Extra Skin/jowling After Smartlipo on my Neck/chin - Michigan, MI
I am 45 years old and four weeks ago had smartlipo...
I am 45 years old and four weeks ago had smartlipo done to get rid of fat under my chin and neck. I am very petite and in shape but I inherited my fathers chin. I developed a double chin and was on my way to getting a bit of a turkey neck and thought it would be better to have this done now instead of later.
Four weeks after the procedure, I do see an improvement in my mid-neck area but I have jowling which I didn't have before - (more on one side than the other) and some extra skin under my chin. The skin looks really old as there is no fat there and is unsupported if you know what I mean. I spoke with the Dr.'s office and they said we have to wait 3 months and it can even take up to a year to see results. But if a "touch up" is needed they can do that after the 3 months. This is a bit disappointing as this was not shared with me before the procedure and I don't think a touch up will take care of the extra skin.
I am very concerned and wondering if this gets better and if the skin will reattach or not. I researched this procedure for a year and a half, saw two plastic surgeons along with the other Dr. who performed my smartlipo treatment. One surgeon recommended regular lipo and a chin implant, the other didn't think I had enough for a full lift but would have done it anyway and the smartlipo Dr. said that with the skin tightening of SL I was a great candidate for it and they wouldn't perform it if they didn't think so.
I was very clear with my smartlipo Dr. about my concern with having extra or sagging skin and he stated that "I was young and my skin elasticity was very good for my age".
I continue to wear a compression garment when I can during the day and do so religiously every night when I go to bed.
I can't help but be scared as the extra skin makes my chin and face look older than it did before. Can anyone give me some perspective or advice? I prefer not to post pictures on the web but would be willing to email a couple to the right professional. Thank you!!
Replies (3)
Going to see the Dr. in a couple of weeks for a...
Replies (3)
MDancer, I had chin lipo last year and have been using Retin-A on the under-chin area to stimulate collagen production and promote shrinkage. You should try that first before committing to a full lift. Make certain to wear sunscreen after the Retin-A because it makes skin much more susceptible to burns/sun-damage.
You could also try Ulthera if Retin-A doesn't seem to work. Both are designed to encourage collagen production, but Retin-A is slower, less painful and less expensive.
Hi MDancer -- Welcome to the RealSelf Smart Lipo community. I'm sorry to hear about your negative results. Do you know if you had Smart Lipo MPX? That's supposed to help with skin tightening but I'm not sure how long it takes... :-/
I know you don't want to share your photos publicly but you can still post your questions in our Doctor Q&A forum. A lot of great doctors visit the forum and are happy to provide advice.
Good luck and please keep us posted! Hope everything works out for you.
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I have more updates but want to connect with more ppl and would appreciate any suggestions you have.
Many thanks!
MDancer
Hi MDancer,
For medical opinions, the Doctor Q&A Forum is the place to go. Not that the rest of the community can't provide insight (and sometimes people who have gone through it themselves are better with things like compression garments and post-op recovery) but you're much more likely to get medical answers there. Your question kind of falls in the middle ground but I'm sure the docs could help you out.
Not sure if you've seen it but we also have a Smart Lipo forum where you can chat with other patients. Commenting on other reviews is also a good way to connect with people who are a bit further along in the process.
Hope this helps!