Submental Liposuction with Skin Excision
Remove the pocket of fat beneath your chin and the loose skin that comes with it, so your jawline and neck look cleaner and more defined in profile.
Is this right for you?
The area under your chin — what many people call a double chin — is where fat tends to gather and skin tends to loosen over time, after weight loss, or simply because of how your body is built. Liposuction removes the extra fat. But when the skin here has lost its elasticity and will not draw back on its own, liposuction alone is not enough. In that case, your surgeon may also remove the loose skin during the same operation. Here is how to tell whether this approach is a fit for you.
This may be a good fit if
- You have a clear pad of fat under your chin along with loose skin, and it blurs your jawline when you look at yourself in profile.
- The skin on your neck has lost some elasticity and is unlikely to tighten on its own after liposuction alone.
- Your health is stable and you have no medical conditions that are not under control.
- You want a clear improvement in your contour, with a realistic understanding that removing skin will leave a scar.
- You do not smoke, or you are willing to stop smoking for the period your surgeon asks of you before and after the operation.
This may not be right if
- The skin on your chin and neck is still firm and elastic — in that case liposuction alone may be enough without skin excision, and your surgeon will talk this through with you.
- Most of your double chin comes from fat that sits deep beneath the muscle, or from the shape of your jawbone, rather than from fat under the skin and loose skin.
- You have a bleeding disorder, an active infection in the surgical area, or an underlying condition that is not yet controlled.
- You expect a jawline identical to a photo without accepting the limits set by your own facial structure.
How it works
Everything starts with a consultation. The surgeon who will perform your operation will feel and assess the area under your chin to tell apart what is fat, what is loose skin, and what relates to muscle or jawbone. Your surgeon also checks how elastic your skin is to decide whether you need liposuction alone or skin removal as well. You will have routine pre-operative tests and a review by the anaesthetist.
There are a few things to prepare before the day of surgery. Your surgeon will usually ask you to stop medications that raise your risk of bleeding (such as aspirin) for a period before the operation, to stop smoking, and to fast beforehand as instructed. The type of anaesthesia depends on how much work is involved: the procedure may be done under local anaesthesia with sedation, or under general anaesthesia, decided by your surgeon together with you.
During the operation, your surgeon makes a small, discreet incision under your chin and passes a thin cannula to remove the excess fat, reshaping the line of your neck and jaw. When loose skin needs to be addressed, your surgeon removes the slack skin and closes the wound; depending on how much skin there is, the incision may sit just under your chin and sometimes extends a little further. The operation usually takes about one to two hours, and this varies from case to case.
After closing, your surgeon will usually apply a pressure dressing or a shaping garment around your chin and neck to reduce swelling and help the skin settle against the tissue beneath. In some cases a small drain is placed for a short time. You will be shown how to care for the wound and given your follow-up schedule before you go home.
Realistic expectations
This surgery gives you a cleaner area under the chin and a more defined jawline, especially in profile. The final result takes time as the swelling resolves and the skin settles, usually several months. Hold your expectations in a realistic light: the improvement is genuine, but it works within the limits of your own facial structure.
What this will not do
- It will not change the shape of your jawbone or the position of your chin — if you want that, you would need a different operation.
- It will not stop the ageing process; your skin and tissue keep changing over the years.
- It will not take the place of weight loss or holding a steady weight; fat can return if you gain a significant amount.
- It will not create a jawline identical to a photo — your result depends on the skin, fat, and bone you already have.
Recovery
For the first few days after surgery, you will see swelling, bruising, and tightness around your chin and neck, along with discomfort that can be managed with the medication your surgeon prescribes. Wearing the shaping garment during the early stage is an important part of recovery. The milestones below are rough guides — everyone heals at their own pace.
- First few days
- Swelling and bruising are at their most noticeable, with discomfort that medication can manage. You wear the shaping garment around your chin and neck almost continuously, as your surgeon directs.
