Would lipo with added skin tightening address my chin? (Photos)

Hi! Dr. Peterson here —
For mild to moderate facial fullness with fairly good skin quality, liposuction combined with energy-based skin tightening can be effective for long-term contouring. Devices like BodyTite or J-Plasma help tighten the skin while removing fat, which can give a smoother, more defined result.
It’s important to have realistic expectations: non-surgical tightening is helpful, but very loose skin or significant sagging may still require surgical approaches. A consultation with a board-certified dermatologist or dermatologic surgeon can help determine the best approach for your face and goals.

Thank you for your question. At our practice we use Smartlipo and Trusculpt to address concerns of submental fat. Smartlipo is minimally invasive with the laser melting the fat that is subsequently suctioned out. The laser also works to tighten the skin. Trusculpt is a non-invasive option requiring zero downtime. During this quick 15-minute procedure, the fat cells are heated and destroyed. However, with anything non-invasive, you will get around 25% fat reduction. Trusculpt uses radio frequency which provides skin tightening.

Thank you for your detailed question. Based on your description and photos, it sounds like you’re dealing with mild to moderate submental fullness (under the chin) and possibly some skin laxity due to past weight fluctuations and pregnancy.

Liposuction alone can effectively remove excess fat under the chin and along the jawline, but when there is any degree of skin laxity—as you mentioned—combining lipo with a skin tightening modality is typically the better long-term solution. This combination can provide more sculpted, defined results without leaving behind loose skin.

Here are some considerations:

1. Liposuction Alone
Ideal for: Younger patients with good skin elasticity.

Limitation: If there’s even mild laxity, liposuction may leave some skin sagging behind.

2. Lipo + Skin Tightening (e.g., FaceTite, Renuvion, Morpheus8)
Ideal for: Patients like you who have some mild laxity but overall good skin quality.

Benefits: These devices use radiofrequency or helium plasma energy to stimulate collagen production and contract skin from the inside, often avoiding the need for more invasive surgery.

Longevity: Results typically last several years, especially if your weight remains stable.

3. Alternative or Adjunct Options
Kybella: A non-surgical injectable that dissolves fat under the chin, but doesn’t address laxity and requires multiple sessions.

Mini-lift: For patients with more advanced laxity or aging, a lower facelift or neck lift may be considered, but this doesn’t sound necessary in your case.

Conclusion:
Yes, liposuction with added skin tightening would likely be a very effective, long-term solution for your chin and jawline concerns. Your stable weight and good skin quality make you a strong candidate. Just make sure you’re working with a provider experienced in energy-based skin tightening paired with submental contouring for the most natural and lasting outcome.

Morpheus 8 is a non-invasive skin and soft tissue tightening treatment that is consistently amazing in our patients. We use the Morpheus to exact fractional induced RF into the skin or tissue in order to tighten collagen and stimulate contraction of the tissue. For acne scars, it is quite useful to build collagen in patients who have atrophic scars but is not very productive for ice-pick scars which require TCA Cross. For tissue tightening, Morpheus is ideal for the face and neck and we often combine it with CO2 laser or Ultherapy to further enhance results. Chemical peels and skin resurfacing should be done at least 5 to 7 days after, but can be performed earlier, depending on treatment severity. Avoid exfoliating skin treatments before Morpheus and expect a period of 2-4 weeks for skin contraction to set in.

Best,
Dr. Karamanoukian
Realself100 Surgeon

Based off your photos (limited angles) - you do have some laxity of skin there, very little submental fat - but if you tried chin lipo with J plasma or some form of radiofrequency skin tightening invasively - that would ideally give you the best first start. The less invasive modalities are usually money heavy and require a lot of treatments to see very little results. Endolift is relatively new but could be of some benefit - review the risks with your provider / surgeon. And lastly, would be neck lift to really fix the problem but at the exchange of scars hidden behind your ear and into the hairline. (Finally, there is always just embracing gravity's effects on aging and not do much but facials and not gaining weight)

Based on the photos and description of your concerns you may want to consider FaceTite. This minimally invasive procedure uses RF technology to tighten skin. Local liposuction can also be combined with this procedure and no general anesthesia is needed. I've included a video I hope you find helpful.