Chin Liposuction: Stories
Write a ReviewDouble Chin Lipo for 30 Year Old Male
- Eric K
- updated 1 year ago
- Worth It
- Cost: $2,500
- Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS (Bellevue, WA)
My family has a hereditary double chin that is...
- 22 Jul 2010
My family has a hereditary double chin that is truly the last place where diet and exercise will get rid of the fat. I've had the double chin since when I was a baby, and it was only minimized when I was rowing obsessively as a teenager. Even then, at 4% body fat and with six pack abs, I didn't have the neck definition that some men have at 14% body fat. There just isn't much space between my neck and my chin, so it doesn't take much fat to get an extra chin.
10 years ago, after realizing that exercise alone wasn't going to fix it, I decided that I was going to get lipo. The 2001-2003 recession made it harder to find the kind of Internet job I was looking for, and picking a surgeon and understanding how much to pay was so confusing back in 2000-2004 that I kept putting it off.
The goal of getting rid of my double chin was a major reason I started working on RealSelf in 2007 -- it was a great way to learn enough to make a good decision and also to help people like me choose wisely.
At RealSelf, I learned that the liposuction device doesn't matter as much as the experience and skills of the surgeon. The procedure itself only took 30 minutes yet didn't feel rushed. The only pain was the application of local anesthetic and that was minor. After that my upper neck was numb and the surgeon used a thin straw to break up the fat and suction it out. The sensation was a bit like pushing on the inside of your mouth with a toothbrush, with occasional vacuuming sounds. My doctor did caution me that the results wouldn't yield as strong a neck angle as with a Neck Lift, so it will be interesting to see what the results look like after the swelling goes away.
Updated on Feb 16, 2012
Liposuction did eliminate the double chin, but sure enough my neck muscle (platysma) is just genetically not positioned for an angular profile. You can see this in the photo of me from when I starved myself in 2000 -- it wasn't fat under my chin that caused the weak chin angle, it was the platysma muscle. So I decided to go for a full neck lift (Corset Platysmaplasty) to achieve a result like Robert T's neck lift and the difference was immediately obvious. Even better, the concerns about nerve damage that kept me from doing the neck lift originally (because my mom had nerve damage from non-cosmetic jaw surgery) were unfounded and the recovery was even easier than the liposuction. (The drain that prevented fluid from accumulating, and the fact that the Dr cauterized the little blood vessels, meant that I didn't have the hard lumps like I did after liposuction.)
Reading other people's stories here, especially Robert's, were what helped me make the choice to go through with the Platysmaplasty, and I'm glad I did. If you're 30+ and thinking about liposuction, make certain you do your research about a Platysmaplasty too. (The term "Neck Lift" is used by some surgeons to mean that there are incisions around the ears and skin is sometimes removed. Since I didn't want either of those things, I'm using the term "Platysmaplasty" for clarity.) While liposuction is slightly less invasive, the recovery isn't any easier and the results won't compare to a Platysmaplasty. Trust me, you don't want the time and expense of going through two recoveries when you can accomplish everything with a Platysmaplasty.
There have been long term studies that show that a Platysmaplasty provides long lasting neck results because the platysma muscle is sown together into a sling that supports the tissues under the chin that otherwise sag with age. So it prevents the turkey neck and banding that otherwise occur. Sure, you could just wait until you need a full face lift, but in men that means needing to shave behind the ear because the beard skin is pulled to that point. I would much rather have a scar under my chin (where I already have a childhood scar) than wait too long and have to deal with scars around my ears.
This underscores why it is important to go to a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon (not someone who calls themselves a "Cosmetic" surgeon) since they have the experience required to do either Platysmaplasty or Liposuction, so you will get a realistic idea of what either of those two procedures can do for you. A doctor that only does liposuction will think it's the best answer even if you'll eventually need another procedure to tighten the platysma muscle.
Great review?
My Doctor: Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS
My rating:
Dr. is extremely talented and has a great track record working on the neck for liposuction, neck lifts, and full facelifts. His surgical team is great, and they walk you through every step so you know in advance when new sounds or sensations are going to occur. His assistant will even hold your hand, which is surprisingly reassuring even if you've had minor surgery under local anesthetic.
You are completely right about age... but my neckline was inherited from my mom. I've always had it, but it was somewhat tolerable. Age + weight gain in an area that already inheritedly looked bad... well let's just say- I need to do something. Both you and Eric K are still young- this area that would benefit from LESS attention only gets worse with age:) Much like yourself Robert, I've spent a lot of time working on myself from the inside and now it's time for me to make some changes for the outside (that diet and exercise won't help).
