I'm unhappy with my lower face/the slant of my chin to neck angle. What's the best way to make this angle more dramatic? (Photo)

Question

I dislike my profile and would like a more dramatic neck/chin angle and a more defined jawline/less heavy looking lower face in general. I'm aware that losing weight does help this problem but even when i've been at my thinnest (117 lbs 5'5) I still had the same issue with the shape of my face. (currently 130 5'5) I have been considering liposuction, a chin implant and/or rhinoplasty to balance out my profile but I'm unsure of which combination of procedures is right for me or where to start.

Larry S. Nichter, MD, MS, FACS · Answer

The best recommendations to improve your neck appearance depend on your needs, desires, and most importantly an examination to determine the best procedure for you. Your plastic surgeon will evaluate you for five main features that will determine your best options for neck line improvement:Amount of excess fat typically found beneath the chin, and in the upper neck. This requires liposuction with small cannulas or direct removal especially if the fat is beneath the platysma muscle.Presence of Significant (Platysmal) Banding – this requires bringing the muscles together in the upper/mid neck to a more youthful position and occasionally their release. This procedure is called a platysmaplasty or platysma plication. Mild banding can be treated non- surgically with Botox or Dysport but this requires injections 3-4 times a year for maintenance.Amount of excess/redundant skin (cutis laxa) and condition of your skin. In advanced stages this is called a Turkey Waddle or Gobble deformity. For example, younger age, darker skin colors and no large weight loss history most likely means there will be better elasticity and therefore better post-surgical contraction. In milder cases if not too much fat is present there will be enough skin shrinkage with just lipo alone. Mild to minimal skin tightening using non-surgical means like the Sciton Laser SkinTyte procedure, Ultherapy or Thermage could also be considered. My personal preference for non-surgical skin tightening of the neck is the Sciton Laser BBL SkinTyte® procedure as there is no down time, more comfortable procdure, is effective and is a more targeted treatment. For redundant upper and mid excess neck skin: I prefer the LiteLift® (lower facelift ) procedure or MACS for skin re-draping for mild to moderate excess skin management as there are minimal scars and the skin is lifted vertically allowing for minimal hidden scars resulting in a natural appearance “non pulled” appearance. However: for moderate to severe skin redundancy , a neck lift or traditional lower facelift (e.g.Lite Lift®, MACS and others) is needed with or without lipo for best results. For advanced Turkey Waddle correction wither a traditional facelift or posterior neck lift often with a platysmaplasty is required with more extensive scars that extend at the hairline behind your ears. The advantage of a facelift procedure rather than a posterior neck lift is that your lower jawline (e.g. jowls and marionette lines) are also improved at the same time.Chin deficiency. If you have a weak chin then you will not have adequate chin support to your neckline skin which affects your entire neck line. Sometimes especially in younger individuals this is all that is required and this can be done in the office under local anesthesia. There are a number of different sizes and shapes and your plastic surgeon will pick the optimal one for you.Presence of prominent Digastric Muscles or Submandibular gland fullness from laxity or enlargement. Although not a major concern for most patients, if present then partial resection is usually the best solution.In summary, picking the most qualified and best plastic surgeon with the most experience in neck improvement is essential to ensuring that you will have a wonderful and lasting result. It is the plastic surgeon’s ability to evaluate both your anatomical features and aesthetic goals to guide you to one or more neck lift procedures to give you the best neck line possible.

Rady Rahban, MD, FACS · Answer

You are not
alone as many women lack a well defined jaw line.  There are several
options but without seeing in person there is no way to be sure which if any of
these is an option for you.   Skin pulling known as a face/neck lift is
for individuals who have excess skin obliterating their neck line but have a
normal bone structure. Liposuction can be performed for patients who have
existing excesses fat in their neck and should have good quality skin otherwise
will complain of lose skin following the procedure. You can further give
the illusion of a stronger jaw line by manipulating the chin which can be done
with a chin implant. I am a big fan of the chin implant as it is quick, easy
and can lead to very natural results if done correctly.  There are many
different chin implant shapes and sizes that could be specifically sized for
you, in ways that will leave you with a very natural looking chin. Finally, a
Rhinoplasty can also add to a desirable profile if needed. Rhinoplasty
procedures involve many nuances that must be discussed and determined at the
time of your consultations and pre-op appointments with your plastic surgeon.
Hope this has helped.

Evan Ransom, MD, FACS · Answer

Thank you for the question and your photos. There are a number of great options for improving the jawline contour and chin shape, especially in younger patients with good skin elasticity. First, you can perform liposuction or use a non-surgical tightening device like ThermiRF to reduce the fullness in the under chin area. Second, you can use fillers (e.g., Radiesse) to augment the chin contour and give more definition. Third, you could place a small chin implant, which is a minor surgery with little downtime. Please see a board certified surgeon to discuss which option is best for you. Many of these things can be combined for greater effect.

Richard W. Westreich, MD · Answer

From the photos submitted, you appear to be quite young. It is not uncommon to have a little fullness underneath the chin, which is usually just a small fat deposit in that area. Further definition in the chin could be achieved with a chin implant alone, the size and shape customized to the type of contour you are looking to achieve. In many cases, this can help to stretch the area under the chin enough to flatten it out. If not, non-surgical fat reduction or liposuction could help. In your case, where a large fat pad is not seen, I might suggest a radiofrequency fat reduction (such as Exilis) treatment first, with chin implant and/or liposuction reserved for further refinement if needed.

William Portuese, MD · Answer

A rhinoplasty, chin implant and neck liposuction can all be performed at the same time. The rhinoplasty procedure can de-project the nose, shave down any dorsal hump, and adjust the tip and bridge line accordingly. A chin implant gives additional projection to the chin when there is a weak chin profile present. Liposuction in the neck helps define the jaw neck angle better, after you  you are at your ideal body weight and have diet resistant fat present in the neck. For many examples of this combination, please see the link and the video below

I'm unhappy with my lower face/the slant of my chin to neck angle. What's the best way to make this angle more dramatic? (Photo)

Answers (6)

Answer: Defining the chin

Answer: Defining the chin

Answer: Rhinoplasty, chin implant and neck liposuction

Answer: Rhinoplasty, chin implant and neck liposuction

Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Chin Implant

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.

I'm unhappy with my lower face/the slant of my chin to neck angle. What's the best way to make this angle more dramatic? (Photo)

Answers (6)

Answer: Defining the chin

Answer: Defining the chin

Answer: Rhinoplasty, chin implant and neck liposuction

Answer: Rhinoplasty, chin implant and neck liposuction

Browse related questions

Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Chin Implant

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.