Liposuction is best known as a body contouring procedure that targets pockets of fat that seem immune to diet and exercise. As many of us learn as we grow older, these stubborn pouches are not confined to the middle or lower body: The face is another example of an area where time, gravity and lifestyle choices conspire to create excess volume.
Below, experienced Virginia Beach plastic surgeon Dr. Kevin Bounds discusses how submental liposuction can be an effective solution for pinchable fat under the chin and along the jawline, including the dreaded “turkey waddle” and double chin.
The Procedure
Submental liposuction is an outpatient procedure that is performed using local anesthesia. Dr. Bounds makes one or more small incisions in the face or neck and inserts a slender, hollow tube known as a cannula. This is a smaller version of the instrument used for liposuction performed on the body, but it works the very same way — by suctioning out fat cells from the target area.
Because aesthetic balance is so important, it typically takes about an hour for a surgeon to reshape the chin and jawline. In most cases only a few ounces of fat will be removed, but this modest sculpting can result in a profound, yet subtle, change in your facial profile.
The Ideal Candidate
As with other types of liposuction, this procedure is not a treatment for obesity. Large volumes of fat cannot be safely removed during a single session, and so it is important that patient make a determined effort to bring their weight into the normal range before the surgery is performed.
Your satisfaction and results will depend in part on the elasticity of your skin. Flexible, supple skin will easily conform to the slimmer shape under the chin, providing maximum benefit from the surgery. Skin that tends to sag may still appear loose after fat has been removed. In some cases this can be addressed with other types of procedures, such as neck lift.
The relative flexibility of your skin is largely determined by your genetic inheritance, but certain lifestyle behaviors can have an impact, including smoking, excess alcohol intake, poor diet and lack of exercise.
To learn more about submental liposuction, schedule a personal consultation with Dr. Bounds in his Virginia Beach office by calling or emailing today.
