Numerous celebrities such as Chrissy Teigen and Bella Hadid have had the procedure and, naturally (pun intended), everyday people are latching onto these secrets. Because, as we know, those in the spotlight tend to set the tone for ever-cyclical beauty standards.
It’s true that the affordability of fillers, Botox, and minor surgeries like buccal fat removal are causing a rise in the number of people jumping at the chance to tweak their physical appearance.
So for those who have never quite lost their ‘baby face’ look, buccal fat removal presents a quick and easy opportunity to attain a chiselled look that genetics might not offer otherwise.
Combine this accessibility with how often we now peer into our phone’s front camera and the frequency with which we’re loading up Zoom to attend work meetings – and we’re spending a lot more time looking at our own faces than ever before.
As such, it can be easy to feel pressured into changing any perceived flaw. But as trivial procedures like buccal fat removal are discussed further in online spaces, many are revealing that they think the cosmetic surgery industry is starting to take things too far.
The main question is: is it really necessary to try to make every single part of our body ‘perfect’?
Most aestheticians would agree that each of our facial features are genetically composed to complement each other. In fact, my fixation with this weird surgery dissipated when people told me that without my self-perceived ‘chubby cheeks’ I wouldn’t be me anymore.
Not to mention, it’s scientifically proven that we lose collagen as we age. Most people will end up looking like they’ve had buccal fat removal by the age of 50 or 60 – and perhaps those who have had it will want to reverse it to avoid appearing gaunt.
That’s why the positive takeaway from all of this online discussion is the widespread rejection of niche cosmetic procedures by young people in online spaces.
Swathes of TikTok and Twitter users are encouraging one another to embrace their natural features, whether they have round faces or model-esque jawlines. Some are even offering audiences makeup tips to accentuate the plumpness of their cheeks.
All in all, it seems like every other week we’re tasked with a new way to fit momentarily into the ever-transformative definition of ‘beauty’. The rapid rise and fall of the fox eye trend and BBL era only exemplify how trying to keep up is not worth our time or money.
In a rare occurrence, the internet community has collectively clapped back on societal pressures by saying enough is enough. Let’s hope we see more of this tone in the future.