- First week
- Stitches usually come out around 5 to 7 days if non-dissolvable sutures were used. Many people return to office work after about a week, once the swelling and bruising have eased and can be covered.
- 2 to 4 weeks
- Swelling gradually settles and your contour starts to look clearer. During this period you avoid strenuous activity, bending your head down for long stretches, and movements that strain your neck.
- Around 6 weeks
- Most people can return to normal activity and sport, after their surgeon checks in.
- Several months
- Swelling has nearly fully resolved, the scar fades, and the result is considered settled. The scar needs more time still to soften in colour.
Risks & safety
Most operations done according to sound principles go smoothly. But as with any surgery, there are risks worth knowing in advance — and knowing them clearly helps you decide well. Talk through these concerns openly with your surgeon.
- Risks related to anaesthesia (local or general).
- A collection of blood or fluid under the chin, which sometimes needs further treatment.
- Infection of the wound.
- Poor scarring, a raised scar, or a visible scar because skin was removed.
- Numbness, altered sensation, or temporarily reduced feeling around the chin and neck; this rarely lasts.
- An uneven skin surface, dips, or sides that are not quite symmetrical; skin can loosen again over time.
- Injury to a motor nerve branch near the angle of the jaw, causing muscle weakness (rare), which mostly recovers but sometimes lasts longer.
How we do it
The area under the chin and neck holds nerve branches and blood vessels that need to be respected, so combining liposuction with skin excision calls for a properly trained plastic and aesthetic surgeon, working in a hospital licensed for cosmetic surgery. At The Gioi Dep, your surgeon carefully assesses the balance of fat and skin before the operation to choose the right level of treatment, rather than applying one fixed approach to everyone.
Every case includes a pre-operative anaesthetic review by an anaesthesiologist, with monitoring afterwards and a follow-up appointment to check the wound and how it is healing. This is the standard process for every patient, not an upgrade you choose.
Frequently asked questions
Does it hurt a lot?
For the first few days there is tightness and discomfort around your chin and neck. Most people manage well with the pain medication their surgeon prescribes, and feel noticeably more comfortable after the first week.
Will the scar show?
Because skin is removed, there will be a scar. Your surgeon usually places the incision discreetly under the chin; depending on how much skin needs to come out, the incision may be longer. The scar fades over time but does not disappear.
How is this different from ordinary chin liposuction?
Liposuction only removes the extra fat. When skin has already loosened and will not draw back on its own, liposuction alone can leave the skin slack. Skin excision addresses this, with the trade-off of an extra incision and a scar.
How soon can I go back to work?
Many people return to office work after about a week, once the swelling and bruising have settled and can be covered. Heavier work needs a longer break; your surgeon will advise based on your situation.
Will the result look natural?
The goal is a jawline that looks clean and in harmony with your face, not an obvious change. The result depends on the skin, fat, and bone structure you already have, so the degree of improvement differs from person to person.
Am I too old for this?
Age is not the only deciding factor; what matters more is your overall health and the elasticity of your skin. In older patients, skin often draws back less, so removing skin can sometimes be the better fit. Your surgeon will assess this in person.
Will the fat come back?
The fat that has been removed does not grow back in that area, but if you gain a significant amount of weight, the remaining fat cells can enlarge and the chin area can fill out again. Keeping a steady weight helps hold the result.
How long does the result last?
The fat and skin that were removed do not come back, but your skin and tissue keep ageing over the years. For that reason, you should not think of this as a result that never changes.
Will my chin feel numb after surgery?
Temporary numbness or reduced feeling around the chin and neck is fairly common in the early stage and usually recovers gradually. Lasting numbness is rare; your surgeon will keep an eye on it with you.
Will I need to stay in hospital?
This depends on how much work is involved and the type of anaesthesia. Many people go home the same day, while some are monitored longer. You will be told clearly before the operation.
The next step
Book a consultation to find out if this is right for you.
The content on this page is for reference only and does not replace a direct examination and consultation with a specialist physician. Surgical outcomes vary from person to person.