Buccal fat removal (cheek reduction surgery) is extremely safe. Dr. Mesa, a Harvard trained triple-fellowship-trained, board-certified plastic surgeon, performs hundreds of these procedures a year, so he is very skilled, further decreasing the risks of any complications. Some of the common risks of the procedure include swelling of the cheeks from one few days to a week. Bruising also may occur, especially if patients taking medications or oral supplements that thin the blood. Some of the rare complications include bleeding, poor healing, scarring, prolonged swelling, and asymmetry.