Why is liposuction for the jawline not effective in some?

Thank you for your question about the effectiveness of liposuction for the jawline and why it may not always yield desired results.
Surgical Approaches for Facial Contouring:
Variety of Procedures: Facial contouring can be achieved through different methods, including fillers, VASER liposuction, facelift with SMAS plication, or a combination of these.
Consultation and Assessment: Your plastic surgeon will evaluate your face to determine the most suitable surgical option(s) based on your individual needs and expectations.
Conservative vs. Aggressive Approaches:
Many patients initially opt for less invasive methods, like VASER liposuction for the jawline, before considering more extensive procedures like a facelift.
Factors Affecting Jawline Liposuction Results:
Age and Genetics: These play a significant role in how well the skin will respond and conform to the new contour.
Skin Quality: Poor skin quality or damage, such as from sun exposure, can impact results.
Surgical Technique: The amount of fat removed and the type of liposuction (VASER is often preferred) are critical.
Postoperative Care: Wearing a compression garment consistently for the first two weeks post-surgery is vital for optimal skin adherence.
In conclusion, the outcome of jawline liposuction is influenced by a combination of factors including patient characteristics, surgical technique, and postoperative care. It's important to have a thorough discussion with your plastic surgeon about all potential options and their implications to make an informed decision.
I hope this addresses your concerns about the varying effectiveness of jawline liposuction.
Sincerely,
Dr. Katzen

It sounds like you had liposuction of your chin, but wanted a facelift instead. The two surgeries are very different with very different results. Perhaps you were hoping the smaller procedure would satisfy you.

The situation you described is why it is so important to research before selecting your surgeon. You want to review board certified plastic surgeons in your area including before/after photos, reviews, and credentials. Go on a few consultations and ask lots of questions. Do not simply "shop" for the surgeon who says yes to the approach you want when all others say it's not a good way to go.

Liposuction for the jawline may not be effective for everyone because its success depends on factors such as skin elasticity and the distribution of fat deposits. If the skin lacks elasticity, it may not conform well to the new contours after fat removal, leading to sagging or uneven results. Additionally, if excess fat is not the primary issue and there are other factors contributing to the appearance of the jawline, liposuction alone may not address those concerns. Individual variations in anatomy and response to the procedure also play a role in its effectiveness. Consulting with a skilled plastic surgeon can provide more insights based on your specific circumstances.

