Buccal Fat Pads (Bichat's Fat Pads)
The bags on top of your cheeks are called buccal fat pads, also known as Bichat's fat pads or the corpus adiposum buccae 1, 2.
Anatomical Description
These are biconvex adipose tissue bags uniquely found on both sides of the human face along the anterior border of the masseter muscles, wedged between the masseter and buccinator muscles 1, 3. The buccal fat pad is an encapsulated fat mass with a trigone shape that extends into different compartments of the face 2, 4.
Key Anatomical Features
- Location: The main body sits behind the zygomatic arch with a buccal extension projecting into the cheek area 5
- Structure: Encapsulated, biconvex fat mass that is anatomically complex 6
- Function: Contributes significantly to cheek prominence, especially noticeable in newborn infants 3
- Role: Facilitates gliding movements of facial masticatory and mimetic muscles 1
Clinical Relevance
The buccal fat pad is distinct from the malar fat pad, which is a separate superficial fat compartment located in the upper cheek region that undergoes atrophy with aging 7. The malar fat pad sits more superficially and is one of the key fat compartments that loses volume with age, contributing to the appearance of aging in the midface.
Important distinction: When people refer to "bags" on the cheeks, they may be describing either:
- The buccal fat pad itself (deeper structure)
- Malar bags/mounds (superficial swelling or fluid accumulation) 8
- Age-related changes in the malar fat pad position 7
The buccal fat pad has significant surgical applications, serving as a pedicled or free graft for closing oral defects and as an accessible source of mesenchymal stem cells for regenerative procedures 1, 2.