Double Chin Removal
Double chin removal surgery is a procedure that can help people who have problems getting rid of the excess fat under the chin. A double chin, which is also known as submental fat, is a condition which develops when a layer of fat forms below the chin. A double chin can be associated with weight gain, but one doesn’t necessarily have to be overweight to have a double chin. Sometimes a double chin can be caused by genetics or having looser skin from aging.
Exercise generally doesn’t help you with double chin, as they are stubborn excess fats. Therefore, double chin surgery is the most common solution to this problem.
Purpose
Double chin removal surgery is meant to remove the excess fat under your chin. However, it is notable that this procedure may not be suitable for everyone. To be considered a suitable candidate you need to be:
- In excellent health condition, physically as well as mentally.
- Be within 25 pounds of your ideal body weight.
- Have fat deposits that cannot be removed with diet or exercise
- Be 18 years old or above
Even though this procedure is non-invasive there might be certain individuals who might not be qualified for this procedure. These can include women who are currently pregnant and breastfeeding. Those who have health problems are also not suitable for this procedure. People who are having diabetes, high blood pressure, any kind of heart and lung disease or poor blood circulation are not considered eligible as well.
Preparation
While you are preparing for this procedure, it is quite important to have a realistic expectation of your results as well as recovery. You can discuss with your doctor any questions you might have regarding the procedure. You can ask about the risks for complications, when you need to call the doctor during your recovery period, or if there is anything about your health, skin, or facial appearance for which this procedure might not work well.
You might also want to arrange for someone to drive you to and from the hospital or doctor’s clinic. You should also bring a bag of comfortable clothes to wear when you go home after the procedure.
Procedure
Although there are various methods for performing a double chin removal surgery, the most common method is liposuction.
Chin liposuction, which is also termed submental liposuction is a procedure which is able to remove any excess fat from your chin area. Chin liposuction is the fastest way for getting rid of any excess fat in the chin area. This kind of double chin-surgery is also known to be non-invasive, and therefore you can expect a faster recovery time. You won’t experience much pain either.
The procedure can take around 2-3 hours. The doctor will use a local anesthesia. Then he/she will use a fat-dissolving laser to dissolve lipocytes in the targeted area before the liposuction. This can help in skin regeneration and collagen contraction as well as skin lifting.
After this is done, the surgeon will make a small incision under the chin once the laser has removed any fat cells. Then he/she will be inserting a small tube known as a cannula.
Once it is inserted, your doctor is able to remove the fats using a push-pull motion.
After all of the fat is removed, the surgeon stitches the incision that was made and covers it with a bandage as well as a chin brace. This will help to ensure that the area of the surgery is protected.
Recovery
The amount of time that is required for recovery can vary according to the individual. It is likely that you might experience some swelling and bruising, to appear after the procedure. It should disappear within a few weeks.
However, it is recommended that you wear a compression garment right after your surgery, as this will prevent the fluids from accumulating in the operated area. It can take months for your chin to completely heal from the procedure.
Risks
Some of the risks that are associated with this procedure include:
- Bleeding
- Decreased Skin sensation
- Asymmetry of facial features
- Discomfort
- Complications from the anesthesia
- Infection
- Scarring
- Nerve injury
- Swelling
It is also to be noted that in some cases, you might not receive the results that you were hoping for. This is why it is important to talk to your doctor about your goals prior to your surgery to make sure that they are realistic.