Submental Liposuction & Neck Lift
Also known as chin lipo, neck contouring, platysmaplasty
Defines the jawline by removing fat under the chin, and tightens the neck muscle when laxity is the real problem.
US $3,000–7,000 for liposuction alone; $8,000–15,000 with platysmaplasty.
How it works
Liposuction removes subcutaneous fat from beneath the chin and along the jawline. Where the platysma muscle has separated into visible bands, platysmaplasty sutures the edges together in the midline to recreate a sharp cervicomental angle.
How it's used
Liposuction alone works when skin quality is good and the problem is purely fat — typically under 40. If there is skin laxity or platysmal banding, lipo alone will make it worse by removing the volume that was filling out the skin. An honest surgeon will tell you which category you fall into.
Trade-offs
In favour
- Dramatic jawline definition in the right candidate
- Small incisions, minimal scarring
- Permanent fat removal
- Can be done under local anaesthetic
Against
- Requires good skin elasticity to retract properly
- Does nothing for a low or anteriorly positioned hyoid bone, which limits the achievable angle
- Subplatysmal fat may need open removal
- Results limited by underlying bone structure
Risks and side effects
- Contour irregularity and rippling from uneven removal
- Skin laxity worsened if elasticity was poor
- Prolonged swelling and firmness
- Marginal mandibular nerve injury affecting the smile — usually temporary
- Seroma or haematoma
- Asymmetry
Recovery
Week 1: compression garment worn continuously, swelling and firmness. Weeks 2–3: garment at night, back to work, bruising resolving. Weeks 4–12: firmness softens and contour emerges. Month 6: final result.
How good is the evidence?
Well-established with reliable results in appropriately selected patients; outcomes depend heavily on skin quality and anatomy.
Sources
Sources point to guideline bodies and literature searches rather than single papers, so they stay accurate as the evidence moves.