Buccal Fat Pad Removal

After the area has been numbed Dr. Kitto places small incisions inside your mouth and removes a carefully planned amount of your buccal fat pads. It is important not to remove all of the buccal fat pad as this may lead to a gaunt appearance. Dr. Kitto carefully plans the amount of fat pads to be removed to ensure a symmetric and overall attractive appearance. All stitches are dissolvable and nothing needs to be removed.

As this is an in-office procedure under local anesthesia recovery is fairly quick and painless. The scars become invisible over time. It is common to experience mild swelling, bruising and tenderness in the area for a few days. Patients are given pain medications and followed closely until complete recovery.

Pricing: How Much Does Buccal Fat Pad Removal Cost in Richmond?

Cost is one of the most-searched questions for this procedure, and we believe in transparent pricing. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the average surgeon’s fee for buccal fat removal is approximately $3,142 nationally. Final pricing in Richmond depends on the complexity of your case, whether the procedure is performed alone or paired with another treatment, and your individual anatomy.

Because Dr. Kitto performs buccal fat pad removal in-office under local anesthesia only, patients typically save on the facility and general anesthesia fees that come with hospital-based procedures. Your personalized, all-inclusive quote is provided at the time of consultation, and financing options are available to make treatment more accessible.

What your quote typically includes: surgeon’s fee, local anesthesia, in-office facility use, all dissolvable sutures, and follow-up visits through complete recovery.

Before & After Photo Gallery

Real results from real patients matter most when choosing a facial surgeon. Dr. Kitto’s before-and-after gallery showcases the natural, balanced contouring that defines her work — emphasizing cheekbones and softening lower-face fullness without ever creating a hollow or unnatural look.

Browse our gallery to see how subtle, planned reduction can refine the lower third of the face while preserving each patient’s individual features. Every photo is of a patient treated by Dr. Kitto herself at our Richmond practice.

Long-Term Results: What to Expect 5, 10, and 20 Years Later

Buccal fat pad removal delivers permanent results — the removed fat cells do not grow back. As long as your weight remains stable, the slimmer, more contoured face you see at three months is the shape you will keep long-term.

Looking 10 to 20 years ahead, it’s important to understand how aging interacts with the procedure. Faces naturally lose volume with age as fat, muscle, and bone density decrease. This means the slimming effect of buccal fat removal can become more pronounced over time — which is exactly why Dr. Kitto removes only a carefully measured amount of tissue rather than the entire fat pad. Preserving healthy buccal fat helps maintain a youthful, smooth contour as you age.

According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, conservative buccal fat reduction is the safest path for long-term aesthetics; over-resection can lead to a gaunt or aged appearance later in life. Dr. Kitto’s measured, symmetric approach is designed specifically to age well.