37 years old - Could chin and neck liposuction help obstructive sleep apnea?

Question

Hello, I am a 37 year old female, about 30-40lbs over my ideal weight. I developed sleep apnea about 3 years ago during my pregnancy with my second baby. I never lost the baby weight, and the sleep apnea never went away. I use a CPAP machine religiously but I still feel terrible all the time and wake up frequently during the night. I know losing weight would help, hard when I am so tired all the time. My weight is most centered in my upper body, my abdomen, chin/neck and arms

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

For unique cases where a variety of modalities could be used to treat the condition, I would suggest an in-person or virtual consultation to develop a custom and effective treatment plan.  It is difficult to precisely define the best option without collecting the same information. I suggest reaching out to an expert for a consultation with surgical and non-surgical methods to get a comprehensive option. Best, Dr. Emer.

Rafael Arenas, MD · Answer

One of the types of sleep apnea Is the obstructive. The cause is the soft tissue enlargement of the throat due excess of weight. Chin liposuction will not help to make better this condition.

Jeffrey H. Spiegel, MD · Answer

It's possible.  Sleep apnea is caused by collapse of the upper airway and excess weight and the area can contribute to that.  We should take a look. There may be a couple of good surgical options.

Mats Hagstrom, MD (license on probation) · Answer

You need to reduce and take control over your eating habits.
Removing the fat with Liposuction will not improve your sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea is a serious condition that reduces lifespan by an average of six years. It causes many people to develop hypertension, depression, impotency and a variety of other undesirable medical conditions.
Weight loss it’s not related to how much you sleep but rather how much you eat.
If you’re unable to lose weight on your own then consider joining local support groups like Weight Watchers or over eaters anonymous.
Best,
Mats Hagstrom MD

37 years old - Could chin and neck liposuction help obstructive sleep apnea?

Answers (4)