Am I a reasonable candidate for neck lipo, mini neck lift, neck lift, or a combination?

Question

I’m looking for opinions on my lower face/neck area. My concern is mild compared with many before-and-afters I see online, which is why I’m having trouble figuring out what category I fall into. My main issue is soft fullness under the chin with some central drooping/laxity. It feels like a mix of mild submental fat and loose skin, but I’m not sure. I’d love a sharp jawline. Based on the photos, does this look like something that could improve with a neck lift/mini neck lift, lipo, or both? I’m also wondering whether the issue is too mild for surgery at this point, or if I seem like a reasonable candidate. I understand an in-person consultation is needed, but I’d appreciate general feedback on what procedure would typically be considered for this type of mild fullness/laxity.

Sinyoung Song, MD · Answer

Hello, this is Dr. Song, plastic surgeon, the director of Allheart Plastic surgery clinic in Seoul.I completely understand your dilemma. When the submental fullness seems mild, it can be tricky to decide whether surgical intervention is truly necessary or if it's too early.Looking at your photos, you actually do not appear to have a significant amount of submental fat. Instead, the main underlying issue seems to be a combination of early structural/platysmal laxity and overall skin quality changes&mdash;such as fine surface wrinkles, decreased skin elasticity (laxity), and sun damage (pigmentation). Being in a sun-rich area like California often accelerates these surface-level skin aging process.To achieve that crisp, sharp jawline you are hoping for, here is how I would evaluate your case:Surgical Structural Support (Neck Lift / Mini Neck Lift):You are indeed a reasonable candidate for a mini neck lift or neck lift with platysmaplasty. Even without heavy fat pockets, repositioning and tightening the underlying platysma muscle will restore the central structural foundation and significantly sharpen your jawline profile. Lipo alone would yield limited results here since the issue is not primarily fat-driven.Essential Skin Quality Rejuvenation:Surgical lifting addresses the deep structural repositioning, but it cannot fundamentally change the texture and health of the skin itself. Because your photos show noticeable fine lines, sun damage, and reduced skin snap-back, combining surgical repositioning with skin rejuvenation treatments;such as laser resurfacing, skin boosters, or targeted hyperpigmentation care;will be crucial to getting that truly polished, youthful finish.In summary, surgical treatment like a mini neck lift would definitely be effective for your structural concerns, but addressing the surface skin condition in tandem will deliver the best overall transformation.I hope this gives you a clearer perspective on your options!

Mark Beaty, MD · Answer

Based on the single profile photo you provided, you do not appear to have a significant amount of submental fat beneath the chin. It's also important to recognize that a certain amount of fat above the platysma muscle is both normal and beneficial, as over-removal can lead to an unnatural appearance, sometimes referred to as a "cobra neck" deformity.

From what can be appreciated in your photo, your concerns appear to be related more to mild skin laxity in the lower face and upper neck, which can develop naturally with aging, rather than excess fat. Because your changes appear quite subtle, you do not seem to be an obvious candidate for surgical intervention at this time based on this image alone.

If you're interested in addressing these early signs of laxity, non-surgical collagen-stimulating treatments such as Ultherapy® or RF microneedling may be reasonable options. These treatments work by promoting new collagen production and can provide modest skin tightening in patients with mild skin laxity. Of course, an in-person consultation is the best way to determine which approach, if any, would be most appropriate for your specific anatomy and goals.

Lexie Wang, MD · Answer

From this one picture, it does not look like you have much superficial neck fat, which means that liposuction is not going to be helpful for you. If you truly want more definition, you're probably looking at a much bigger procedure only because your concern is "so mild", meaning that every little intervention will be that much more meaningful to give you a result you can be happy with. As for whether it is "too minor", only you can decide whether it is worth it to you.

William Portuese, MD · Answer

Much more information is needed, such as your age, if you’ve had a major weight loss at a young age,and a full set of facial and neck photographs from all angles to make a determination about  how best to proceed. Liposuction alone simply removes the small bit of fat in the neck. In our practice, a neck lift only removes fat deposits above and below the platysma muscle in the neck along with tightening the platysma  muscle itself called a corset platysma plastic. . No skin removal is performed. If there’s loose and inelastic skin in the neck, you’re going to need a lower face and neck lift.  From your one limited photograph, it does not appear that you  have enough to do that warrants this procedure.

Kyle Kimura, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question and photo! 
In my opinion you have a very nice neck and jawline. I do not appreciate a signficant amount of submental fat so would not recommend liposuction. It is hard to fully evaluate for any jowls from the side, but my honest recommendation at this point would be to hold off on any type of facial rejuvenatuion surgery and perhaps focus more on subtle touch ups like laser resurfacing and ensuring good skin care/maintenance. Hope this helps and best of luck!
Kyle Kimura, MD

Am I a reasonable candidate for neck lipo, mini neck lift, neck lift, or a combination?

Answers (5)

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