Is it generally recommended that someone be at a normal weight before proceeding to have chin lipo? If so, why?

Question

It's probably important to note that even at a healthy BMI I have a double chin. I am currently 60 lb overweight and working on it, but it'll probably be another year before I get weight off. Thank you doctors!

Young R. Cho, MD, PhD · Answer

Thank you for your question and for sharing your photos.  There are several options for contouring the neck.Non surgical options include: 1) Kybella to dissolve the fatty tissue in the submental area 2) Cool-mini treatment from Coolsculpting to target the same area  3)
 Adding a skin tightening device such as Ulthera or Profound to the neck
 tissue in conjunction with the one of the above to further tighten the 
skin.  Surgical options include:  1) Straight liposuction which would reduce the pinchable fat under the chin2) 
 Anterior neck lift with liposuction which would also allow for 
tightening of the platysmal muscles in the midline to allow for tighter 
neck contour3)  Traditional neck lift which does the same as 2) but also removes some excess skin in the neck.When discussing any these options with patients, I do ask about a patient's weight history.  If your weight is stable and is likely to remain stable afterwards, then you can proceed with the above options as long as there is no other medical reason not to.  If your weight fluctuates a lot, then you may compromise the result.I
 would recommend that you visit with a board certified plastic surgeon 
who offers the various options above to discuss the pros/cons of each 
option and help you decide which is the best for you.

Tanveer Janjua, MD · Answer

It is possible to undergoing chin liposuction even if you are overweight.The only concern is that after weight loss of skin might become loose.  In an ideal situation the weight loss should be accomplished before you undergo chin liposuction.  However weight loss can become a very long process at times.  You should set the time limit for achieving your weight loss and after that do not wait any longer before undergoing chin liposuction.The younger you are when the liposuction is done more likely will not have any access wrinkles of skin afterwards.RegardsDr. J

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

I treat this everyday in my practice. You may be a surgical candidate but you do not need surgery for improvement.  Often the chin area isn't improved with weight loss -- this is highly genetic. Properly performed liposuction with energy based devices and physical fat removal will do fantastic to remove the fat, lift the skin, and contour the jawline. I pretreat everyone with Botox 1-2 weeks before surgery to relax the neck muscles, allowing for better retraction of the skin after surgery. Then after treatment we do skin tightening with Venus Legacy to improve the results and decrease the neck swelling. I suggest you only see an expert for treatment of this area as a meticulous surgeon is required to get great results and complications in this area can be devastating both medically and cosmetically. A new medication that is used to remove chin fat with injections called Kybella may also be an option, as it secondarily allows for skin tightening/lifting as well. A formal consultation is needed to determine what are the best options for you.  Best, Dr. Emer.

David P. Mueller, DDS · Answer

It is a common misconception that one needs to be at ideal weight prior to submental liposuction. When a person gains weight and the fat under their chin is more prominent, this is not due to an increase in fat cells.  The fact is that the cells just become larger. During the liposuction, the total number of cells is greatly reduced regardless of size . Let's  be realistic.  Performing submental liposuction without obtaining ideal body weight shows wonderful results. Most people, if they are 20 pounds or more overweight, will frankly not lose the weight  just to have a neck procedure performed.  My advice is, if you would like to have the procedure done, have it done. Good luck to you, and thank you for the question. Dr David Mueller, DDS, FABOMS

Dan Mills, MD · Answer

As a rule, it’s best to be at your ideal weight for liposuction surgery. However, in your case, it’s not quite as crucial, for several reasons. In your case, you know you have historically had extra fat of the chin even at your ideal weight.  You could show your plastic surgeon pictures of you at your ideal weight so that they can see what is extra fat due to your current weight, and what you will still have at your ideal weight. One of the reasons why we normally do not want to do liposuction until you are at your normal weight is that we don’t want to take too much out so that you have too LITTLE fat where you might want it.  The chin area is not normally an area that we worry about you looking gaunt or ending up with an indentation if you remove fat and then continue to lose more fat. Also, a small amount of fat removed from the chin can be highly motivating to help you continue in your weight loss program.  Most of my patients feel like it looks like they have lost quite a bit of weight just by reducing the double chin.  And that feels great! Best of luck as you interview surgeons for this procedure and in your weight loss plan.

Amy K. Alderman, MD, FACS, MPH · Answer

Liposuction to the chin area is an easy surgery to recover from and can make a significant difference in your appearance and self-confidence.  Although liposuction is ideally performed when you are at your ideal weight, I perform the procedure in heavier patients who are trying to loose weight as it will greatly improve how you feel about your appearance.  In my experience, the procedure can be performed under local or general anesthesia, takes less than an hour to perform, and has an easy recovery. I would recommend seeing a board-certified plastic surgeon for an evaluation.

William Portuese, MD · Answer

It is important to be at your ideal body weight and a healthy BMI before electing to undergo cosmetic neck liposuction surgery. Chin liposuction is performed for diet resistant fat, once your at your ideal body weight.

Mats Hagstrom, MD (license on probation) · Answer

Liposuction is the treatment of choice when someone has a fat distribution that's not ideal.This may or may not include people who are overweight.It is important to differentiate what the inherent problem is to determine what the correct treatment option is.Many people who are young and not overweight who complain of a double chin have insufficient jaw projection.This may often be associated with an overbite. These people would do better with a chin implant either alone or in combination with liposuction.For those who have it good jaw projection and excess subcutaneous fat liposuction is an easy procedure they can give greatBest,Mats Hagstrom M.D.

Jon A. Perlman, MD (retired) · Answer

The most logical reason to be closer to a maintainable and healthy weight (perhaps not an ideal weight) is due to the fact that you may not need to have the area liposuctioned at all.  Why move ahead when it may prove to be unnecessary?  If you were ten pounds overweight and simply couldn't reduce your weight further and needed the procedure I think it would then become reasonable however at +60 lbs I would advise against it at this time.  Good luck with your diet and exercise regimen and hang in there!

Is it generally recommended that someone be at a normal weight before proceeding to have chin lipo? If so, why?

Answers (9)

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