Double chin after liposuction - what other procedures would make improvements? (Photos)

Question

I am looking for options to resolve a double chin even after liposuction. I had chin liposuction over 4 years ago and I am still unhappy with my jawline and double chin. I am about 10 pounds lighter than when I had the procedure. Both pictures are recent.

Carl Truesdale, MD · Answer

A persistent or recurrent double chin after liposuction is one of the most common reasons patients seek second opinions, and the underlying cause is usually one of three things.
First and most common: skin envelope didn't retract. Liposuction removes fat but doesn't tighten skin. If your skin elasticity was already compromised (age, weight history, sun exposure), removing the fat leaves a loose envelope that hangs as the new double chin appearance. Adding more lipo makes this worse, not better. Solution is a neck lift to remove the redundant skin and reposition the platysma.
Second: subplatysmal fat that wasn't addressed. Standard liposuction removes the fat above the platysma muscle. There's another layer of fat below the platysma that requires open dissection to remove. If this layer is the source of fullness, additional liposuction won't help. Solution is a neck lift with subplatysmal fat reduction.
Third: platysmal banding that became more visible after the overlying fat was removed. Solution is a platysmaplasty (corset technique through a small chin incision) or full neck lift.
What I'd avoid: a second round of liposuction in the same area if the first didn't give the result you wanted. The diagnosis is almost certainly something liposuction can't fix.
Best move: consult with a facelift/neck lift surgeon who can examine you in person. The pinch test and palpation of the platysma give a much clearer picture than photos. Ask specifically about subplatysmal anatomy and whether your platysmal bands need addressing. These are technical details a good surgeon will discuss openly.

Mats Hagstrom, MD (license on probation) · Answer

To make an assessment, we need quality pictures.
Please send us complete sets of before and after pictures from your previous procedure.
If you don’t have before and after pictures from your Liposuction procedure, then ask your provider to send the pictures they took.
You can also look how plastic surgeons take before and after pictures to get an idea of what we need.
Best,
Mats Hagstrom MD

Double chin after liposuction - what other procedures would make improvements? (Photos)

Answers (2)

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