Last Updated March 2024

What is neck liposuction?

The natural ageing process can cause fat to accumulate in the neck area, creating the appearance of a double chin. Many people are also genetically predisposed to fat accumulation in the neck. This is not related to ageing or weight.

Excess fat on the neck can be removed with neck liposuction. Liposuction to the neck area usually involves removing fat from under the chin, jawline and neck area. During the surgery, a suction cannula under negative pressure is inserted into the neck fat through incisions. The cannula is passed through the subcutaneous fat, causing it to be removed from the neck.

 

 

What are the benefits of liposuction on the neck?

The benefits of neck liposuction include the following;

  • Reduced fat thickness of the neck, under chin and jawline.
  • Removal of neck fat deposits that may not respond to lifestyle changes and weight loss.
  • Minimal swelling post-procedure in comparison to treatments such as non-surgical fat-dissolving treatments.
  • A reduced tendency in the future to accumulate fat in the neck region.

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Am I a suitable candidate for neck liposuction?

The skin elasticity of the neck is the most important factor in determining one’s suitability for neck liposuction. After liposuction, the skin must be able to retract adequately not to appear loose or saggy. Skin laxity generally worsens with increasing age and weight fluctuations. Genetically, there are also natural variations in skin elasticity.  It naturally follows that the greater the amount of fat removed, the greater the likelihood of skin laxity post-liposuction. In relation to skin laxity, liposuction is often best performed at an earlier age rather than later.

There must also be an adequate amount of fat thickness in the neck to be a candidate for liposuction. Other factors that may contribute to the appearance of excess fat around the jawline and neck include a receded chin or certain anatomical variations in the neck. These are often confused with excessive neck fat deposits, and liposuction in these cases, will produce little or no change.

The doctor performing your liposuction needs to assess the neck skin, and surrounding anatomy properly, and the suitability for neck liposuction should be determined accordingly. For example, someone with very loose or sagging skin may not be a good candidate for liposuction and should instead be referred for a surgical neck lift.

The ideal candidate should lead a healthy lifestyle and have realistic expectations for the surgical procedure results.

How do you prepare for neck liposuction?

You will be given specific pre-operative instructions in your initial and subsequent pre-operative consultations.

This may include avoiding taking blood-thinning medications such as aspirin for a few weeks before the surgery. Always consult your doctor before ceasing any prescribed medications.

You should wear comfortable clothing on the day of the procedure and arrange for someone to drive you home afterwards.

What happens during neck liposuction?

The chin and neck liposuction procedure will be performed in a registered day surgery or hospital. The anaesthetist will administer general anaesthetic before a few incisions are made along the treatment area. A cannula that is attached to a suction pump is inserted to remove an amount of fat.

Sutures are not required to close the wound, so wound closure strips are used. The patient may or may not be required to wear a compression garment after the procedure. There will be follow-up appointments following the procedure and then subsequent appointments will be made on a case-by-case basis.

Neck liposuction recovery

You will need to wear your compression garments as instructed by Dr Gavin Chan in order to allow the skin to adhere and to reduce any discomfort or swelling. You will experience some swelling and bruising, but you should be able to return to work after a few days. Over-the-counter pain medication or a cold compress can be used to relieve your symptoms. You should rest as much as possible and keep your head elevated for the first week after surgery.

You will need to avoid any strenuous physical activity for the first six weeks of your recovery. Follow-up appointments will be made as needed by your doctor.

How long does neck liposuction last?

As long as you maintain a healthy lifestyle and a relatively stable weight your fat is not likely to return to the treated area.

It’s important to have realistic expectations about the neck liposuction procedure. You may need to combine it with other treatments in order to achieve the facial structure you want.

What are the risks and side effects associated with neck liposuction?

Mild symptoms such as bruising and swelling are common and the majority of any swelling and bruising should subside within a few days. Minimal swelling and bruising can persist for longer. Other possible complications include:

  • Infection (rare)
  • Temporary numbness (common, usually for a few months)
  • Skin irregularities from excessive amounts of fat removal (removal) or poor subject selection (excess skin laxity)
  • Inadequate or excess fat removal
  • Bleeding (rare)
  • Lumps (common, however, this is temporary in most cases)
  • Marginal mandibular nerve palsy (rare) – usually temporary (6 to 12 weeks on average), and appears as an uneven lower lip when smiling.

You should contact your doctor immediately if you notice any of these symptoms.

All medical procedures carry risks, and these will be discussed with you at length during your consultation.

How much is neck liposuction?

The cost of neck liposuction will depend on a number of factors like age, size of the area being treated, type of anaesthetic used. A consultation with the Medical Practitioner performing your procedure can determine the cost and provide a quote for your neck liposuction.

Neck liposuction before and after case studies

Liposuction on neck before and after

This patient presented with excess fat distributed to her neck region. Liposuction was performed by Dr Gavin Chan. The after photo was taken 11 months after her neck liposuction surgery. The patient had also lost a total of 10kgs during this time period.

Neck liposuction before and after

This result is only relevant for this particular patient and does not necessarily reflect the results other patients may experience. The outcome of each procedure cannot be guaranteed, and individual results may vary due to many factors including the individual’s genetics, diet and exercise. Patient consent has been obtained to display these images.

Liposuction on neck before and after 2

This patient presented wanting to reduce her submental neck fat. Liposuction was performed by Dr Gavin Chan under both local anaesthetic and a general anaesthetic. Approximately 23mL of fat was removed. The photos are before treatment and 3 months post-operatively.

This result is only relevant for this particular patient and does not necessarily reflect the results other patients may experience. The outcome of each procedure cannot be guaranteed, and individual results may vary due to many factors including the individual’s genetics, diet and exercise. Patient consent has been obtained to display these images.

FAQ

Can liposuction get rid of loose skin under the neck?

Depending on the cause and severity of loose skin underneath the neck, liposuction may be able to improve this problem. However, if the excess skin is unable to retract after the fat has been removed, another treatment such as laser skin tightening or a surgical neck lift may be more effective.

How long does neck liposuction take to heal?

Most patients will be able to return to normal activities after a few days, but some may prefer to take a week to recover. Swelling and bruising is common during recovery after liposuction of the neck but the compression garment should alleviate this. Some tightness around the treated area may be present for a few months.

Will I have loose skin after neck liposuction?

This will depend on your age and the level of elasticity present in your skin. Older patients are more likely to have loose skin after neck and chin liposuction and a skin tightening treatment may be recommended as a follow-up procedure.

Some patients with very loose skin may not be suitable for liposuction on the neck. Your doctor will advise you during your initial consultation if a different treatment would have more desirable results.

Does neck liposuction come back?

Once the fat cells are removed from the area those particular fat cells don’t grow back. However, you will still be able to grow new fat cells if you experience major weight fluctuations.

Where to get neck liposuction in Melbourne?

Dr Gavin Chan is highly experienced in liposuction surgery with years of experience performing this procedure.

Our techniques have been developed and refined over many years. We utilise Microaire power-assisted liposuction cannulas and Renuvion to help achieve our liposuction outcomes.

Our doctors and nurses are involved at every step of patient care pre and post your procedure. Our liposuction is performed at an accredited day surgery facility which is maintained to NSQHS standards.

Each liposuction for neck treatment is tailored to suit the patient’s needs and we are very thorough in our assessments prior to the procedure.

A consultation is required to assess your suitability for treatment. Contact our Customer Care team on 1300 863 824 to schedule your appointment.