Is Double Chin Surgery a Difficult Procedure at 78 Yrs. Old?

Your pre-existing health will be the biggest factor.  After that, the procedure should flow nicely.  Price varies from 4K to 12K in most places, depending on what is done.

If you are 78 years old you may be a better candidate for a face/necklift than liposuction of the chin.  The reason for this is due to the decreased elasticity in the skin as we age.  You may already have some loose skin which needs to be removed and liposuction alone can not accomplish that goal.  In fact, liposuction in a 78 yr old patient could actually worsen the condition.

I recommend seeing your primary care physician to receive medical clearance before seeking any type of cosmetic plastic surgery on your chin or neck.

Best wishes,

Dr.Bruno

This is a very good question, because in SW Florida, many patients I see are enjoying their Golden Years.  Patients often ask me: "I'm over 70, should I even bother?"  My reply is simple: "You asked to see me, so there must have been enough motivation on your part to consider making a change".  The fact is that many patients, even in their late 70's lead active, healthy, and vibrant lives.

From an anatomic perspective, many patients in their late 70's have a  substantial amount of skin excess muscle (platysmal) laxity, and submental fat to create a moderate to severe amount of obliquity in the neck.  As I have stated in previous posts: the more substantial the aging changes are, the more involved the ensuing procedure must be to achieve a meaningful result.  Therefore, a Facelift procedure in a 78 year old is generally more challenging than the same procedure in a 58 year old, but still technically possible.  These statements are made with the assumption that the patient is healthy physically and emotionally.  Cost is relative to the area in which you live and the skill and expertise of the Surgeon you see.

Your pre-existing health will need to be taken into consideration. You will need to be cleared by your primary care doctor. If you are cleared a face or neck lift may be a better option due to loose skin and decreased elasticity as we age.

"Dr.D"

While you have not shown a picture of yourself, it is highly unlikely at age 78 that more simple treatments such as liposuction or non-surgical neck tightening will have any effect. At this age, you most likely have a significant neck wattle (loose skin) which makes up your double chin concern. Only a facelift (neck-jowl lift), with or without a chin implant, will be effective for eliminating your double chin. At age 78, the operation and recovery is really no different than if you were 10 or 20 years younger as long as your health is still good.  

Assuming you are otherwise healthy, or at least have stable medical conditions that don't make surgery unsafe for you, you certainly can have your double chin addressed.  Without a photo, it's hard to know for sure what procedure would work best for you.  Some people just have extra fullness in the neck, and that can be addressed with simple liposuction.  At your age, though, I'll bet you have some extra skin as well.  You may need a necklift or facelift.  Seek a consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon who can do a personal evaluation and let you know what would best suit you.

Double Chin correction with Neck Lift or Chin or Neck liposuction is an elective procedure and thus should not be performed on anyone with serious medical illness which would cause complication or difficulty healing.

Many people who are healthy and fit with no serious medical illness have elective Plastic Surgery including Neck Lift and Chin or Neck Liposuction.

The key is the condition of your neck skin and muscles. If you have very lax neck skin with hanging skin or bands (called Platysmal Bands) then a Neck Lift or Facelift will give you a better result.

However if you primarily have excess fat beneath the neck skin or you have a small chin, the Liposuction of the Neck and possibly a Chin Implant will help your double chin.

In my experience, the Laser Liposuction procedure with Slim Lipo is better at tightening the skin than is Liposuction without the laser.