Necklift and fat pad removal or just chin lipo? (photo)

Only on the basis of in person consultation an experienced plastic surgeon could make decision about neck contouring with liposuction or liposuction/neck lift. Considering your age and amount of fat it is very likely that liposuction, possibly with skin tightening, could be acceptable solution. Second opinion consultation is recommended. Good luck.

A necklift is commonly understood as a submental incision, defatting if indicated and platysma modification, either superior suturing of the medial borders and cutting across the platysma, either partially or completely, or suturing further down and not back cutting.
Liposuction is removal of the fat and re-draping of the skin passively.
In a young patient with a modest amount of submental fat, liposuction alone can be sufficient.
If definition of the jawline and a more defined cervicomental angle is desired, then active treatment such as incisional platysmaplasty or non-incisional MyEllevate would be needed. MyEllevate includes the liposuction, followed by laser-assisted skin tightening, followed by suture suspension platysmaplasty. The suture is also used to release the medial borders of the platysma. All this is done through tiny punctures that do not leave a scar.
Based on the young age, small amount of fat and pre-existing nice neck contour, surgical platysmaplasty appears to be a less desirable option since MyEllevate came along. So liposuction or liposuction with MyEllevate would be options to consider first.

Hello and thank you for your photos and recent question. Judging from your photos I feel you would be happy with just the liposuction to the chin area. You don't seem to have loose skin to perform a necklift at this time. You could also be a good candidate for facetite. Facetite is liposuction along with a laser to tighten any skin to help give a more defined jawline like a necklift. I wish you the best.

I would be cautious doing a traditional or laterally based neck lift at your age. Based on the photos I would not recommend any incisions around your ears. I would focus on less invasive procedures like liposuction that can be combined with some buccal fat contouring. Those two procedures together can have very powerful results on improving the jawline with very little downtime and no external scars.
It is possible your surgeon was talking about a "Deep" or "submental" neck lift with just in incision under your chin. That would be another good way to treat your under chin area but would be a little overkill in your case. I would clarify with your surgeon where they plan to make their incisions and maybe get a second opinion. Hope that helps.
Good Luck,Matthew Tamplen MD

The best option largely depends on your skin's elasticity. Based on your photos, it appears that your skin has good elasticity, meaning liposuction alone may be sufficient. However, the true test comes from physically assessing the skin, so your plastic surgeon will be the best judge.
In general, younger individuals tend to have better skin elasticity. However, factors like pregnancy—due to hormonal changes—can reduce elasticity, potentially leading to loose skin after liposuction. Significant weight loss (typically over 20 pounds) can also contribute to skin laxity.
For mild skin laxity, a skin-tightening treatment—such as radiofrequency thermal heating—can be performed either at the time of liposuction or afterward to enhance results.

it's dependent on your exam findings. My guess is, based off of your photos, your age/weight, that the concern is more your platysma muscle, which would not be treated with traditional lipo, so that is probably why they recommended the neck lift route. you should ask your surgeon specifically about this since she is the one who examined you.

Liposuction of the jawline and neck under local with the addition of facetite/morpheus makes a dramatic improvement in just 1 day and looks so natural and snatched.

Thank you for asking such an important question.
It’s completely understandable to feel hesitant about procedures with names like ‘neck lift’ or ‘facelift,’ especially when you’re young and fit. But, the key isn’t the name of the procedure—it’s choosing the one that best solves your individual concern.
If you’re wondering whether fat is truly the issue under your chin, a quick test is to tilt your head all the way back and try to pinch the area. If there’s not much to pinch, it’s likely a muscle-related concern, not excess fat. In these cases, liposuction alone may not create the result you’re hoping for, and could even cause irregularities or leave you disappointed.
To help understand what approach might work best, we can think of patients in three general categories:
Young, low-BMI patients often have tight skin and very little fat—the fullness they see is frequently due to the underlying muscles. In this case, liposuction can sometimes worsen the contour, rather than improve it.
Moderate BMI, moderate-age patients may have a small amount of fat under the chin. Lipo can help remove this fat, but without tightening the muscles or skin, they may see the return of fullness or sagging later. That’s why a central neck lift can be a more lasting solution—it tightens everything beneath the surface.
Higher BMI patients typically benefit most from chin lipo, because the excess fat is the primary issue. However, it’s common for these patients to return later feeling that their skin has started to sag—because muscle and skin were never addressed.
Ultimately, the most long-lasting and natural-looking results come from addressing all layers—fat, muscle, and skin—especially when there’s any structural looseness involved. A central neck lift, for example, uses the same incision as lipo and offers deep support by tightening the muscle layer. With an experienced surgeon, the incision becomes an afterthought compared to the improvement in contour and longevity of your result.
Surgery is a partnership. The surgeon must execute the procedure, but patients also play a vital role in their healing, care, and long-term maintenance. What matters most is finding the option that truly addresses the root of the concern—not just the most minimal option at first glance.

From the two limited photographs, it appears that most of your fat is located above the platysma muscle in the neck, therefore liposuction should be able to accomplish your goals. If you're looking for more jawline definition, a platysma- plasty can also be performed, which significantly improves your jawline once the fat has been removed. If you're fat deposits are located below the muscle than a formal neck lift surgery is required.

Based on your nicely posted photos in your age, I would offer superficial Lipo sculpting, and lift, laser, possible HA fillers to draw line to give a more angular result. This procedures can be done under local anesthesia or local anesthesia with intervenous sedation. Expect fees to range from $5000-$8000. Best of virtual consult with.