Facial Liposuction
When stubborn fat on the face and under the chin will not respond to diet or exercise, facial liposuction can refine your contours and help you feel more at ease when you look in the mirror.
Is this right for you?
Fat that gathers on the face and under the chin is an area many people find hard to change, because even with steady dieting and regular exercise, the fat here can stay put. Facial liposuction is one option for addressing it. Whether it is right for you needs to be assessed in person by a plastic and aesthetic surgeon.
This may be a good fit if
- You have a localized pocket of stubborn fat on your face or under your chin that diet and exercise have not improved.
- You would like more refined facial contours and you understand that this is a surgical procedure.
- Your general health is stable, and you meet the criteria after an examination and the routine pre-operative tests.
- You are willing to follow the compression dressing and the follow-up visits after the procedure as your surgeon advises.
This may not be right if
- You have a coexisting medical condition that leads your surgeon to judge that the procedure is not safe for you right now.
- You are taking medicines such as Aspirin or blood thinners that cannot be stopped as directed before surgery.
- You expect a result that never changes, or you are hoping to treat loose, sagging skin rather than excess fat.
How it works
Everything begins with an examination and consultation. Your plastic and aesthetic surgeon will map out the areas of excess fat on your face, assess the fat and how lax your skin is, and screen for any coexisting conditions. You will also have some routine pre-operative tests so the surgeon understands your overall health.
Before the procedure, you need to fast from food and drink for at least 6 hours. If you take medicines such as Aspirin or blood thinners, these need to be stopped 10 days before surgery. Tell your surgeon about every medicine you take so you can be given specific guidance.
When facial liposuction is done on its own, the procedure is usually carried out under local anesthesia, meaning only the treated area is numbed and you do not need to be put to sleep. The surgeon makes two small incisions of about 1 to 2 mm in places that are easy to keep hidden. The fat layer under the skin is swollen with a fluid (called tumescent fluid), and then fine cannulas are passed in to draw off the extra fat through a suction system.
There are several liposuction techniques your surgeon may use depending on the case, for example standard suction, power-assisted suction, or suction aided by laser or ultrasound. The liposuction itself usually takes about 30 to 45 minutes. Because it is a medical procedure, it is performed at a licensed medical facility.
Realistic expectations
Facial liposuction targets a localized pocket of excess fat to refine the contours of your face. The result does not appear right away, and the degree of change differs from person to person, depending on how much fat you have and the condition of your skin.
What this will not do
- This procedure focuses on removing excess fat; it is not a way to treat loose, sagging skin.
- It is not a method of overall weight loss; it only addresses the localized pocket of fat that has been mapped out.
- Your surgeon will not promise a particular number or a specific facial shape, because the result depends on each person's body.
Recovery
For liposuction done under local anesthesia, you usually go home the same day. Your face will be placed in a compression dressing, and you can ease back into gentle movement fairly soon, then gradually do more. The milestones below are a guide; in practice each person may be earlier or later.
- Right after the procedure
- Your face is placed in a compression dressing, and you can return to gentle movement once you have come round from the procedure.
- The first 3 to 5 days
- Continue the compression dressing over the treated area and change the dressing as your surgeon directs.
- About 1 to 3 days
- Many people can return to work and normal daily activities within this window.
- After about 1 week
- You return for a follow-up visit so your surgeon can check on you and show you how to gently massage the treated area.
- About 1 to 2 weeks
- Most people can usually return to sports and exercise after this stage.
Risks & safety
As with any medical procedure, facial liposuction carries risks and complications you should know about beforehand. According to the source, these complications are very rare, and rarer still when you have a thorough examination and consultation and the procedure is performed by a specialist surgeon at a licensed medical facility. Even so, no one can rule them out completely.
- Allergic reaction to medication
- Bleeding
- Infection
- Fluid collection (seroma) in the treated area
- Thrombosis (formation of a blood clot)
- Skin necrosis or burns
- Poor scarring at the incision sites
How we do it
At The Gioi Dep, your care begins with an examination and consultation with a plastic and aesthetic surgeon. The surgeon maps out the areas of excess fat on your face, assesses the fat and how lax your skin is, and then orders routine pre-operative tests to understand your overall health. The procedure is performed at a licensed medical facility.
The care does not stop when you leave the operating room. You are guided through a compression dressing for the first 3 to 5 days and changing the dressing as directed, given advice on a diet suited to your own situation, and after about a week you return so your surgeon can re-examine you and show you how to gently massage the treated area.
Frequently asked questions
Will the procedure hurt, and what kind of anesthesia is used?
When facial liposuction is done on its own, the procedure is usually carried out under local anesthesia, meaning the treated area is numbed. Your surgeon will talk with you about what you may feel during and after the procedure at your consultation.
Will the scars show?
The surgeon makes two very small incisions, about 1 to 2 mm, placed where they are easy to keep hidden. Even so, poor scarring is among the possible risks, so this is something worth discussing carefully with your surgeon.
How long will I need to take off work?
For liposuction done under local anesthesia, you usually go home the same day. Many people can return to work and daily activities after about 1 to 3 days, though this time differs from person to person.
When can I exercise again?
According to the source, you can usually return to sports and exercise after about 1 to 2 weeks. During the first week, you should keep movement gentle and build up gradually.
How soon will I see results?
The result can start to be judged after about 3 weeks and becomes clearer after about 3 months. The degree of change depends on each person's body and condition.
Will the result look natural?
The aim is more refined, harmonious facial contours. Your surgeon assesses the amount of fat and the condition of your skin before the procedure, but cannot promise a specific facial shape in advance, because the result differs from person to person.
What do I need to do to prepare before the procedure?
You need to fast from food and drink for at least 6 hours before surgery. If you take medicines such as Aspirin or blood thinners, these need to be stopped 10 days before surgery, so tell your surgeon about every medicine you take.
Does facial liposuction tighten loose skin?
This procedure targets excess fat; it is not a way to treat loose, sagging skin. During your examination, your surgeon will assess how lax your skin is and talk with you about what this method can and cannot do.
What aftercare do I need?
You wear a compression dressing over the treated area for the first 3 to 5 days, change the dressing as directed, eat according to your surgeon's advice, keep movement gentle and build up gradually in the first week, and after about a week return so your surgeon can re-examine you and show you how to massage the treated area.
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.