Buccal fat removal surgery is a celebrity cosmetic trend that has gone viral on TikTok after getting the vote of approval from famous model and influencer Chrissy Teigen. It is considered a relatively quick procedure to get a better-defined jawline.

Teigen admitted to receiving the procedure last year. The 37-year-old revealed on Instagram in September last year that she had the procedure, which is also called cheek fat removal surgery. “Since I quit drinking, I’m really seeing the results, and I like it,” she said.

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Teigen is not the only celebrity who went under the knife for this procedure. There is speculation that Glee star Lea Michelle and Game of Thrones’ Sophie Turner also got it done as they appeared to have more chiseled jawlines in recent public appearances.

The hashtag ‘buccalfatremoval’ has been trending on TikTok and has over 150 million views.

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What is Buccal fat removal?

Buccal fat removal is the process of cutting out fat pads from the inside of a person’s cheek, leaving their face more angular in shape as a result. The pads work to soften the inside of a person’s mouth, which experts believe can be disposed of. 

“Most beautiful faces in the world have a sharp angularity,” Dr. Weintraub told Daily Mail. He compared the effect that the procedure has on one’s face to someone puffing a cigarette. However, the effect was a permanent one and was known as ‘desirable’ angularity.

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The fat pads, he said, are meant to work as a cushion inside the mouth, serving as a buffer between the teeth and chewing at times. Dr. Weintraub said that the actual use of these pads in the body was just like the appendix, as in the body did not really need it. 

Each week, Dr. Weintraub performs two of these procedures at his Manhattan practice, which costs between $9,500 and $12,500. Around 75 percent of the procedures are performed on women. During the procedure, Dr. Weintraub makes an incision from the inside of a patient’s mouth. He then scoops out a ‘table-spoon’ sized amount of liquid fat.