How can you tell if a double chin is cause by excess skin or fat? Considering submental liposuction (photo)

Question

Considering submental liposuction. Would like to understand if there is a way to tell if my issue is chin fat (which would mean I am a good candidate) or excess skin (meaning the lipo won’t do much).

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

For unique cases where a variety of modalities could be used to treat the condition, I would suggest an in person or virtual consultation to develop a custom and effective treatment plan.  It is difficult to precisely define the best option without collecting the same information. I suggest reaching out to an expert for a consultation with surgical and non-surgical methods to get a comprehensive option. Best, Dr. Emer.

Lucian Ion, FRCS · Answer

Thank you for your question and sharing your photographs.

As far as I can tell, your volume excess is neither fact that can be treated by liposuction nor skin excess..

It appears to be predominantly volume deep to the platysma which is a combination of the digastric muscles, submandibular glands and a small amount of fatty tissue in the central part of the submental region.

The easiest way to work out how much fatty tissue is under the skin is too contracted the platysma muscles by rolling the lower lip down forcefully to feel that your muscles are contracting under the chin and the pinch the skin above the muscles. By contracting the muscles were isolated the volume about them from the volume deep to them.

You have no skin excess whatsoever.

It is possible to change the contour of the submental region in your case through a deep plane anterior neck lift which removes volume excess deep to platysma.

Michael P. Morrissette, DDS, FACS · Answer

The angle of your neck and chin is created by the position of your hyoid bone. Generally, a low hyoid created this kind of angle. There are a few options. If your chin is recessive, a chin implant is helpful. Sometimes chin and jawline liposuction will improve the definition and contour. I would recommend that you go on several consultations.

Daniel Barrett, MD · Answer

Dear Brian.pr,
it is hard to tell for sure without an examination. If you are considering surgery, I would suggest you consult a board-certified plastic surgeon. Only after a thorough examination, you will get more information and recommendations.
Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

William Portuese, MD · Answer

A full set of pictures would be more helpful to get a better determination about how best to proceed. From the one limited photograph, you have a recessive mandible and fat deposits located below the platysma muscle. It's important to understand that there are two compartments a fat in the neck, above and below the platysma muscle. Consider placement of a chin implant to augment your chin forward for better structural support for the soft tissues in the neck. Liposuction can only accomplish removal of fat above the platysma muscle, while a surgical neck lift is required to remove the fat deposits below the platysma muscle which also includes a platysma-plasty to significantly improve the jawline. A surgical neck lift with the chin implant would be your best option, and both procedures can be perform together as an outpatient procedure.

Mats Hagstrom, MD (license on probation) · Answer

95% plus of people consulting for a Chin and neck Liposuction have an under developed mandible.
And mandible that’s lacking in projection or size typically causes a dental overbite occlusion, profile pictures will show the upper lip having more forward projection in the lower lip. There’s also typically causes the platysma muscle to drape the neck in an oblique fashion losing jaw definition and causing a premature double chin.
To get a quality assessment based on bone structure I suggest consulting it with some oral surgeons in your community.
Plastic surgeons tend to see things more from a soft tissue perspective and lean on soft tissue treatments.
That works well when the problem is based on soft tissues but in your case the problem is soundly based on bone structure.
Patients are apprehensive to have the correct treatment. Recognize that any form of soft tissue manipulation that doesn’t address the primary problem Will lead to limited results at best.
In your case you don’t appear to have skin laxity or excess fat.
You have a weak chin and undersized mandible.
A chin implant or sliding genioplasty will augment the mentalis or the chin region of the mandible but will not address your dental overbite occlusion or move your mandible forward.
Mandibular advancement would be the correct procedure.
Best,
Mats Hagstrom MD

How can you tell if a double chin is cause by excess skin or fat? Considering submental liposuction (photo)

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