Submental Liposuction (Chin Lipo)

Fat under the chin can make many patients feel very self-conscious with a subsequent reduction in self-confidence. Also referred to as a ‘double chin’, submental liposuction may be a suitable treatment option for those patients who are at or near a normal body mass index. Surgeons at Centre for Surgery in London have years of experience in performing submental liposuction also known as chin liposuction and neck liposuction.

Submental liposuction or chin lipo is a suitable solution for men and women who are wishing to remove fat under the chin. Submental liposuction is considered to be a good alternative to neck lift surgery in those with good quality skin with minimal skin laxity, as the procedure has fewer complications and scars, and has a quicker recovery period. Submental liposuction may provide a more natural looking appearance when compared to a neck lift in younger patients.

Chin liposuction involves the removal of fat from below the jaw, as well as in the jowls and cheeks. Excess fat in these areas often makes a person look older and chubby. Submental liposuction is considered a safe solution to the problem. For those with moderate amounts of skin laxity, submental liposuction and jawline lipo can often be combined with FaceTite and Morpheus8 for skin contraction without the scars, risks or downtime of traditional facelift surgery. If you are wishing to remove excess skin from the neck, you may be interested in a neck lift.

Always check that your surgeon is on the GMC specialist register for plastic surgery before proceeding with a consultation. All our surgeons are fully accredited plastic surgeons and only perform procedures in CQC regulated facilities. Our clinic at 106 Crawford Street was recently inspected and rated as good across all 5 domains.

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What is included in my treatment package?

• As many preoperative consultations with your surgeon as you like to make sure the procedure is right for you
• Treatment at a specialist day surgery facility recently rated ‘Good’ by the CQC
• Enhanced same day discharge with the added benefits of recovering in your own home
• 24/7 clinical support from your surgeon for first 48 hours and our expert postoperative support team
• Your very own dedicated patient coordinator
• In-depth preoperative medical assessment to make sure you are fully fit for the rhinoplasty procedure
• Exceptionally high standards of postoperative care described as ‘outstanding’ by the CQC with regular telephone and face to face checks by our expert postoperative support team

RealSelf Top Doctors

RealSelf top doctor status is awarded to less than 10% of the RealSelf doctor community.  This status is earned by achieving consistently high patient satisfaction (from RealSelf reviews), getting excellent feedback on expert answers to patient questions, and after investing significant time in Q&A and other doctor activity. RealSelf top doctors are rated among the very best surgeons in the United Kingdom and USA.

All our plastic surgeons are on the GMC specialist register. The Royal College of Surgeons of England has an excellent information resource on cosmetic surgery.

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Trust a facial plastic surgeon

A facial plastic surgeon is trained to undertake cosmetic surgery procedures in the facial region. They are dedicated sub-specialists. Compared with general plastic surgeons, facial plastic surgeons are inherently better trained to perform delicate facial procedures. The extra years of surgical training by facial specialists focused on the facial region results in an exceptionally high degree of skill.

Why choose our surgeons?

• Our plastic surgeons are on the GMC specialist register for plastic surgery
• Full memberships of UK and European associations of plastic surgery
• Aesthetic fellowships in aesthetic plastic surgery
• A strong background in reconstructive surgery
• Highly skilled plastic surgeons who specialise in aesthetic plastic surgery

Our surgeons are full members of:

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The Centre for Surgery approach to aftercare

Our aftercare programme was recently described as ‘outstanding’ by our regulator, the Care Quality Commission.

Our postoperative support team call all our patients the day after their procedure and then every other day thereafter for the first two weeks. The proactive nature of our postoperative support gives every patient the best opportunity for a smooth postoperative recovery free of complications. In many cases if complications were to occur, their impact is markedly lessened by early detection, prompt clinical assessment and correct treatment. Where a patient expresses concern to our team over the phone, then we often call patients in the same day for assessment with one of our expert nursing team. Even if there is no significant issue, the careful explanation and calm reassurance provided by our team can help to alleviate any worries you may have experienced.

Expected results after Submental Liposuction

• Increased definition in the neck and chin area
• A youthful and more refreshed look
• Improved appearance of neck with less skin folds
• More defined jawline

Submental liposuction is a cosmetic surgery procedure that is very effective for contouring the chin, jawline and lower face region by the removal of excess fat. The excess fat is what is often responsible for the “double chin” appearance.

During a liposuction procedure, fat is removed from the chin area to create a slimmer, more youthful contour. It is a simple, straightforward surgery with minimal downtime but offering excellent results.

For patients who are older who have become worried about excess, saggy skin and wish to achieve a more youthful look, undergoing a necklift may be a more suitable option. This is a minimally invasive technique that allows patients to have excess tissue removed, in order to achieve a more defined contour of the neck.

While these two procedures can be performed separately if desired the two can be combined in order to achieve the best results.

Submental liposuction can also be combined with chin implants.

