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Liposuction—it’s not for just your waistline and thighs. Despite the fact that the popular procedure is most often associated with the body, doctors say it can be an effective way to remove fat on the face—with some important caveats. Ahead, a few key things to know before considering facial liposuction plus info on alternative treatment options that can help you achieve a similar result.
1. Facial liposuction is best for the lower part of the face.
Facial liposuction is most often performed on the submental area (under the chin), says Dr. Jon E. Mendelsohn, a board-certified facial plastic surgeon in Cincinnati. The ideal candidate is someone who has some extra fatty tissue and fullness in the area, he explains, noting that this is typically seen in a younger patient population. Dr. David Hartman, a board-certified facial plastic surgeon in Dover, Ohio, agrees: “The best candidates for facial liposuction, and those who will have the best results, are people who simply have an unexpectedly large amount of selective fat in the jowl or chin area, which is usually due to genetics.”
But face lipo isn’t always a one-stop solution—especially for older patients, who find that it’s not just excess fat that contributes to the appearance of a double chin or jowls but sagging skin as well, explains New York City plastic surgeon Dr. Kevin Tehrani. You can remove the fat, but you still have to deal with laxity and loss of elasticity, which is why facial liposuction is often paired with energy-based treatments (lasers, radiofrequency) in order to help tighten the skin once the fat is removed, he points out. Dr. Mendelsohn adds that sometimes a small amount of skin in the chin or jowl area can also be excised, in combination with a liposuction treatment.
Regardless, the doctors underscore the fact that liposuction is best reserved for the lower part of the face. Occasionally, there will be a younger person who is a candidate for liposuction in the cheeks; this is someone who is genetically predisposed to having excess fat in the lower part of the cheek, below the area that’s considered aesthetically pleasing, says Dr. Tehrani. Still, even in this case, the more common course of action is to remove the excess fat via an incision created inside of the mouth.
2. But it can be done on the neck too.
The doctors we spoke with say that neck liposuction is often lumped into the same category as facial lipo. “You can liposuction the front part of the throat and neck, almost down to the collarbones,” says Dr. Hartman, who adds that some people are simply prone to having extra fat in this area even if they’re not overweight. However, this should be done judiciously; if you remove too much fat from the neck, it can start to look skeletonized and webby, a condition known as cobra neck deformity, he explains. For the neck, in particular, VASER liposuction can be a good option (more on that below).
3. The procedure itself is fairly quick and easy.
While facial lipo isn’t necessarily always the right choice for everyone, the procedure is relatively simple. Dr. Mendelsohn says it can usually be done in as little as 10 minutes, under local anesthesia. Depending on the area treated, your doctor may have you wear an elastic sling overnight for the first week or two, he adds. But the recovery is generally fairly simple, with most patients able to resume many normal activities the next day. Swelling and bruising are possible, though lymphatic massage in the days afterward can help minimize the likelihood of these side effects, points out Dr. Tehrani.
4. There are alternatives to facial liposuction.
Slightly different from traditional tumescent (suction-assisted) liposuction, VASER liposuction, which involves the use of ultrasonic vibration in order to help remove the fat, has been used to treat submental fat for more than a decade, says Dr. Richard Gentile, a board-certified facial plastic surgeon in Boardman, Ohio. He adds that it’s an especially beneficial option for the lower face and the neck, where the fat is often adhered to fibrous tissue. “VASER lipo dislodges the fat so that you can remove it more easily and get better contouring in the deeper fat layers,” he explains.
As far as nonsurgical options go, CoolSculpting, which freezes and kills fat cells, is another way to contour the neck and double chin area; Dr. Tehrani says it usually yields about a 20% to 30% reduction in fat. Kybella, an injectable that dissolves fat, is another option for this same spot, though he points out that it requires multiple treatments and can take anywhere from four to six months in order to see results.
Finally, rather than removing fat from a certain area, sometimes the best solution is to think about treating other parts of the face, to create more balance. Particularly in an older patient, the issue isn’t always excess fat; after all, volume and fullness make for a more youthful appearance, says Dr. Mendelsohn. The issue is that the fat and skin have dropped and are in the wrong place. Focusing on sculpting the cheek or jawline with either filler or energy-based tightening devices, instead of doing lipo and removing fat, can often be a better way to achieve the desired facial shape and contour, he says.
