Chubby cheeks is a colloquialism that primarily describes the build up of excess fat in the buccal fat pads in your face. This can result in your cheeks looking fatter and is a condition that can be corrected mainly by lifestyle changes such as weight loss, but also corrective fat removal surgery.
Tagged: Facial Treatments. Date: 21st February Medically Reviewed by: Mr. Bryan Mayou GMC: Last reviewed: 21st February Cheeks are the part of our face that extends from underneath our eyes to the bottom of our jaw.
They are composed of multiple components including muscles for eating and smiling, as well as the buccal fat pad. Chubby cheeks occur when the fat inside the buccal pads increase to the point that your facial appearance looks full and rounded in the cheek area. Anyone can be prone to chubby cheeks regardless of underlying body weight, however fat cheeks do correlate among those with higher body weights. Chubby cheeks can be caused either by genetics, weight gain, or your underlying facial anatomy, with fat gain being the primary cause, followed by genetics and facial anatomy.
However, you could be affected by a combination of the factors too. Fat cheeks can be the result of genetics. You may simply have a genetic pre-disposition to store more fat in your face and buccal fat pads.
Additionally, many people are simply born with a naturally larger or thicker buccal fat pads. While genetics plays a role, weight gain is another main contributor to fat cheeks. If you gain weight, that extra fat can be distributed around your body including your buccal fat pads which will ultimately make your cheeks appear chubbier.
