Bichectomy is one of the most frequently performed surgeries. It is aimed at both young men and women as the facial tissues will have a greater capacity for adaptation and we will avoid a slight facial descent. In patients aged 40-45 years or older, removing these bags can make the face look older.
Bichectomy is based on the removal of Bichat bags or Bichat balls, small balls which, as has been demonstrated, have no specific function other than to give volume to our face; in other words, they are simply bags of fatty tissue located inside the cheeks.
The main objective of this surgery is to define or improve the facial angles when we have a very round face, or simply want to mark and redefine the cheekbones more, achieving the effect that we would obtain with «contouring».
This surgery is very simple, minimally invasive and outpatient. It is performed under local anaesthesia, which is applied to the oral mucosa, and then a small incision of 0.5 centimetres is made. This is where we extract the small Bichat’s pouch.
The usual amount extracted is about 3 millilitres, although patients with a rounder face may have up to 5 millilitres of the pouch extracted.
The results are visible in the first month, and are definitive since once these fatty tissues have been removed, they will not reappear.
Recovery from bichectomy
After this surgery, the most important thing to bear in mind is the first 2 days, during which we must protect and take extra care of the stitches to avoid complications such as bleeding.
The recommendations to follow are:
- Use of a compressive bandage: this bandage helps to reduce swelling and provides support to the treated area during healing.
- A liquid or soft diet: to avoid irritating the incisions and facilitate healing. You may still need to continue this diet for several more days, depending on how your mouth feels and your doctor’s instructions.
- Mouthwash 3 times a day: helps prevent plaque build-up and the formation of local infections, which can reduce the risk of post-operative complications.
- In case of pain, painkillers can be taken for the first three days.
