Medically reviewed by Dr. Jule Yasser Kong, R.N., M.D. · PRC Licence No. 0133571 · 28 October 2026
Round cheeks in every selfie? Here's everything buccal fat removal really takes, from One Nadela in Cebu and Makati.
The 30-second version
You notice it in photos first. Your face looks fuller on camera than you'd like, and those round lower cheeks just won't budge. Somewhere along the way, you came across buccal fat removal.
Before you look at prices, a few questions to ask yourself:
Only a doctor can tell if that fullness really comes from the buccal fat pad, and whether your face has the bone structure to support taking some out. Your answers just help you describe what you see when you sit down for that talk.
It's a small pad of fat that sits deep in your cheek, below the cheekbone. The doctor reaches it from inside your mouth, so the healing happens inside your cheek, not on your skin.
The part that comes out doesn't grow back. Your face still changes over the years with weight, age and the other fat areas of the face. So think of it as a result that grows older with you.
At One Nadela, buccal fat removal starts at ₱65,000. "Starts at" means that's the floor. Your exact price is confirmed before anything is booked, so you know the number before you pick a date.
Your real budget, beyond the price
Comparing clinics? Ask each one the same five things
That last one matters most. Without enough bone structure underneath, removing the fat can leave the lower cheek looking hollow.
Expect some swelling. This is still surgery, and your cheeks will react. How much you swell, and how fast it goes down, is different for everyone. A typical path looks like this:
Why all the rinsing?
Your healing area is inside your mouth, where food collects after every meal. So keep rinsing even after the swelling goes down.
Your stitches dissolve on their own, so nobody has to take them out. You still come back for follow-ups so the doctor can check how the inside of your cheek is healing.
Later than you think. Month 1 is the trailer. Months 8 to 12 are the movie.
Some unevenness between the two sides can show while you heal. Sometimes it settles, sometimes it stays. Your doctor can tell you which at your follow-ups. A mirror in week two can't.
The monthly selfie trick
Take a photo before surgery: good light, facing the camera straight on. Then take the same photo, in the same spot, once a month. Comparing month 1 with month 10 tells you far more than any single day in the mirror.
Every surgery has some. In Dr. Kong's words, these are the ones that apply here:
| How often | What |
|---|---|
| Common, temporary | Swelling and bruising |
| Can happen | Unevenness between the sides while healing, which may stay. A hollow-looking lower cheek, especially if too much fat is removed, or as the face ages. |
| Uncommon | Infection or bleeding |
| Rare | Nerve injury |
Most of these happen in the first weeks and pass. Hollowing is the one to think about before surgery, because it comes down to a judgement call: how much fat to take, and whether your face can carry the change. That judgement is a big part of what you're paying for.
Is it worth it for you?
It can be, if the fullness really comes from the fat pad and your face has the structure to support the change. If it comes from somewhere else, the money goes to the wrong fix.
The only way to know is an in-person assessment. Book a consultation at our Cebu or Makati clinic. The doctor checks your face, tells you honestly if you're a good candidate, and confirms your price before anything is decided.
If it's more the jaw muscle or the area under your chin, our jawtox and chin liposuction pages cover those.
One Nadela is doctor-led, with 900+ Google reviews across our three clinics, rated 4.9 to 5.0 stars.
At One Nadela it starts at ₱65,000, at our Cebu and Makati clinics. Your exact price is confirmed before you book.
Most people go back to work after about a week. Food rules last two weeks. The final shape usually shows at 8 to 12 months.
Soft food. For two weeks, skip hard, chewy, spicy and fishy food, and rinse or gargle after every meal.
No, they dissolve on their own. You still need follow-ups so the doctor can check your healing.
It's done under IV sedation. Surgery takes 1 to 2 hours, and you'll be at the clinic for 3 to 4 hours.
