.
- Label the Four Edges Write mandible (jaw), malar (cheek), mouth (deep nasolabial fat), and masseter (jaw muscle) around the edges.
- Find Your Masseter Clench your jaw and look for the angled shadow running to the jaw angle, or feel for the muscle with your thumb.
- See Where Fat Herniates Slide leftover material to the front edge of the masseter. The remaining open space is where buccal fat can herniate.
Benefits of Cheek Reduction
Creates greater definition and contour in the cheeks.
Thins fullness in the cheek hollows for a sculpted look.
Targets facial fat that resists diet and exercise.
Can be combined with a facelift or other procedures.
Results are visible almost immediately after surgery.
Tailored individually — never a one-size-fits-all approach.
Is It Right For You
Who is a Good Candidate?
The best candidates are men and women who are bothered by full, round cheeks, maintain a fairly stable weight, and are in good physical health. You should be a nonsmoker without any life-threatening illness or condition that could impair healing, and you should have realistic goals for what the procedure can achieve.
Because removing buccal fat can make an already thin face look gaunt or haggard over time, cheek reduction is typically not recommended for people with naturally thin, narrow faces. Every procedure here is highly individualized — and we encourage you to pursue it for yourself, not to meet anyone else's expectations or fit an ideal image.
What to Expect
The Cheek Reduction Procedure
Every cheek reduction begins with a consultation, where Dr. Zelken examines your cheeks and facial profile, discusses your goals and medical history, and may take photographs for your record. Your candor about your health and lifestyle directly supports a safe, successful result. You'll review the risks, sign consent forms, and may be asked to complete lab work, adjust medications, and avoid aspirin, anti-inflammatories, and supplements that can increase bleeding. Dr. Zelken will insist that you stop smoking beforehand.
Depending on your situation, he'll recommend local anesthesia (wide-awake, and most common), IV sedation, or general anesthesia. The buccal fat pad is usually removed through a small incision inside the mouth, closed with absorbable sutures. If you're combining cheek reduction with a facelift, Dr. Zelken can often remove the fat pad during that procedure, avoiding an incision inside the mouth altogether. Please arrange for someone to drive you to and from the facility.
Healing Timeline
Recovery
First Days
- You'll notice some swelling, but the cheeks typically look slimmer and less full almost immediately after surgery.
First Weeks
- Swelling gradually subsides over several weeks. Avoid disturbing the sutures inside your mouth with your tongue until Dr. Zelken clears you.
Several Months
- As the cheeks settle into their new contour, final results become fully apparent over the following months.
Your Role
- Following all post-operative instructions and maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle directly support the success of your result.
The Outcome
Results & Longevity
A cheek reduction delivers a slimmer, more contoured cheek that's often visible right away and continues to refine as swelling resolves over the following months. Because the buccal fat pad does not grow back, the added definition is lasting.
The hallmark of Dr. Zelken's work is balance: the goal is never a hollow or overdone look, but a naturally sculpted profile that enhances your existing features. Your result should look like you — simply more defined and refreshed.
Transparency
Risks & Considerations
As with any surgery, cheek reduction carries some risk, including swelling, bruising, infection, or asymmetry. Because removing too much buccal fat can lead to a gaunt appearance over time, careful, conservative assessment matters. Dr. Zelken believes in complete transparency and reviews every consideration during your consultation, and our team provides detailed pre- and post-operative instructions to minimize risks and support healing.
Explore More
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Begin Your Journey
Ready for More Defined Cheeks?
If you're considering a cheek reduction, contact us today to schedule your consultation with Dr. Jonathan Zelken and take the first step toward a more contoured, confident profile.
Common Questions
Cheek Reduction FAQ
Common questions about cheek reduction and buccal fat removal with Dr. Zelken.
Yes. Dr. Zelken removes only what's needed to enhance your natural definition, so you look contoured and refreshed — never hollow or overdone.
Usually a small incision inside the mouth, closed with absorbable sutures. Combined with a facelift, the fat pad can often be removed without one.
No. It's not recommended for naturally thin, narrow faces, where removing fat can look gaunt over time. Candidacy is assessed individually.
Depending on your case, Dr. Zelken may recommend local anesthesia (wide-awake and most common), IV sedation, or general anesthesia.
Cheeks look slimmer almost immediately, with final contours settling in over several months as swelling fully resolves.
No. Once the buccal fat pad is removed, it does not return, so the added definition is lasting.
Yes. Cheek reduction is often combined with a facelift or other facial procedures — planned together during your consultation.
Only as much as your anatomy allows for a balanced result. The pad's size varies per person and even between cheeks.
Yes. Dr. Zelken is a board-certified plastic surgeon who has performed many cheek reduction procedures at an accredited facility.