CHIN LIPOSUCTION

The “double chin” is a troublesome area for many people regardless of their age, as the fullness in this area can be genetic (and not responsive to changes in an individual’s weight). It can be improved with submental liposuction, or “chin liposuction” with a small 3mm incision under the chin crease and cannulas to remove the excess fat. The improvement in the neck contour with this procedure can be significant, achieving improved definition in the transition from the face to the neck.

What patients see in the mirror or in pictures may be a “double chin”, or poor definition between the face and neck with an absent jawline.

In our first patient, you see a central fullness under her chin before the procedure. After submental (chin) liposuction in the office, you can see she had a much improved profile with a reduction in her double chin without giving her a “hollow” or “unbalanced” look, which aggressive liposuction in this area can do.

Patient before chin liposuction at Nuance Facial Plastics

Patient after chin liposuction at Nuance Facial Plastics

In our next patient, you can see the transition from a more vertically oriented neck line and poor definition between the face and neck, to a more sculpted neck line and a soft shadow now being cast on the neck by the jawline, giving a definition that she lacked prior to the liposuction.

Patient picture before chin and neck liposuction at Nuance Facial Plastics

Patient picture after chin and neck liposuction at Nuance Facial Plastics

How is Chin Liposuction Done?

Chin Liposuction, or chin liposculpture, is an in-office procedure that is typically done through a single 3mm incision under the chin crease. Numbing fluid is injected throughout the area to be sculpted, and then cannulas are introduced through the incisions to access the fat pads. Once they have all been accessed, gentle suction is used to remove some of the fat. The goal is to not remove all of the fat, as this can lead the skin to scar to the underlying muscle, and having a thin layer of fat between the skin and muscle is desirable. Once the procedure is complete, the small incisions are closed with a single stitch and a wrap dressing is placed.

How is Healing after Chin Liposuction?

A jaw band is worn at all times for one week after the procedure to make sure that the skin heals in an “upward” direction rather than “falling” to the middle. There is a chance of bruising, which may be covered with makeup or clothing. Icing the neck and sleeping with the head of your bed elevated can help minimize the swelling bruising if you have any.

The stitch is removed 6-7 days after the procedure. We ask patients to not do any heavy lifting (over 5 pounds) for the first week after the procedure and to avoid jarring activity for 2 weeks.

Though patients typically are quite happy with their results at the 2-week mark, the results will continue to evolve, and the best results are usually obtained 9-12 months after the procedure.

Are the Results Permanent?

The type of fat that is typically found in the central upper neck, the submental fat pad, tends to be a genetic fat deposit. There are many thin people that are bothered by the submental fat. Removal of the fat in such patients is often times permanent. As with any liposuction procedure, gaining weight after the procedure may lead to a growth of the fat cells in the area, and reverse the results of liposuction.

Does Chin Liposuction Hurt?

The procedure is done with generous amounts of local anesthesia and sometimes also oral medications to help keep the patient comfortable. The procedure itself is typically not painful. The healing period may be sore to some, but rarely painful enough to require prescription painkillers.

Am I A Good Candidate for Chin Liposuction?

The neck’s anatomy is complex. It has skin, fat, muscle, and organs. The ideal candidates for this procedure have tight skin and excess fat in the middle of the neck, just under the chin. The muscle and organs of the neck are not altered during this procedure but may present anatomic limitations to the liposuction. Only an in-person consultation to discuss your anatomy will really tell how much you can benefit from chin liposuction.