Patients who wish to have a slimmer face with more pronounced angles resort to the removal of the Bichat balls. So this has become one of the most popular surgeries, but what is a bichectomy?what is bichectomy and what is the purpose of this procedure? Here are all the details you need to know.
What is bichectomy?
Bichectomy is a surgical procedure in which a small incision is made inside the mouth and fat pads (known as Bichat's balls or pouches) are removed to improve facial features. The aspect that we get in the patient, having a more elongated face, is that it improves their aesthetics and also their self-esteem and confidence.
Angulated and harmonious features are often a request from our patients. It is true that each face is beautiful in its own way, but marked and stylized features, always maintaining proportion and naturalness, are a very demanded and desired feature nowadays.
Fortunately, there are currently very safe interventions for this purpose. Specifically bichectomy, which is a simple and quick surgery with predictable results, provided that a good study and an accurate diagnosis are carried out beforehand.
Among facial surgeries, bichectomy is one of the most popular. Thanks to the removal of the Bichat balls, more refined and defined features are achieved. The face changes and ceases to have that rounded appearance with which some people are not satisfied.
This surgery is for both men and women. It can be performed in less than an hour and recovery is quick.
What does the surgical procedure consist of?
Bichat pouch resection or bichectomy is the procedure indicated for both men and women to reduce the size of their faces and make them thinner and more angulated. to reduce the size of their faces and make them thinner and more angulated.
A surgeon performs the operation by making a small incision on the inside of the patient's cheeks, which is then removed to expose the fat layer and remove the necessary amount. Finally, the incisions are sutured.
The surgery lasts approximately 45 minutes to one hour. It is performed on an outpatient basis and usually with general anesthesia and sedation when it is a single intervention.
Benefits of Bichectomy
For patients with round faces and without sharp angles, bichectomy is a surgery that offers more defined cheeks and a more sculpted face. Let's see what other advantages this procedure offers:
Aesthetic and functional improvements
One of the main benefits of bichectomy is to achieve a defined facial contour. This is achieved by removing the bichat balls, which immediately slims the cheeks and gives the face a more harmonious, aesthetically pleasing appearance and a more pronounced facial structure, highlighting the cheekbones and chin.
Bichectomy also makes the face look more elongated and stylized. In addition, in round or square-shaped faces, the patient's face will look more balanced.
In addition to the aesthetic aspect, removing bichat balls from the mouth can help improve chewing. These fat deposits, especially if they are large, can interfere with chewing, and removing them facilitates the process. It has also been observed that after a bichectomy, patients with bruxism improve this condition.
What are Bichat bags or Bichat balls?
They are two different fat deposits, independent of other tissues, located on both cheeks, below the cheekboneslocated on both cheeks, below the cheekbones and in direct relation to the buccinator muscles.
These bags are usually larger in children than in adults, giving them a rounded facial contour similar to that of a baby's face. rounded facial contour similar to that of a baby's face. Depending on our personal taste, we may find these small balls more or less attractive.
However, as we age, these bags begin to shrink, creating more refined physiognomies. Some people experience this shrinkage as a positive thing, so they may not want to wait may not want to wait until they get older to see them reduced and may wish to undergo surgery. and want to undergo surgery.
It is common to associate Bichat bags with being overweight. However, this is a mistake because a person can have a rounded face and be at their ideal weight.
Who is the ideal candidate for this surgical procedure?
This procedure is perfect for all those people, both men and women, who see how their face is too round despite being at their ideal weight. as their face is too rounded despite being at their ideal weight.. It is ideal that the patient is young, under 40 years old and with a well marked bony cheekbone.
People who are overweight are not good candidates for this surgery, since when losing weight the face changes. Therefore, the right thing to do is to wait until the patient reaches his or her ideal weight before undergoing a bichectomy. Otherwise, the results may be unflattering in the future.
