Should I get chin liposuction for double chin? Will it make chin ptosis more apparent? (Photos)

Question

Whenever I smile or laugh my double chin becomes very prominent. I've been looking into chin lipo, however I also have some mild dynamic chin ptosis which might become more apparent if I get lipo (I just tested this by pulling the neck fat and smiling, then taking a picture, I have no idea if the actual procedure will produce such result). My dynamic chin ptosis is very bad when doing a deep grin or other weird expressions which I usually don't do, wondering how much of this has to do with the structure of my chin. Do I possibly have a recessed chin and would a sliding genioplasty etc. help? Any way to avoid the dynamic chin ptosis getting worse with lipo? For reference I am 21.

Anna Chacon, MD, FAAD · Answer

I really appreciate how thoughtfully you’re analyzing this — especially at 21. You’re asking the right questions before jumping into a procedure.

From what you’re describing, it sounds like you may have a combination of:

Submental fullness (fat under the chin)

Mild dynamic chin ptosis (soft tissue dropping when smiling)

Possibly structural chin projection contributing to the profile

Here’s the important part: chin liposuction removes fat — it does not tighten muscle or reposition soft tissue. If part of your fullness is actually related to soft tissue laxity or muscle movement rather than pure fat, removing fat alone can sometimes make dynamic ptosis more noticeable. That’s because the fat may be masking mild structural descent.

However, at 21, true skin laxity is uncommon. Most of what you’re seeing when smiling is dynamic movement of the mentalis muscle and lower lip complex. When you smile or laugh deeply, the chin pad shifts downward — that’s anatomy, not necessarily a defect.

Your “pulling the neck fat and smiling” test isn’t an exact predictor of what liposuction would look like. Surgical contouring redistributes tissue more evenly than manually pulling the skin upward.

Regarding chin structure:
If you have a mildly recessed chin, that can absolutely exaggerate the appearance of a double chin. In those cases, structural enhancement (like chin augmentation or sliding genioplasty) can improve projection and reduce the appearance of submental fullness — sometimes more effectively than fat removal alone.

To avoid worsening dynamic ptosis:

Make sure the issue is truly fat-dominant

Avoid over-aggressive fat removal

Consider whether subtle chin projection would balance your profile

In some cases, small amounts of neuromodulator in the mentalis can improve dynamic dimpling

At your age, I would be cautious about aggressive surgical intervention unless the anatomy clearly supports it. Many young patients benefit from conservative contouring rather than full removal.

The key question is:
Is this primarily fat, structure, or muscle movement? The treatment changes depending on that answer.

You’re wise to pause and evaluate instead of rushing into a procedure. With the right assessment, you can improve contour without creating a new imbalance.

Lucian Ion, FRCS · Answer

Thank you for your enquiry and for the detailed explanation — it’s very helpful, especially at your age.

From your photographs, your chin projection is actually very good, both horizontally and vertically. There is no meaningful recession, and structurally your lower face proportions are well balanced. A sliding genioplasty would not address what you are describing, because your concern is dynamic rather than structural.

What you are noticing when you smile or do a deep grin is dynamic chin ptosis, which is related to overactivity of the mentalis muscles. When these muscles contract strongly, they elevate and bunch the soft tissue of the chin upward, which can create:
	•	A temporary “double chin” effect
	•	Chin dimpling
	•	Soft tissue bunching
	•	Increased submental fullness during expression

This is muscle-driven. It is not primarily a fat problem, and it is not caused by a recessed chin.

When you manually pull the neck fat and smile, that is not a reliable simulation of liposuction results. Liposuction removes superficial fat permanently, but it does not tighten or reposition the mentalis muscle.

The most targeted treatment for dynamic chin ptosis is small-dose botulinum toxin to the mentalis muscle. This reduces excessive contraction and can:
	•	Soften chin bunching
	•	Reduce the “popping up” effect during smiling
	•	Improve the dynamic submental contour

In many young patients with good bone structure and skin elasticity, this is often all that is required.

Should I get chin liposuction for double chin? Will it make chin ptosis more apparent? (Photos)

Answers (2)

More Chin Liposuction Questions

Witches chin reduction - what are the best procedure options? (Photos)

I would like a more defined jaw line. Would just chin lipo provide good results? (Photos)

Two years post chin liposuction - How do I make my chin look better? (Photos)

I’m not happy with my results from two rounds of chin lipo - what else can I do? (Photos)

My chin is large and more masculine than my face. What procedure would I benefit from for the best results? (Photos)

Is this a double chin, even though my body fat percentage is very low? How can I get a sharper jawline? (Photos)

WE SEND PRETTY
EMAILS