I live in Miami, so yes, I see lots of cheekbones. Some are natural. Some are not. I wanted mine to look a bit slimmer in photos. Not sharp like a razor. Just less puffy. You know what? I thought about it for a full year before I booked anything.
If you want the blow-by-blow version with extra photos and surgeon Q&As, I parked it all in my honest buccal fat removal story in Miami.
Why I even wanted this
I have a round face. Cute, but camera-shy. In the gym, my body leaned out. My cheeks did not. I’d do a full beat, set my makeup, and still feel puffy by lunch. It bugged me most in bright, noon light. Miami sun is not soft. I got tired of angling my head in photos. I wanted a small change that still felt like me.
Here’s the thing. I didn’t want fillers. I bruise easy. And I’m a side sleeper. I wanted something more stable.
Picking a surgeon (this part took time)
I met three surgeons. One in Brickell, one in Coral Gables, and one in Doral. I brought makeup-free selfies and one photo from two years back when my face looked slimmer. I asked a lot of simple questions:
- How many of these have you done?
- What do you do if the cheeks look uneven?
- How do you avoid a hollow look?
- What’s the plan if I swell like a puffer fish?
All three said the same thing about timing. Real results show up around week 6 to 12. Swelling can be stubborn. That helped set my head straight. If you want a clinical breakdown of what the average recovery looks like, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons offers a solid overview here.
I chose the Coral Gables surgeon. He was calm, not pushy. He pointed out my cheekbones, where my buccal fat sits, and where my smile lines crease. He said, “We’ll take a conservative amount.” I liked that. Subtle felt safe. If you’re reading this from out of town, you can scout nearby hotels, cafés, and recovery-friendly spots on Miami For Visitors before you book your flight.
Money, time, and the weird bits folks forget
Total cost for me: $3,300. That covered surgeon, facility, and follow-ups. No general anesthesia. Just local. Think dental vibe, but for cheeks.
I booked a Friday morning slot. I took that day off and the weekend too. I told my boss I had a “little oral surgery.” Not a lie. Also, side note: buy broth, yogurt, applesauce, and protein shakes the day before. I forgot spoons. Had to DoorDash spoons. Learn from me. I also booked a gentle post-op massage later, inspired by my honest hands-on take on Miami body rubs, to keep the circulation going.
Surgery day: fast and oddly chill
The room looked like a small dental room. They numbed both sides inside my cheeks. That sting lasted five seconds, maybe. Then it all felt dull and puffy, like cotton in my mouth.
Small cuts inside each cheek. I didn’t feel pain, just tugging. It was a strange pressure, not scary. He showed me the tiny pads of fat after. Wild. They were like soft, pale jelly beans. Not big. Still, seeing them made it feel real.
Whole thing took about 35 minutes. I kept the gauze in and went home with a snug chin strap. Did I look cute? No. Did I care? Also no.
The first week: oh hello, chipmunk
Day 1: I iced on and off. I slept with two pillows. I watched The Great British Bake Off and sipped cool broth like a grandma. Talking felt weird. Smiling felt tighter than usual.
Day 2: More swelling. My cheeks looked rounder, which is funny after getting fat removed. Miami heat did not help, so I stayed inside with the AC blasting. I did gentle mouth rinses after each snack. No spicy food. No hot soup. I learned that the hard way. Ouch. For extra peace of mind, reading another patient’s day-by-day journey in Dr. Mesa’s blog on buccal fat removal recovery reassured me that the puffiness was totally normal.
Day 3: I went for a slow walk at sunset around Miracle Mile, chin strap on. A teen pointed and smiled. I smiled back, then remembered my stitches and stopped smiling. Lesson learned.
Day 5: I could see more shape. Still puffy in the mornings. By evening, it looked better. I was wearing tinted SPF and light blush. I skipped bronzer. Any contour felt like too much while things settled.
Food during week 1: scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes, smoothies, Greek yogurt, soft rice, super soft salmon. I missed Cuban toast so much. I waited.
Pain level for me? A 3 out of 10. Annoying but fine. Biting down hard? Not smart. I didn’t do that.
Weeks 2 to 4: slow and steady
Week 2: Swelling went down. People at work thought I had a “new haircut.” Funny, right? I took that as a good sign. No one clocked it as surgery.
Week 3: Cheeks started to catch the light in a clean way. Makeup sat better. My blush didn’t spread. It stayed where it should.
Week 4: I took a selfie in bright sun outside a cafe in Coconut Grove. For the first time, I didn’t tilt my head. I just… took the photo. That felt nice. By then I even felt brave enough to plan a low-key night on South Beach—if you need inspo, my rundown of Miami Beach nightlife and real nights out captures the vibe.
While mapping out those future nights, I also revisited the dating apps on my phone. If you’re interested in laid-back, no-strings encounters once you’re feeling selfie-ready again, this detailed Passion.com review breaks down the platform’s features, costs, and real-user success stories so you can decide whether it deserves a spot in your Miami social lineup.
If you’d rather skip the swiping altogether and meet potential matches in person, perhaps during a weekend trip to the Research Triangle, you might like to explore local speed dating in Carrboro—these structured events cram dozens of fun mini-dates into one evening, giving you instant chemistry checks without endless texting back and forth.
What I loved
- It looked like me, just less baby-face.
- Fast. In and out in under an hour.
- No general anesthesia. I liked staying awake and going home quick.
- My contour powder is gathering dust now. I barely use it.
- Photos in harsh light don’t scare me.
What bugged me a little
- The chin strap is not cute. I wore a loose hoodie and a baseball cap to hide it when I had to go out.
- Swelling played mind games. Some days I looked rounder. Some days I looked snatched. I had to be patient, which is not my gift.
- Chewing felt odd for about two weeks. Not painful. Just tight.
- Cost is not small. And you can’t “put it back.” So think it through.
Results at 3 months
By month three, the look settled. My cheekbones show up without me trying. My lower face looks slimmer, but not hollow. That was my big fear. Thankfully, it didn’t happen. Smiling looks normal. No weird dents. Friends said I look “rested.” I’ll take that.
One silly thing: I keep checking my reflection in store windows. Old habits. I don’t need to do it as much now. I still do. Change is funny.
Things I learned (the real-life list)
- Ask for a conservative approach if you want soft, natural results.
- Bring old photos to your consult. They help the surgeon see your face at different weights.
- Prep your kitchen with soft foods and tiny spoons. Yes, tiny spoons matter.
- Sleep a bit elevated the first few nights. It helped my swelling.
- Skip hot, spicy, and citrus early on. Your mouth will thank you.
- Take your time with makeup the first week. Keep it gentle around your mouth.
- Don’t judge your face until week 6. Seriously. You’ll save yourself stress.
Would I do it again?
Yes. For me, it was worth it. I didn’t want a huge change. I got a tidy one. I feel more like myself on camera now. And in Miami, photos happen a lot—beach days, birthdays, random Tuesday sunsets. It’s part of life here.
A tiny caution, because it matters
Faces age. Cheeks can get slimmer over time. I’m in my 30s, so I went light. If you’re