Hyaluronic acid
Learn more

How to slim your face? Proven methods that really work

Author's note

Editorial

Substantive verification

Reading time

11

 min.

Published on

February 12, 2025

Full cheeks and a rounded face can give a youthful appearance, but not everyone is comfortable with them. Is it possible to slim down the face without drastic diets and invasive surgery? It turns out that yes! Proper care, exercise, diet and modern treatments can help model your features and enhance your facial contours.

Bichat fat pad removal - a way to slimmer cheeks

A slim and reshaped face is a dream for many people. While proper diet and lifestyle can reduce overall body weight, they do not always bring visible results in the face. That's why aesthetic medicine treatments are becoming increasingly popular to slenderize features safely and effectively. Among the methods available, there are both minimally invasive treatments and surgical procedures that contour the face and give it a more pronounced contour.

Bichat pads are fatty accumulations located between the cheek muscles. In young children, they are particularly prominent, giving the face a distinctive, full appearance. With age, their volume naturally diminishes, but in some adults they remain strongly visible, making the face look rounder. For those who want to give their cheeks a more defined shape, the Bichat fat pad removal procedure can be an effective solution.

How does the removal of Bichat's pads proceed?

Bichat cushion removal is a surgical procedure, so it is of great importance to choose an experienced specialist. If performed incorrectly, the procedure can lead to excessive sinking of the cheeks, giving the face an overly severe appearance. For this reason, the decision to undergo the procedure should be well thought out and consulted with a specialist. The procedure takes an average of 30 minutes and is most often performed under general anesthesia. Local anesthesia is used less frequently, as it can be associated with discomfort for the patient.

The healing period after the procedure is relatively short - about 7 days, but during this time it is necessary, among other things: to eat easily digestible, cool meals, avoid hard and sharp foods that could irritate the incision, regularly rinse the mouth with antiseptics to prevent infections.

The first effects are visible after 2-3 weeks, but the final result can be assessed after several months, when the skin and tissues have completely adjusted.

Botulinum toxin - not only for wrinkles, but also for facial slimming

Botulinum toxin, commonly known as Botox, is one of the most widely used substances in aesthetic medicine. Although it is mainly associated with anti-wrinkle effects, its use is much broader - it helps treat muscle contractures, reduce hyperhidrosis, and correct facial features. One of the less obvious but effective uses of Botox is its use in the treatment of bruxism and modeling the facial oval by reducing the masseter muscles.

How does Botox help slim the face?

Bruxism is the uncontrollable clenching of the teeth and excessive activity of the masseter muscles, which most often occurs at night, but can also occur during the day. It often affects people exposed to high levels of stress or patients with malocclusion. The result is an overdevelopment of the masseter muscles, which leads to a change in the shape of the face, which becomes more square, massive and visually larger.

The use of botulinum toxin in the masseter muscle:

  • reduces their tension - reduces unconscious jaw clenching and teeth grinding,
  • Gradually weakens the masseter muscles, leading to their reduction and optical slimming of the face,
  • helps reduce jaw pain and reduces the occurrence of tension headaches that often accompany bruxism.

How does the procedure work?

Botox injection into the masseter muscles is a quick and minimally invasive procedure, taking about 15-20 minutes. The doctor makes several precise injections into the designated points, which allows the muscles to weaken evenly. The procedure does not require convalescence - the patient can return to daily activities immediately after the procedure.

The first effects begin to be visible after 2-3 weeks, but the full result is achieved after about 6-8 weeks, when the muscles are gradually reduced. The facial slimming achieved by Botox is a temporary effect - the results last for about 6-9 months. After this time, muscle tone may gradually return, so in order to maintain a slender facial oval, it is recommended to repeat the procedure every few months.

Facial modeling with hyaluronic acid - how can you slim down your features?

Hyaluronic acid is primarily associated with lip augmentation and anti-wrinkle treatments, but its use in aesthetic medicine is much broader. It can also be used to model the oval of the face, helping to optically slim and improve the proportions of the features. Thanks to the precise administration of the filler, it is possible, among other things:

  • highlighting and lifting the cheeks,
  • Softening of features and optical slimming of the face,
  • Equalizing asymmetries and restoring harmonious proportions,
  • Reducing the second chin and improving the jawline,
  • A gentle correction of the shape of the nose without surgery.

Facial volumetry - how does the procedure proceed?

Facial modeling with hyaluronic acid is known as volumetry, a procedure that allows subtle modeling of the oval by adding volume in selected areas. During the procedure, the doctor injects hyaluronic acid into the appropriate points of the face using a very thin needle or cannula.