Making quality assessment regarding Liposuction for the chin and neck is not easy or straightforward. I say this as a 61-year-old plastic surgeon, who specializes exclusively in liposuction and fat transfer procedures.
Almost 100% of people seeking this procedure have a facial, skeletal imbalance with a mandible that is small in relationship to their maxilla.
Almost all people seeking this procedure have a dental occlusion overbite. On profile pictures are upper lip will have more forward projection than the lower lip. This is almost universal. So the primary problem for people having a double chin and poorly defined jawlines is not related to an abnormal fat distribution, but is much more related to bone structure. That said, when done on patients who are good candidates by surgeons who are supremely talented Chin neck Liposuction results can be stunning. Not all plastic surgeons have this skill and experience to do the procedure well and certainly not all plastic surgeons have the ability to make an accurate assessment, which is sometimes even more difficult than doing the procedure well.
All the tissues you mentioned contribute, but bone structure is by far the most important. Individuals who have classic facial beauty almost always have a strong, well-developed man. This is true for all individuals who have beautiful jawlines at middle-age.
There are certain characteristics that make some people ideal candidates for this procedure. Generally, speaking, young people always do better than old people. Those who have fat to remove have potential for more improvement from Liposuction than those who have no fat to remove. Individuals who have severely imbalanced bone structure are never going to get high-quality results while those who have reasonably good bone structure have potential for better outcomes.
Finally, the number of plastic surgeons who truly mastered, Liposuction are in a small minority. Delivering quality Liposuction results is much much more difficult than people realize. Those who think of liposuction as a simplistic procedure of just removing fat are sorely mistaken. Unfortunately, this includes a lot of plastic surgeons.
Mastering Liposuction requires doing thousands of cases and decades of experience.
Any monkey can remove fat, but making accurate assessments and delivering predictable high-quality outcomes on a regular basis is a whole other world.
More people have been disfigured with Liposuction than any other cosmetic operation. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of provider selection. Being board-certified in plastic surgery with year of experience does not mean somebody is mastered every surgical procedure, and certainly not liposuction.
Finding someone whose mastered liposuction is not easy or straightforward. This may require having large numbers of consultation and can take months.
The very best providers for Liposuction are almost always those who do the procedure often, and on a regular basis. Still, those who have a lot of experience are not necessarily always the most talented. The most talented will have both inherent skill, a commitment to mastering the art and experience.
Often the very best Liposuction providers work or have worked at a Liposuction specialty clinic where you have the advantage of doing three or four liposuction cases per day.
In the end results are based on two variables. The first being the patients candidacy and the second being the skill of the provider. Both are probably equally as important. Chin neck Liposuction is not a bad procedure. It can give stunning outcomes some almost as good as the very best facelift. The two procedures are not equivalent. They treat very different tissues and people who who are ideal candidates for Liposuction are generally not candidates for facelifts. Ideal candidates for facelifts are not ideal candidates for liposuction. In reality, the majority of patients being seen for this procedure or not ideal candidates. Most patients are average or reasonable candidates at best. This means that most patience should not expect stellar outcomes since candidacy is half of the potential of a stellar outcome.
The ability for a provider to differentiate who is going to get a high-quality outcome and deliver predictable outcomes, consistent with before, and after pictures of previous patients, is one of the hallmarks of having mastered this procedure.
Understanding your own candidacy, for the procedure is an important part of long-term patient satisfaction. Likewise, provider selection is poorly understood, and unfortunately most people assume plastic surgeons can for the most part do Liposuction well.
This procedure is poorly, understood by both the public and providers.
Finding someone who is mastered at the procedure is far more difficult than most people realize.
When the procedure is done by a skilled provider on a patient who is an excellent candidate, the results can be jaw-dropping.
Unfortunately, there are also many many bad outcomes having left patients disfigured and worse off than where they started.
My best suggestion for anybody interested in Liposuction procedures is the following.
Start the process by having multiple in person, consultations with local providers, who seem to have a strong background in Liposuction.
During each consultation, ask each provider to open up their portfolio and show you their entire collection of before and after pictures of previous patients who had similar characteristics to your own. This should include age, skin, laxity, bone structure in regards to Chin neck, previous pregnancies, etc. for bodywork. And experience provider should have no difficulty showing you the before and after pictures of at least 50 previous patients. In reality, highly experienced surgeons should have hundreds or preferably thousands of before and after pictures to choose from.
Being shown a handful of pre-selected images, representing the best results of a provider, career or results of patients with different body characteristics than your own is insufficient to get a clear understanding of what average results will look like, what your results will look like or how many of these procedures they’ve actually performed.
Make careful notes during each consultation, especially regarding the quality and quantity of before and after pictures.
It’s a good idea to bring pictures of yourself to use as a reference during consultations.
There’s no correct number of consultations needed to find the best provider. Sometimes it’s simply just luck.
Considering how much variation there is in Liposuction skill I recommend patients consider having at least five consultations before considering choosing a provider. If it’s not absolutely obvious that you’re in the hands of an expert, then continue moving on scheduling more consultations. Poorly done, Liposuction can leave people permanently disfigured. The time to be critical of plastic surgeons is during the vetting process before you schedule surgery.
Being bored, certified in plastic surgery, with years of experience, and an overall good reputation does not mean somebody has mastered anyone single procedure, especially not Liposuction. Being famous has no correlation to being talented.
The plastic surgeons with the greatest Internet presence are rarely the best plastic surgeons.
Plastic surgeons with large advertising campaigns, usually can’t fill their practice without the need to advertise.
Best,
Mats Hagstrom, MD

Surgeons may sometimes perform jawline liposuction on patients who are not ideal candidates for a variety of reasons. Understanding these reasons requires a look into the complexities of cosmetic surgery decision-making, patient expectations, and the limitations of certain procedures:
Misdiagnosis of Patient Needs: In some cases, a surgeon might incorrectly assess the patient's needs. They may believe that liposuction alone can achieve the desired outcome when, in reality, a more comprehensive procedure like a deep neck facelift is needed.
Patient Preference: Patients themselves often have specific desires or requests for certain procedures. A patient might insist on liposuction, viewing it as a less invasive option, despite the surgeon's recommendations for a more comprehensive treatment.
Lack of Awareness or Expertise: Some surgeons may not be fully versed in the latest techniques or alternatives. They might not be familiar with or skilled in more complex procedures like deep facelifts and might therefore default to liposuction, which they are more comfortable performing.
Cost Considerations: Liposuction is generally less expensive than a deep neck facelift. Some patients, concerned about costs, may opt for the less expensive procedure, not fully understanding that it might not yield the desired results.
Miscommunication: Ineffective communication between the surgeon and patient can lead to misunderstandings about what can be realistically achieved with liposuction alone.
Marketing and Trends: Sometimes, the popularity of certain procedures (like liposuction) can overshadow more effective but less well-known options. Surgeons might promote what is more commonly requested or recognized by patients.
Overlooking Long-Term Outcomes: Both surgeons and patients might focus on immediate results rather than long-term effectiveness. Liposuction can offer quicker, visible changes but may not address underlying issues that a more comprehensive procedure would resolve.
It's important to note that the outcome and satisfaction of any cosmetic surgery largely depend on the individual case. Patients should seek multiple opinions from qualified surgeons and thoroughly discuss their goals and the potential risks and benefits of each procedure. Surgeons should provide honest, clear, and comprehensive advice, keeping the patient's best interests in mind.