Everything you need to know about double chin surgery
If you have a double chin and are looking to get rid of it, your plastic surgeon may recommend liposuction, a neck lift, or a combination of both. There is no specific double chin surgery but a combination of methods that can tighten the skin of the neck and remove excess fat to create a firmer and more defined chin and neck area.
Here are the things that you need to know about double chin surgery and other less invasive options.
About:
- Double chin surgery is recommended based on your skin quality and desired effect.
- People 20 to 50 years old with more elastic skin can benefit from neck liposuction. This procedure removes excess fat, but it will not improve the quality of the skin.
- Neck lift surgery can help correct a double chin, as well as loose or sagging neck skin.
- A sub chin augmentation is a surgical procedure that falls between the two and involves liposuction and small incisions under the chin. Some doctors call this the “mini” neck lift.
- Doctors sometimes liposuction and lift the neck together. They may also recommend these procedures along with a facelift or chin lift.
Safety:
- Doctors can perform chin liposuction under local anaesthesia.
- Practitioners can perform blepharoplasty under local anaesthesia with or without sedation.
- Doctors generally perform neck lift procedures under general anaesthesia or by anaesthesia with intravenous (IV) drugs.
- Side effects may include swelling, bruising, loss of facial sensitivity, skin pigmentation changes, infection, and facial asymmetry.
Convenience:
- A person can go back to normal activities more quickly with liposuction than with a more invasive neck lift.
Efficacy:
- According to the American Council on Plastic Surgery, if a person maintains a constant weight, the effects of chin liposuction are permanent.
- Results from a neck lift depending on the quality of the person’s skin and the surgical method.
What is double chin surgery?
When it comes to ageing skin, the neck is one of the first places that show people’s age, and for some people, fat is more likely to accumulate under the chin. This oily and loose skin can affect their jawline and face.
Plastic surgeons can correct double chin by one of the following procedures:
- Chin liposuction. This procedure removes excess and unwanted fat under the chin.
- Submentoplasty. This surgery combines liposuction of the double chin and smaller incisions under the chin to tighten the muscles.
- Neck lift. This surgery, known as a lower lipectomy, involves removing excess skin or tightening the skin muscles in the neck to give the face a more contoured look.
All procedures can help reduce the appearance of a double chin. You may not be able to do liposuction if your skin is not elastic and appears lax. When this is the case, your doctor will usually recommend a neck lift.
How does double chin surgery work?
Chin liposuction involves inserting a small tube, called a cannula, into the chin in different places. Likewise, using gentle suction, a small amount of strategic fat is removed from each spot. The result is a smoother, more even face with less fat under the chin.
Moreover, lower chin blepharoplasty works by making small incisions under the chin, as does liposuction in the neck.
While doing a neck lift, your surgeon incisions behind the ears and sometimes below the chin, tightening the muscles and removing excess skin in the neck.
Double Chin Surgery Procedure
Here are some basic steps for chin liposuction:
- Your surgeon will examine your chin and neck and mark the areas where they will insert the tube.
- Skin is thoroughly cleaned with the help of an antiseptic solution designed to reduce the risk of infection.
- The surgeon will then administer a sedative if desired or inject a local anaesthetic (numbing medicine) into the skin.
- Next, they will make several small incisions in the skin just large enough to insert the liposuction tube.
- Next, they will insert a liposuction tube and use a back-and-forth motion or ventilation to remove excess fat. Likewise, they will pay special attention to the amount of fat removed from each area to ensure the face is even and smooth.
- Finally, the tape is applied if necessary. This usually includes a particular chin bar to support the skin as it heals.
Lower blepharoplasty and neck lift, including making incisions in the skin. Here are some general steps for neck lift surgery:
- The doctor will mark the chin and neck with lines and arrows indicating the access areas.
- They will then give you intravenous medication or give you general anaesthesia during the procedure.
- This area will be cleaned with an antiseptic solution. Depending on the method of anaesthesia, the doctor may or may not inject a local anaesthetic into the skin.
- The doctor then makes an incision, usually at the hairline, around and behind the ear. They can then remove excess fat and skin from the neck. They can also tone lumps or neck muscles for firmer skin.
- Finally, they will seal the skin incisions with glue or sutures (sutures). These stitches usually heal and are invisible due to a person’s hairline.
With a lift, there are fewer incisions, and the doctor does not remove excess skin as with a neck lift. Instead, the doctor will tighten the muscles in the neck to create a more sculptural appearance.
Are there any risks or side effects?
Any time foreign devices are inserted into the skin, there is a risk. A doctor should discuss this with you.
Risks of double chin surgery:
- bleeding
- complications from anaesthesia, such as problems breathing
- decreased skin sensitivity
- discomfort
- asymmetry of facial features
- infection
- scarring
- swelling
- nerve injury
It can also be possible that you may not achieve the results you’re hoping for after surgery. That’s why it is imperative to talk to your doctor about your goals for your appearance post-surgery to ensure they’re realistic.