Things to consider before having submental liposuction

Despite a healthy diet and regular exercise, women and men often have great difficulty in shifting unwanted fat deposits beneath the chin and neck region. These patients are often very slim otherwise and often the only solution to restore face and neck aesthetics is with a carefully undertaken submental liposuction procedure. Some patients will have a genetic predisposition to forming submental fat deposits and may not have known that a safe and effective treatment is available.

Patients opt for submental liposuction because the procedure provides excellent results and quickly. Many patients remark about feeling much more confident with an increase in self-esteem once they recovered fully after 3 months. The end result is a more defined and sculpted jawline and chin area.

All patients should be in good health and have realistic expectations about what can be achieved with submental liposuction surgery.

Suitable candidates for submental liposuction include those who:

• Have excess fat in their neck, jowls and cheeks.
• Have skin elasticity
• Are in good physical health

Those who do not have skin elasticity, which is often a result of ageing, are still considered suitable for the procedure. However, they may not achieve the same results as younger patients.

Surgeons at Centre for Surgery do not offer this procedure to patients below the age of 18.

All patients will need to have a consultation before proceeding with a chin lipo procedure. At consultation, the surgeon will want to learn about your goals and you will have an opportunity to discuss your ideas, concerns and expectations about the submental liposuction procedure and ask any relevant questions you may have.

The surgeon will:

1. Take a focused history and examine you
2. Explain the chin liposuction procedure
3. Take your needs and preferences into account when deciding on the most appropriate treatment option for you

Our expert pre-operative assessment team will provide you with detailed pre and post-op information when you are scheduled for your liposuction procedure. Patients who smoke will be advised to stop for at least 2 weeks before the date of their chin lipo procedure. Smoking has detrimental effects on your circulation and is well known to slow the healing process. All medications, prescribed and over the counter will be reviewed. Aspirin and aspirin containing medicines should be stopped both before and after surgery. Aspirin and NSAIDS impair the body’s natural clotting process and may cause bleeding complications after surgery. If you require pain relief after surgery, paracetamol is advised.

If you are scheduled to have your procedure with a general anaesthetic, then you will be required to fast for a minimum of 6 hours for food and 2 hours for water.

Submental liposuction is performed as a day case procedure meaning you will be admitted and discharged on the same day. This means you can recover in the comfort of your own home. Day case procedures have been shown in research to have a lower risk of complications compared with procedures where an in-patient stay is required. Submental liposuction takes about 1.5 to 2 hours to perform. if combined with other procedures it may take longer and TIVA general anaesthetic is more suited for longer cases.

You can have the procedure under local anaesthesia or general anaesthesia. Unlike most types of liposuction, submental liposuction is a type of liposuction that is well suited to treatment with a specialised type of local anaesthetic known as tumescent local anaesthesia without the requirement for general anaesthesia.  The SAFElipo microcannula technique for liposuction is used to allow for faster healing and less potential for scarring.

Tumescent local anaesthesia is carefully infiltrated into the lower face, chin and neck region. Once the local anaesthesia has taken effect, very small incisions are made in inconspicuous areas of the chin and neck. There is usually one small incision underneath the chin and one small incision beneath each each ear for access for to the jawline. To facilitate efficient fat extraction, the surgeon uses the SAFElipo technique prior to gentle removal with a suction cannula. A small liposuction cannula is deployed  for the liposuction component of the procedure. It is important not to overdo the liposuction to minimise the risk of skin irregularities as the neck skin is known to be particularly thin compared with other body areas. A gentle technique is vital throughout.

The procedure is ideally suited for younger patients with good skin elasticity. With older patients, there is risk of residual skin laxity. In patients over the age of 45, the surgeon will often combine submental liposuction with a neck lift. The neck lift is designed to address redundant skin and tighten and sculpt the the chin and neck.

The surgeon precisely contours the chin and jawline region by removing excess fat deposits. A postoperative compression garment is then placed to ensure optimal healing. The compression garment should be worn continuously for the first week following the procedure to allow the skin to redrape over the new contours more effectively.

After submental liposuction, you may notice some bruising, swelling and tenderness. This can be treated with ice packs and, if necessary, pain medication.

Patients can return to work in two or three days.

You will be a given a garment which you will be required to wear at all times except when washing. The garment should be worn for four weeks total.

At Centre for Surgery, we only show photos of our patients that have given written consent allowing use of their images on our website.

With all cosmetic surgery procedures, there are risks and potential complications. Submental liposuction is no different. By choosing Centre for Surgery, you can be assured of having a highly experienced surgeon to carry out your procedure. You must make sure to follow the detailed preoperative and postoperative instructions to reduce the risk of any complications occurring.

Side effects and risks of submental liposuction:

• Bruising and swelling
• Altered sensory changes
• Anaesthetic risks
• Postoperative haemorrhage
• Surgical site infection
• Worsened skin laxity
• Requirement for revision surgery

If something does not seem right following your procedure, please contact Centre for Surgery as soon as possible using the emergency contact number supplied to you on the day of your procedure.

There are a number of factors which will determine the overall cost of the submental liposuction procedure and the final quotation will be given after your face to face consultation with your specialist plastic surgeon.