Erik
Thank you again. Like I mentioned earlier, I am having a couple of procedures done in the next few months. But after reviewing what both you and Robert T. are advising, I am going to search for a surgeon in my area that has more experiece with necklifts. I love my Dr./surgeon that I am going to for my other procedures but the necklift is the scariest for me due to possible nerve damage. I need to know that I have the best surgeon doing this procedure.
I thank you both for the information, it really does help! I would love to post pictures to give you an example of the area we're discussing but I am still very new to this site and have concerns about posting pictures.
Thank you again
MIchelle
Age sometimes doesn't matter for people. Eric and I both inherited a bad neckline. It can be genetic.
A LOT of doctors do necklifts in different ways. THEY MUST CUT and RETIE the muscle for the most dramatic effect. It's considered simple by trained surgeons but quite a few haven't been trained in this.
See my necklift review for more info.
So thank you in helping me make this decision.
Under my chin is still swollen and numb. The doctor told me before the operation that my results will not be exactly what I will be hoping for, since my chin and neck muscle structure forms a triangle and not a 90 degree angle. She said that i should definitely see results though. During the procedure, they said the sucked out 5 (measures?) of fat, which was normal.
I have been hiding in my apartment since the procedure and I have class tomorrow. I am scared to take the garment off at all.
Yeah, for people like me who never had a 90 degree chin angle, lipo alone was never going to do much. That's why I followed it up with a neck lift which had better results that should last much longer (because the thin platsyma muscle is sown together under the chin as a sling). The downside is that the scars (both a 1.25" scar under the front of my chin and two small circles on the left and right) are more obvious than I expected even after 5 months. I already had a childhood scar on the bottom of my chin, so another scar doesn't worry me, but it is a trade-off for a stronger chin angle.
Most people won't notice any bruising if you use some cover up for the first week or so. The recovery process is always harder than everyone expects, so don't worry that it wasn't easy and you're self-concious about your results. That's normal.
So are you going to review your latest procedure? We would love to see photos!
It was only 2 weeks ago -- I'm waiting until the 5 week follow up when the 'after' photos will be taken since I know that swelling takes a while to resolve. So far, it really does look like Robert T's result from the side profile.
My neck and jaw are still very numb, tender, and stiff. I haven't touch my neck as it still very tender. The right side of my lower lip is numb and still couldnt move so my smile is kind of crook. My doctor said it will go away but I still very worried.
In regard to compression garment, I have it on 24/7 unless I needed to remove when I took a shower? Do I
need to wrap it tight?
Yellow bruising is normal -- that's what I had after my neck lift, and yes the bruising tends to move with gravity downward. It will go away in another week.
Keep the compression garment on 24/7 (especially important at night) except when you shower. If you have Dandruff (like I do), it will probably get worse with the garment on your head and you may need to use Nizoral shampoo to clear it up.
Numbness does go away but it takes months. Try to be patient and distract yourself with books or movies when you're not otherwise busy.
Toonervous - from everything I've read/heard about lipo on any part of the body, significant swelling is very normal in the first few weeks. Dr. Steven Wallach told a RealSelf member that "4 weeks out from surgery is too early to be overly concerned about the swelling under your chin."
Another opinion that directly applies to your concern: "Even though you have no swelling at 48 hours after Chin or Neck liposuction, maximal swelling after Liposuction can continue and occur even after 4-5 days, so I recommend that my patients not remove the garment until at least 7 days and continue to wear it at night for an additional 4-6 weeks." - Dr. Brooke Seckel
If you've never seen a video of someone getting liposuction, I recommend checking it out just to gain an appreciation for how much trauma your tissues endure during the procedure. It's shocking, but definitely puts the swelling into perspective!
Here are some doctor Q&As you may find helpful:
Good luck in the rest of your recovery.
The best plan would be to have surgery on Friday or Thursday and then have the weekend and a few days of the next week to recover before you go back to work. The swelling will make it hard to tell that you've had something done because the swelling will take the place of the fat that was removed, and will dissipate slowly. It will look like you are losing some weight over a period of weeks.
Take Arnica tablets a few days before and for the week after surgery, as it will reduce bruising.
Bruising only lasts a few days -- it is the _swelling_ that lasts for many weeks before the final contour is visible.
The DR told me my bruises would head down towards my upper chest and I could hide them, but they stayed right at my high neck like a strangulation victim and faded from there.
I think also I would recommend and wish I did this. Get a few neck compression garments, the one the doc gave me was a slim strap and the bruises were all along where it ended. I think one of those more coverage types would have been better. Prob would have reduced the facial bruising and pushed the high neck bruising lower.
Good luck! Totally worth it though!
Yes, the brusing and swelling will definitely go away -- it just takes time for the body to reabsorb it. The healing process from lipo is tough because there are no drains so all of the bleeding ends up as brusing.