Treatment Options for Double Chin

Many people book consultation visits with our surgeons at Jefferson Plastic Surgery to look into various cosmetic options for treating a double chin. There are several options that can be considered, depending upon the extent of work needed in order for you to achieve the goals you want from a cosmetic chin procedure. Below are some of the more common procedures that our surgeons may perform in order to minimize the appearance of a double chin.

Chin Augmentation

Much like a breast augmentation, a chin augmentation involves an implant that is placed at the front of the lower jaw in order to provide the chin with greater definition, thus eliminating the double chin. Most implants are made of silicone, although other material may be used. For the augmentation procedure, your surgeon will make an incision in the natural crease where your chin meets your neck, fashion a small pocket out of the tissue in your lower jaw, and then insert the chin implant in front of your lower jaw.

Chin Liposuction

In some cases, double chins may be a result of excess pockets of fat that have not been reduced even if you have embarked on a routine of regular exercise and a sensible, low-fat diet. Unfortunately, much of the reason for this is due less to your lifestyle habits and more to your genetics. If one or both of your parents had a double chin, odds are good that you will have one as well. If this is the case, you may find that a liposuction procedure will help get rid of that stubborn excess fat.

For this procedure, your surgeon will make small incisions in the areas from where fat is to be removed. A thin, hollow metal tube will then be used to gently vacuum out the fat. In some cases, a technique known as tumescent liposuction can be used. For this, the areas of fat are first injected with a combination of a topical anesthetic (lidocaine) and epinephrine. These injections will cause the fat cells to swell and move closer to the surface of the skin, making them easier to remove. Ultrasound or lasers can also be used to help break down the fat cells, making them easier to remove.

Neck Lift

Sometimes, you may appear to have a double chin because of excess loose skin around the neck, particularly where it meets the chin. This occurs due to your body’s natural loss of collagen (a protein that is used to fill out the body over the skeletal framework) as it ages. This will leave you with excess loose skin under the jaw that will give it the effect of a double chin. If this is the case for you, a neck lift could correct the problem.

A neck lift procedure will remove excess loose skin and tissue underneath the jaw, giving it a much smoother, tighter profile. Your surgeon will make a small incision behind each ear and where your jaw meets your neck, gently lift up the skin and underlying tissue, tighten it up and remove the excess, and then suture the remainder back in place.

Given the value that our culture places on having a firm jawline, it should not be surprising that you may be looking for ways to reduce the appearance of your double chin. Fortunately, there are a number of options available to treat this condition, depending upon its cause.