Jowls are a common problem for many people, and it can be hard to find the right solution for you. Liposuction is one of the most popular treatments for this issue, but not everyone knows what it will actually do for them. Here’s everything you need to know about liposuction for jowls before and after!
Before we get started, let’s take a look at what exactly jowls are. A jowl is defined as “a pendulous fold of skin hanging from the lower jaw” (Merriam-Webster). They’re also known as “double chin,” which is less accurate since they can occur on other parts of the face as well. When these folds appear around your mouth and jawline, they can make you look older than you really are—or even older than your actual age!
The good news is that there are plenty of solutions out there to help you get rid of these unsightly wrinkles. One of them is liposuction for jowls before and after! Liposuction is an effective way to remove excess fat from your body without having to undergo surgery or major surgery.
Right here on Cosmeticsurgerytips, you are privy to a litany of relevant information on micro liposuction for jowls, jowl liposuction cost, neck and jowl liposuction before and after, and so much more. Take out time to visit our catalog for more information on similar topics.
Liposuction For Jowls Before And After
One of the most common areas of the face to show signs of aging is around the jawline. Once the facial skin in this area begins to sag around the jawline, you start to form what are known as jowls. In some cases, the excess skin can actually start to droop below the jawline. The unfortunate effect of jowls is that they can make you look angry or upset, even if that is not your mood or general personality.
Fortunately, there are several options available to tighten up your jawline and remove jowls that have formed. Two of the most popular of these are liposuction and facelift. What are the differences between these procedures? Below, Dallas, TX plastic surgeon Paul Pin explains what causes jowls to form, as well as the liposuction and facelift procedures that may correct them, in order to help you determine which one might be the better option in your particular case.
What Causes Jowls?
Sagging of facial skin around the jawline occurs due to a loss of collagen in that area of the face. Collagen is a protein that the body forms to fill out the body over the skeleton. As you age, your body will lose collagen, leaving you with sagging skin around the lower part of your face, thus forming jowls.
Liposuction
A liposuction procedure is designed to remove pockets of excess fat from various areas of the body, including the jawline, chin, and neck of the face. For a liposuction procedure, Dr. Pin will first make a series of small incisions into the areas of your body from where he will remove fat. He will then insert a thin, hollow metal tube through the incisions and remove the fat with the help of ultrasound to break up the fat cells to make them easier to remove.
Facelift
A facelift procedure will tighten up the skin that has sagged around your jawline. This can involve lifting either just your skin and underlying tissue, or also lift the facial muscle structure around the jawline. A facelift that also addresses the facial muscles will generally give longer-lasting results. Furthermore, Dr. Pin can either do a full facelift, or just address the lower portion of your face, depending on whether or not you want to only focus on your jowls as your goal from a facelift procedure.
Which One Is Right for Me?
The answer to which procedure is the right one to address your jowls depends on whether or not you have fat deposits around your jawline. If you only have fat deposits, but no actual skin sagging, a liposuction procedure is a better option because there is no need to reposition the skin or underlying facial structures. If, on the other hand, you indeed have sagging skin, a facelift will be a better choice. Dr. Pin does not recommend combining the two procedures, but instead waiting until several months after a facelift procedure to see the final results before doing a liposuction to remove any excess fat that may still be around the jawline.
Several key points:
- The great majority of neck fat lies quite superficially under the skin. Beneath the fat there is a layer of muscle called the platysma, which acts as a barrier between the fat we liposuck and the vital structures of the neck. So trained and specialised doctors can perform liposuction to the neck with safety.
- Neck liposuction is performed with very fine cannulas, even finer than those used elsewhere on the body: generally only 2mm in diameter.
- Thinking about a face-lift? As you can see in these cases, liposuction alone, first, can improve neck contours and lighten the whole face.
- Many patients undergoing a lower face-lift would get more natural results, would avoid scars, and would save thousands of dollars if they had liposuction first.
- Liposuction can defer your need for a face lift and improve the final outcome of any face lift you may eventually undergo.
- Face-lifts don’t deal well with jowl fat. Merely pulling up jowl fat doesn’t remove the fat, and in most patients the jowls just return back down after facelift.
- All patients in these photos had LIPOSUCTION ALONE.
At Peach we use a FOUR incision approach. The commonest text-book approach to liposuction of the neck involves THREE incisions: one under the middle of the chin, and one under the lobe of each ear.
Such an approach, though, means that most of the work is done through the central incision, which then tends to stretch and become abraded as the treatment proceeds. Treating the central area on the front of the neck from this central incision tends to create vertical ridges, which are difficult to criss-cross from the rather distant incisions under the ears. It is awkward to treat the jowls from this central incision, and, finally, a horizontal incision directly under the chin is something of a give-away to the informed observer that liposuction has occurred.
On the other hand, a FOUR-incision approach, with the central two incisions placed under the mandibular line and a little lateral to the mid-pupillary line brings several advantages. Less work needs to be done through each incision, so the incision is less stretched and abraded. The area directly under the chin is treated obliquely from each of these two incisions with thus less chance of vertical ridging and easier criss-crossing. There is easy access to the jowls from each of these incisions, easy access to the lateral portion of the anterior triangles and easy criss-cross against the sublobular incisions. The incisions heal very well and generally look no worse than acne scars and, if placed in a wrinkle, can virtually disappear altogether.