Before undergoing any type of intervention, we must take into account the opinion of the surgeon, who will evaluate us, give us her best advice and answer any questions we may have.
How do I know if I am a candidate for a bichectomy?
As we mentioned before, the Bichat balls are largely responsible for giving our face a round appearance. So this surgery is intended for:
- All those who have a rounded face.
- Those with excess oil on the cheeks.
- People who, due to their genetic characteristics, seek to make their face thinner and more contoured.
This surgery is very effective, but it must be remembered that it only removes Bichat balls. It will not be efficient for other facial problems. It will not change the shape of the jaw or lips.
It is preferable that candidates for a Bichectomy have an ideal weight or close to it for their height. The results of removing the Bichat balls from an overweight person will be barely visible.
Another aspect that makes you a good candidate for a Bichectomy is that you are older than 20 years old. It is possible to do the surgery earlier, but if you do it later there is no guarantee that your face will not suffer changes, since it is estimated that development ends around 20.
Age is one of the characteristics that can affect the procedure. Therefore, the perfect age range to undergo a Bichectomy is between 20 and 45 years old. This is because the quality and elasticity of the skin is lost as we age.
Many overweight people mistakenly think that if they remove the Bichat balls their face will no longer look so round. The truth is that while it may take away some of the roundness of the face, Bichectomy is not recommended for people who are over their ideal weight.
It is recommended that the surgery be performed on people with a weight in accordance with their height, and that despite being at their ideal weight, their face retains its roundness.
Despite the above, it is important to have an assessment by a specialist before going ahead with a bichectomy in Madrid Spain.
Each case is unique, and the surgeon will be the one who can truly determine whether or not you are a good candidate for a bichectomy.
What is the postoperative period after a bichectomy?
Bichectomy is a minor, minimally invasive and very safe operation, so recovery during the postoperative period will not be too complex:
- It is not a painful procedure when it is performed, nor in the period after it is performed.
- We may experience some minor discomfort after a few hours. some minor discomfort after a few hours. If so, we can control it by taking the medication recommended by our doctor.
- This is an outpatient ambulatory interventionin which hospitalization is not necessary.
- It is very safe and with predictable results.
- The results are definitiveWe extract the Bichat bags permanently.
- During the first few days you may experience some swelling some swelling in the cheeks swelling in the cheeks, but this will be completely normal.
- To help combat this inflammation, it is recommended to wear a compressive bandage for the first few days. You can also use cold compresses on the area.
- You should sleep on your back so as not to put pressure on the areas of the face that have undergone surgery.
- For the first few days you should also eat a soft diet and eat foods that are not spicy or very hot, because they can affect the recovery of the wound.
- Good oral hygiene is essential.
Bichectomy surgery in Madrid Spain does not imply a long period of rest. After a couple of days the patient can return to his daily activities, as long as he does not make intense physical efforts.
To top it all off, we're talking about an operation that can be reversed.. Although we cannot reposition the Bichat balls, if a lot of fat is lost, it can be repositioned by extracting it from another area of the body.
What not to do after a bichectomy?
It is important to follow the surgeon's instructions to ensure a smooth recovery from bichectomy. Therefore, you must be strict about what you can and cannot do after the operation.
After surgery you should avoid drinking alcohol and smoking tobacco for the time indicated by the specialist. The consumption of these products delays recovery. Alcohol, in particular, can cause bleeding.
You should not do high intensity exercises because they can affect healing. However, during recovery it is possible to do low intensity exercises.
Ask your surgeon if you can combine this surgery with a rhinoplasty or other facial treatment.
How long does bichectomy recovery take?
One of the advantages of bichectomy is that recovery is quick, in addition to being minimally invasive.
The same day of the surgery the patient returns home. And, although he can lead a normal life, as we have just mentioned, you should not make great efforts.
The first few days there will be swelling in the face, so you will not see the results yet. As the weeks go by the swelling goes down and the new features will be more noticeable. The definitive results will be seen six months after the procedure.
