Many Asians have square, boxy faces with prominent lower facial width and one of the striking ways to beautify your face is to change its proportions by narrowing the lower facial width, giving the face a more oval or melon shape. This is what we call “ovalisation” of the face.
Decades ago, the only treatment available to us was to shave down the mandibular (jawbone) angle, and to add cheek and chin implants. But there are many more non-surgical options available today. First here are some basics.
If you look at the face from the corner of the mouth all the way back to the ear and draw a line vertically downwards, you can divide the lateral face into an anterior (front) compartment and a posterior (rear) compartment.
The Posterior compartment is occupied by the angle of the jawbone and a muscle called the Masseter (jaw muscle) which in some people can be extremely large and bulky. For those who do not wish to have surgery, regular Botox injections into this muscle can shrink it tremendously, making the face narrower and slimmer. This is called Botox Facial Slimming. Over many years of regular therapy, the jawbone itself has been seen to reduce in size as well which adds to the effect.
The Anterior compartment is occupied by the Buccal Fat Pad which can make the face look overly full and rounded, and the jowl which hangs down and makes the face look more bulldoggish. The hanging jowl can be treated effectively with the Woffles Lift using the specially designed threads patented by Dr Wu.
The Buccal Fat Pad, requires an operation performed from inside the mouth where an incision is made on the cheek mucosa and the fat pad is carefully dissected free and removed. The procedure is performed under Local Anaesthesia and the stitches melt on their own. Slight bruising and swelling usually goes down after 4-5 days.
Buccal fat pad removal results in a sculpting and narrowing of the Anterior compartment of the lateral face. It also reduces the jowls. This makes the face more attractive by adding contours and a more 3-D look. It is most suitable for those with a rounded or squarish face.
