Call it what you want: double chin, waddle, turkey neck … We all know what you mean.
Fullness underneath our chin is far from desirable and has never been put in the limelight as much it has recently, originally with “selfies” and lately through online and virtual calls. We learned to diminish its impact by taking selfies from above. This concept, while still valid, is more challenging for our online conferences as most of us use our computers on a table where the camera can’t help but look “up!”
Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to get rid of a “double chin” or “turkey neck,” from injectables to neck liposuction to neck lift surgery, all available at my Dallas and Frisco, TX, facial plastic surgery locations.
Turkey Neck vs Double Chin
There are many causes of fullness in the area underneath the chin. Indeed, weight gain is often the primary cause of changes to the neck’s appearance. Other causes may include aging, poor posture, or genetic predisposition to developing and maintaining fat in this region.
When we refer to our double chin, we are usually talking about a collection of fat underneath our chin, which gives us less neck definition and more fullness in this area. It can present with several rolls, highlighting the fat even further.
A turkey neck, or “waddle,” under your chin occurs after weight loss or aging. The best thing to do is to consult a board-certified plastic surgeon like me. We can take a thorough history, perform a detailed exam, and ultimately determine what procedure would be right for you.
Are There Nonsurgical Treatments for a Double Chin or Turkey Neck?
The era of “nonsurgical” options has created an even greater desire to treat things we want improved outside of the operating room, avoiding surgery. As with many other areas, fullness of the neck can be treated through nonsurgical means.
KYBELLA
KYBELLA received its FDA approval for treating submental fat in April 2015. When this drug is injected into this submental area, it disrupts the fat cells, relying on your body to remove them. Most patients undergo 3 to 4 treatments. Each treatment is associated with its own recovery (often 2 to 5 days), but this seems to diminish with each successive treatment. The cost is approximately $1,800 per session.
CoolSculpting
CoolSculpting and its creators developed a “mini” handpiece to treat the fat underneath the chin and received its FDA approval in September 2015. As with its other handpieces, it relies on fat’s cold sensitivity and freezes it, destroying targeted cells. Like KYBELLA, it relies on your body’s ability to flush away the debris, leaving behind a slimmer area. The cost of CoolSculpting can vary but is typically around $1,500 per treatment and requires several treatments.
Which Is Better for a Double Chin: KYBELLA, CoolSculpting, or Neck Liposuction?
While there is merit and certainly efficacy with the treatments described above in appropriately selected patients, I would say that neither of them can compare to the precision, efficacy, and predictability of old-fashioned liposuction of the neck. While considered a surgical procedure, we perform liposuction of the jawline and neck in the office under a local anesthetic. One recovery is all a patient needs and the cost is nearly half of the other treatments described. It is extremely predictable and very well tolerated.
Do I Need Neck Liposuction or a Neck Lift?
Now, as we introduced earlier, not everyone is a candidate for these procedures, and each patient requires a thorough evaluation to determine the exact cause of the fullness underneath the chin. If yours is due to fat, which is the most common reason to have fullness, then you are a candidate for neck liposuction if you have reasonable skin quality. What does that mean?
If we remove fat from this or any other area, we create a “space” and rely on the overlying skin to tighten up and create an improved contour change. If one has “saggy skin”, it will not have the ability to tighten after the procedure and may actually look worse. These subtle differences are easily picked up by a board-certified plastic surgeon. The worst thing we can ever do as your treating physician is chose a procedure that you are not a good candidate for.
If you have a significant amount of loose skin in your neck, you may require a facelift, lower facelift, or neck lift to accomplish your goals. In some cases, a patient may choose neck liposuction with the understanding that their skin may not be perfect, but their contour and shape will be improved. These options are all reviewed at the time of your consultation so you are very well informed and can choose the procedure that is best to allow you to achieve your goals.
Learn more about how a facelift can address a double chin in this blog post.
Want to see more before and after photos of neck liposuction? Click here!
Lastly, if your double chin is due to weight gain, there is no question that an attempt at weight loss first makes the most sense. For some patients, even a change of 5 to 10 pounds may make a difference in this area. If this does not work, or if you are genetically predisposed to having fat in this area, liposuction may be a great option for you. It allows for a more rapid recovery and results with less cumulative downtime and most importantly better and more even contour changes. It also is about half of the cost of the other options!
I would love the opportunity to review any concerns you may have and help develop a treatment plan that will allow you to look as good as you feel! To get started, request a consultation online or call (214) 645-3112.
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