1 access point or 3? What is best to ensure a nice jawline on a thin patient with minimal fat?

Question

I’ve been considering chin lipo. I’ve been to 3 doctors. One stated he will make 3 incisions. He also warned me of temporary nerve damage. The other two doctors only make one incision directly under the neck. I want to ensure my jawline is done too. One doctor who makes 1 incision stated he could get it all, I don’t have much. What is best to ensure a nice jawline on a thin patient with minimal fat? I’m not comfortable posting photos just looking for a surgeons opinion on the number of incisions

Chet Mays, MD · Answer

Thank you for your inquiry!  We would love to meet with you to discuss your concerns.  There would be 3 incisions for submental liposuction.  One under the chin and one under ear ear. Schedule a consultation with a Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon to help you reach your goals!

Anna Chacon, MD, FAAD · Answer

Hello,

Thank you for your thoughtful question. It’s a great one and very relevant for patients with minimal submental fat who are seeking refined jawline definition.

When it comes to chin liposuction in thinner patients, the number of incisions (1 vs. 3) depends on your anatomy, aesthetic goals, and the surgeon’s technique. Here's a breakdown:

Single Incision Approach
Location: Typically placed in the natural crease just under the chin.

Pros: Minimal scarring, more discreet.

Cons: May limit access to the lateral jawline or under-ear area, especially if precision sculpting is needed.

Three-Incision Approach
Locations: One under the chin, and one behind each earlobe.

Pros: Allows for more comprehensive contouring of the entire jawline, including the angle of the mandible. Ideal if you're seeking sharper definition.

Cons: Slightly more invasive and may carry a marginally higher risk of temporary nerve irritation or swelling, which your surgeon has rightly mentioned, but these effects are typically temporary and manageable.

For patients with minimal fat, achieving noticeable yet natural results often requires meticulous sculpting, not just fat removal. In such cases, having lateral access (via 3 incisions) can help the surgeon contour along the jawline more precisely, especially if your goal is a defined or snatched jawline appearance.

Key Considerations:
Skill and experience of the surgeon are far more important than the number of incisions.

Temporary nerve sensitivity is a known risk with either method, but it often resolves with time.

If you're not seeking buccal fat removal or a full facelift, chin lipo with 3 points may offer optimal control with minimal additional risk.

While both approaches can yield excellent results, for leaner patients who prioritize jawline definition, the 3-incision technique often provides superior contouring and precision, especially if you're looking to enhance the lateral jawline angles.

Always feel comfortable asking your surgeon to show you before-and-after photos of patients with similar builds and goals. That can offer reassurance and help set realistic expectations.

Eric M. Joseph, MD · Answer

If you are indeed a suitable candidate for neck liposuction, we typically make three small incisions to cross hatch the directions that we liposuction. All of these incisions are closed with a single suture, and they eventually become invisible. I hope this helps! Sincerely, Dr Joseph

William Portuese, MD · Answer

Much more information is needed, such as your age, and a full set of facial and neck photographs from all angles to make sure you're a candidate for either simple liposuction, or a neck lift procedure. Depending upon where your fat deposits are located, you may be able to get by with one incision, but if you have fat deposits along the angle of the mandible, you're gonna need three access incisions. If you have fat deposits below the platysma muscle, you'll need a neck lift procedure with a platysma plasty to significantly improve your jawline.

Mats Hagstrom, MD (license on probation) · Answer

Personally, I make three incision points because this gives me much better access to do the procedure well.The incision points by the earlobe need to be lined up perfectly with the jawline to get that chiseled.Scars on the face for Liposuction incisions tend to heal to the point of not being visible at the six month postoperative visit. The importance of provider selection cannot be overstated.Liposuction is a permanent procedure and if not done well can leave the people permanently disfigured.Delivering consistent quality liposuction results is more difficult than most people realize.The number of plastic surgeons who approach mastery of Liposuction is quite small.Only exceptional plastic surgeons, deliver exceptional outcomes.Average plastic surgeons deliver average results and average results when it comes to liposuction may not be that great.Finding the right plastic surgeon is far more difficult than most people realize.To find the right provider, I suggest the following.Start by having a proper set of facial pictures.Look at our plastic surgeons take before and after pictures for reference. Bring those pictures with you in printed format to each consultation to use as reference.During each consultation, ask each provider to open up their portfolio and show you their entire collection of the before, and after pictures of previous patients who had similar facial characteristics to your own.This is we’re having pictures of yourself cubs in handy.You don’t want to see results That are the best you want to see on people who look just like you in the before pictures.A efficiently experienced provider should have more before and after pictures than you have time to look at during the consultation.Mastering this procedure requires years of experience.The difference between average Liposuction and exceptional Liposuction is extraordinary.The biggest mistake I see patient is having consultation and then scheduling surgery.Having only one consultation eliminates the ability to choose a better provider.There is no correct number of consultations needed to find the right provider for your needs.Sometimes it’s simply a matter of luck.Generally, the more consultations you have the more likely, you are to find the best provider for your needs.Most people do not have a lot of experience consulting with plastic surgeons.The more consultations you have the better you’ll be at the process from the patients perspective.It should be your goal and responsibility to vet the provider in regards to their skill and experience level.Don’t be passive during the consultation.Push the provider And ask them difficult questions like, how many of these cases have they done? How often do they do this procedure?They should have a collection of before and after pictures that resembles their answer in regards to how many procedures they’ve done.Ask them how often they do revisionsAsk if they’re willing to show you results that didn’t turn out as well as they had hoped. Ask them to explain why those results didn’t turn out as well as they had hoped for.I’m guessing a lot of plastic surgeons will be reluctant to show you anything but their best outcomes.It’s still a good idea to ask.Individuals who have thin layer so fat don’t have the potential for having that much change.Best,Mats Hagstrom MDThis response was dictated.My apologies for potential grammatical errors.

1 access point or 3? What is best to ensure a nice jawline on a thin patient with minimal fat?

Answers (5)

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