The entire procedure takes about 30-45 minutes and does not require a long recovery period - the patient can return to daily activities almost immediately after the procedure. Occasionally there may be some minor redness or swelling, but this subsides within a few days.

Hyaluronic acid starts working immediately after the procedure, which means that the patient sees the first changes in the appearance of the face right away. However, the full result can be assessed after a few days, when the substance is evenly distributed. Depending on the body's individual predisposition and metabolic rate, the effects last from 6 to 18 months.

Diet and exercise - natural ways to slim your face

Although aesthetic medical procedures allow for quick and visible results, proper diet and facial exercise can assist in the slimming process and improve the appearance of the facial oval. True, it is impossible to locally burn fat only in the face, but healthy habits reduce the risk of water retention in the body, improve skin elasticity and subtly shape features.

What to eat to make your face look slimmer?

Excess salt, sugar and processed foods can lead to water retention, making the face look puffy. Therefore, it is worth focusing on a diet rich in:

  • Anti-inflammatory products - vegetables, fruits, nuts, flaxseed and olive oil support the condition of the skin,
  • Protein and healthy fats - promote skin firmness and prevent sagging (eggs, lean meat, fish, avocados, nuts),
  • Water and herbal infusions - proper hydration helps remove excess water from the body and reduce facial puffiness,
  • Potassium-rich foods - bananas, tomatoes, spinach and potatoes help regulate the body's water balance.

Exercises to slim your face

Regularly performing facial gymnastics (known as face fitness) strengthens muscles and improves blood circulation, resulting in subtle lifting and firming of the skin. It's worth implementing some simple exercises into your daily routine.

  • Raising cheeks - smiling widely and holding it for a few seconds helps strengthen facial muscles.
  • The so-called fish - sucking on the cheeks and holding for a few seconds helps improve skin tone.
  • Facial massage with a roller or hand - stimulates circulation, reduces puffiness and improves the oval of the face.
  • Tongue and chin exercises - lifting the tongue to the palate helps slenderize the jawline and reduce the appearance of the second chin.

Diet and facial exercises will not replace the results obtained at the aesthetic medicine office, but they can assist in the slimming process and improve the condition of the skin. The combination of healthy habits, proper care and treatments gives the best results and allows you to enjoy the modeled facial features for a long time.

FAQ

Is rumen botox safe?

Yes, if the procedure is performed by an experienced specialist. If botulinum toxin is administered in the wrong way, it can lead to weakening of other facial muscles or asymmetry, so it is important to choose a proven clinic.

Is hyaluronic acid treatment for the face safe?

Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring substance in the body, so it is well tolerated and rarely causes allergic reactions. The procedure is safe, provided it is performed by an experienced specialist. It is important to remember that improper administration of the filler can lead to asymmetry or overemphasis of certain parts of the face. That is why it is so important to choose a proven clinic and a doctor with the right experience.

Is it possible to slim the face without aesthetic medicine procedures?

Yes, but the effects will be subtle and take time. A healthy diet, proper hydration, reduction of salt and sugar, and regular facial exercises will help reduce puffiness, improve skin firmness and gently slenderize features. However, aesthetic treatments are necessary for visible results.

Which aesthetic medicine treatments are best for slimming the face?

The most effective methods are removal of Bichat pads, Botox into the masseter muscles, and modeling with hyaluronic acid.

What are the contraindications to facial slimming treatments?

Contraindications depend on the type of procedure, but the most common include pregnancy and breastfeeding, active skin infections at the treatment site, autoimmune diseases, tendency to scarring, and unregulated chronic diseases (e.g. diabetes, hypertension).

Is it possible to slim the face without losing weight?

Yes, some treatments, such as botox for the masseters or hyaluronic acid modeling, can change facial contours without weight loss. However, weight loss further aids in slimming the features.

How long do the results of facial slimming treatments last?

How long the effects last depends on the method:

  • Removal of Bichat cushions - permanent effect,
  • Botox for the masseters - 6-9 months,
  • Hyaluronic acid - 6-18 months,
  • Exercise and diet - require regularity and long-term maintenance of healthy habits.
Featured treatment
Hyaluronic acid
Hyaluronic acid preparations administered to the deeper layers of the skin are a natural filler. They can be used to augment lips, reduce wrinkles, fill facial collapses, nasolabial furrows, wrinkles around the mouth, chin hollows, sagging cheeks or sunken temples.

Worth watching

No items found.

Similar articles