The neck recovers faster than anywhere following liposuction, but then again it needs to: it’s on display. Immediately following liposuction patients need to have an elastic, compressive garment applied. This garment helps to reduce swelling and bruising and hasten recovery. By pressing the neck skin against the underlying platysma muscle as recovery and healing occurs there is less chance of persisting neck skin redundancy and looseness. Ideally the garment would be worn for a week continually but most patients find they can manage only a few days of continual use and then, due to work commitments etc, restrict garment use to time spent at home. This is usually a reasonable compromise.
Jowl Liposuction Cost
Liposuction is often associated with body contouring, but growing numbers of board-certified plastic surgeons are also achieving excellent results with facial liposuction. Commonly treated areas include the cheeks, chin, neckline and jawline.
Also referred to as submental or submentum liposuction, facial liposuction can be performed on its own or with other facial rejuvenation procedures such as a facelift, Botox or soft tissue filler injections.
As many people can attest, it is not easy to lose weight in your face. The chin and jaw areas are notoriously resistant to the effects of diet and exercise. Liposuction can create subtle improvements to these spots that result in a more slender facial profile.
If you are concerned that your cheeks are too puffy or chubby, your surgeon may recommend a cheek reduction procedure known as buccal fat reduction instead of facial liposuction.
Are You a Candidate for Facial Liposuction?
If you are troubled by a double chin, jowls or a turkey-waddle neck, facial liposuction may be an option. The best way to determine if facial liposuction is for you is to schedule a consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon who has experience performing facial liposuction and/or other facial rejuvenation procedures. He or she will examine your facial anatomy and engage you in a candid discussion of your aesthetic goals and expectations.
Weight loss or gain may affect the results of your facial liposuction, so you should be at your ideal weight before considering the procedure. Tell your surgeon if you are planning to lose weight. Other lifestyle factors also may affect your candidacy. For example, smoking can impair healing and compromise the results of your surgery; If you smoke, tell your surgeon. Alcohol use may also increase facial liposuction risks. Certain over-the-counter (OTC) medications can increase bleeding risks and complicate your healing. Make sure you tell your surgeon about all medications you take on a regular basis, including dietary supplements.
Facial Liposuction: The Basics
Facial liposuction can be performed in less than an hour using light sedation plus a local anesthetic. If you are having other facial procedures performed simultaneously, general anesthesia may be warranted. This decision will be made together with your surgeon following a thorough consultation.
Facial liposuction is similar to liposuction on other areas of the body. The main difference is the amount of fat that is being removed. In general, just a few ounces of fat are removed from your face. By contrast, liposuction of the thighs may involve the removal of pounds of fat.
Your precise surgical plan will depend on what facial areas are being treated with liposuction. To treat the jowls or chin area, your surgeon will make a two- to four-centimeter incision beneath your chin or between your gums and the bottom of your inner lower lip. He or she will then insert a thin tube called a cannula, which is moved back and forth to break up the fat. The fat is then vacuumed out.
Some surgeons may use other liposuction technologies to emulsify the fat before it is removed. These can include ultrasound-assisted liposuction, power-assisted liposuction, laser-assisted liposuction or water-assisted liposuction. These techniques may allow for a gentler procedure. After the appropriate amount of fat is removed, your surgeon will close your incisions. Facial liposuction results are immediate.
Facial Liposuction Recovery
Your facial liposuction recovery process depends on whether or not you have other procedures performed at the same time. If facial liposuction is performed on its own, recovery is more straightforward. Expect some mild pain and discomfort, which can be controlled with OTC or prescription painkillers. Some swelling and bruising is also common. Wearing a compression garment for several weeks can help reduce any swelling.
You can likely return to work within five days or sooner if you can cover the treated area with a scarf or turtleneck garment. If the incisions are in your mouth, your diet may be restricted. Follow your surgeon’s postoperative instructions carefully to minimize your risk of complications.
Facial Liposuction Risks
No surgery is risk-free. Potential facial liposuction complications may include:
- Infection
- Bleeding
- Nerve damage, loss of sensation
- Scarring
- Dissatisfaction with the cosmetic results
- Anesthesia risks
- Hematoma (collection of blood pooling under the skin that may clot)
- Seroma (collection of fluid under the skin)
In general, the risks of facial liposuction are lower than those seen with liposuction of the body. Discuss the risks of facial liposuction with your surgeon before scheduling your surgery. He or she should provide important information on how to minimize them. Quitting smoking, for example, can reduce your risk of developing a postsurgical infection. Your surgeon may prescribe antibiotics to lower your risk of infection. Take the full course of these medications to make sure you are protected.
Facial Liposuction Cost
Facial Liposuction cost varies based on the areas being treated. Chin, cheeks, jowls and neck liposuction can cost anywhere from $2,500 to $5,000. Laser-assisted liposuction and ultrasound-assisted liposuction may increase these costs. Insurance rarely covers the cost of purely cosmetic procedures. Ask your doctor about financing options if the cost is more than you can afford at one time.
Neck And Jowl Liposuction Before And After