What are the results of a bichectomy?
The results can be seen from the first weeks after surgery and are permanent. The objective of this surgery is to improve the facial appearance by making the face look more marked and slimmer, as well as highlighting the cheekbones and defining the mandibular ridge (the chin).
It is normal that when we think about having this procedure we have certain doubts, for example, if our cheeks will have a sagging appearance. Fortunately, the answer is no, since the Bichat bags are located in the thickness of the cheeks and are not part of the fatty support of the cheek, so they will not fall. are not part of the fatty support of the cheek, so they will not sag.
How long to see results?
The results of bichectomy are not immediately visible, since the swelling that occurs after surgery prevents you from seeing what the face will actually look like. As the swelling decreases, which may occur after the second week, the face gradually begins to look more defined and the cheeks more contoured. A few months after the surgery, you will be able to see the definitive results.
Durability and maintenance
The results of a bichectomy are permanent, since the bichat balls do not re-form.
In younger patients, the results may be more durable, because they have greater skin elasticity. On the other hand, older patients, due to the effects of the passage of time, may see the initial results of the surgery change due to the loss of elasticity in the face.
There is no formula for the maintenance of a bichectomy; however, complying with the surgeon's indications and having an adequate postoperative period guarantees better results.
Before and After
Does bichectomy have risks and complications?
It is true that any surgery, no matter how safe it may be, is not exempt from certain risks and complications. However , these are minimized when we choose a good professional team and when we have a good previous study and diagnosis .
- Postoperative aesthetic discomfort is most common, but this can be prevented with a good evaluation and can be controlled by providing the patient with all the information he/she needs.
- Infections may occur due to the ingestion of foods due to the ingestion of foods prohibited by the surgeon, as well as the consumption of tobacco and alcohol.
- If the patient is awake during surgery, he/she may feel pain and discomfort. Therefore, we prefer general anesthesia to avoid any pain or discomfort during the procedure.
At Sculpture Clinic we have a low rate of risks and complications, since our patients count on the attention of our maxillofacial surgeon, Dr. Estefania Alonso, who will put all her experience and professionalism to guarantee the best result in our bichectomy.
What happens to the bichectomy as it ages?
One of the fears patients have about bichectomy is what happens as they age. That is, if the facial skin droops as it loses support.
One of the warnings about this surgery is that if too much fatty tissue is removed, the face will lose firmness over time. And, therefore, it would cause premature aging. However, if the operation is well done, this does not have to happen. Hence the importance of choosing specialists in this surgery.
The surgeon's evaluation and diagnosis is key to predicting the outcome of bichectomy. The specialist must be clear in talking to the patient about whether or not he or she is a good candidate for the operation. People who are overweight or have very thin skin are at the greatest risk of having a counterproductive result.
You already know all the details about what a bichectomy is. If you want to know if you are a good candidate for this surgery, contact our specialists.
Choosing the right surgeon
Criteria and qualifications
When choosing a surgeon to perform a bichectomy, it is important to consider the following aspects:
- Make sure it is a qualified and certified physician.
- Verify that he/she has the experience and knowledge to perform this type of procedure.
- Observe, through photographs or on your social networks, how the results obtained by other patients have been.
- See reviews and comments from previous patients. Learn about your experience with the surgeon.
- Good doctor-patient communication.
Initial inquiries and what to ask
The initial consultation with the surgeon is the first contact you will have with the doctor. Here the professional will make a physical evaluation to verify that you are a candidate for bichectomy. In addition, he/she will learn about your state of health, your aesthetic goals and your medical history.
It is a good opportunity to clarify doubts and ask how long you have been performing this type of procedure, what are the objectives you hope to achieve with this specific surgery, what methods you use, what are the risks and how the recovery process will be.
If you have any doubts about what a bichectomy is, do not hesitate to consult with our experts. Contact us and make an appointment to evaluate your case.
