Face Contouring

Face contouring covers a range of procedures that reshape the facial framework and soft tissue, including chin and jaw surgery, mandibular angle and gonial-angle work, cheek and malar adjustment, and buccal fat reduction, and the before/after photos here show how these change facial proportion and definition. Studies report generally high patient satisfaction and improvements in self-image and quality of life when the change suits the individual's underlying anatomy, with bony contouring results being long-lasting. Because the face continues to age and soft tissue can shift, some refinements such as buccal fat reduction may look different over time, and conservative removal is repeatedly emphasized in the literature. Complication rates vary by procedure: nerve-related changes, asymmetry, swelling, and contour irregularity are the issues most discussed, and outcomes depend heavily on planning and surgeon experience. Several reviews below also cover implant materials, virtual surgical planning, and genioplasty technique. The selection spans systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and outcome studies across the main contouring areas.

Results vary from person to person; these photos show individual outcomes and are not a promise of the result any single patient will achieve.

1. Aesthetic Outcomes, Complications, and Reported Long-Term Effects of Buccal Fat Pad Reduction: A Systematic Review
   Shapiro J et al. · Facial Plastic Surgery · 2026
   Systematic reviewPMID 42235535DOI
2. Buccal fat pad excision for cheek refinement: A systematic review
   Traboulsi-Garet B et al. · Medicina Oral Patologia Oral y Cirugia Bucal · 2021
   Systematic reviewPMID 34023838DOI
3. Surgical vs Non-surgical Chin Augmentation: A Systematic Review of Techniques, Satisfaction, and Complications
   Alwathnani YK et al. · Aesthetic Plastic Surgery · 2026
   Systematic reviewPMID 41714371DOI
4. Evaluating Genioplasty Procedures: A Systematic Review and Roadmap for Future Investigations
   Dalmeijer SWR et al. · Craniomaxillofacial Trauma & Reconstruction · 2025
   Systematic reviewPMID 40271466DOI
5. Aesthetic Enhancement of the Gonial Angle and Inferior Mandibular Border in the Chinese Population
   Zhang C et al. · Aesthetic Surgery Journal · 2023
   Outcomes studyPMID 37757894DOI

Compiled from peer-reviewed medical literature indexed on PubMed. This overview is for general education and is not medical advice. · Last updated 2026-06-15