Submentoplasty

A youthful, contoured neckline is all about the angle, and if the area from the bottom of your chin to the top of the neck—your submentum—resembles more of a gradual slope than a sharper angle, a Bellevue submentoplasty is highly effective in redefining the chin and neck silhouette to achieve a tighter, firmer contrast between the chin and neck area for men and women. 

What is Submentoplasty?

Submentoplasty addresses a spectrum of aesthetic concerns and is often used to describe several conventional procedures such as “double chin reduction,” “mini neck lift,” or “chin tuck,” and depending on the cause of your concerns, Dr. Sobel tailors your submentoplasty procedure to correct these underlying causes and create the ideal acute angle of your submental area. These concerns range from excess fat, muscle laxity, and excess skin, and may often be a combination of these. 

What Can Submentoplasty Treat?

Patients seek submentoplasty to enhance the appearance of their chin, neck, and resulting profile:

Removes a Double Chin

Dr. Sobel can use submentoplasty to effectively remove excess fat beneath the chin to address a “double chin” appearance. (Accumulating excess fat in the submental area is a genetic characteristic, and it is very difficult to reduce a double chin through diet and exercise alone.) Sometimes, the platysmal muscles underneath the skin also need to be tightened, along with fat reduction, to achieve a slim, firm neck profile.

Enhances Jawline Definition

Submentoplasty can also be used to create a sharper, more pronounced jawline. Defining facial contours creates an attractive, more youthful profile. 

Corrects Age-Related Changes in the Lower Face

Submentoplasty is a technique that can be very effective in addressing age-related changes in the submental area, such as sagging skin and muscle laxity, to restore a firmer, more youthful look. Adding submentoplasty to facelift surgery, especially a mini lower facelift, gives Dr. Sobel an ideal opportunity to rejuvenate the area under the chin, which is sometimes not fully addressed with facelift techniques.  

Submentoplasty Procedure

Your procedure plan will be tailored by Dr. Sobel to fit your anatomy and achieve your goals. 

Anesthesia

In general, Dr. Sobel performs submentoplasty under either general anesthesia, where you will be asleep during the surgery, or local anesthesia with sedation, where you will be totally numb and relaxed, but not unconscious. Your safety and comfort are our priority, and Dr. Sobel will recommend which option would be best in your case. 

Incisions 

The number of and locations of incisions will be unique to your procedure plan and may be placed beneath the chin, below the ears, and possibly in other locations along the neck, based on your aesthetic goals and anatomical considerations. Dr. Sobel is careful to place incisions in precise locations to address your concerns while being mindful that resulting scars are concealed in natural contours and shadows, or nearly invisible.  

Liposuction

Liposuction is a key step in submentoplasty. If you have good skin elasticity—meaning fat removal alone will not cause loose skin in the area, Dr. Sobel will place a single, minor incision under your chin—once healed, it will be virtually undetectable. Through this tiny incision, Dr. Sobel removes just the right amount of fat to reveal a defined, youthful angle between your chin and neck. This is sometimes called a “double chin reduction” procedure.

If needed, Dr. Sobel may also place additional incisions just below the earlobes to gain greater access to the area, using a needle instead of a scalpel to minimize scarring. For some patients, liposuction will be the only step necessary to contour the submental area. 

Platysma Muscle Tightening 

If the platysmal muscles under the chin separate, the area can become “blunt” or fuller-looking because those muscles are not supporting the tissues above them. (This creates a thicker, sloped appearance extending from the chin all the way down to the chest, instead of maintaining an attractive and distinct angle between the chin and neck.)

In this submentoplasty technique, Dr. Sobel makes a 2 to 2.5-centimeter incision behind the chin, right behind a naturally occurring skin crease, to access the muscles underneath. Using a suture technique known as muscle plication, Dr. Sobel cinches the separated muscles together. Dr. Sobel also may use additional incisions around the ears to trim excess tissue and lift the neck muscles and skin into a higher position for a firmer look. 

Redistribution and Excess Skin Removal 

For patients who have more significant skin laxity in the submental area, there are a few options to tighten the skin. Dr. Sobel favors a technique called a “Grecian Urn Cervicoplasty.” Dr. Sobel makes the first incision horizontally across the natural skin fold of the neck, with other incisions placed in a similar shape as a Grecian vase to excise a fair amount of skin and thereby impart a tight appearance to the neck junction and achieve a more youthful appearance. The resulting scar will be very thin and have a zig-zag shape. 

For those with more extensive skin laxity through this area, Dr. Sobel can extend this design more fully throughout the neck to allow for more skin to be removed. This technique is also referred to as a “direct submentoplasty.”

Submentoplasty Recovery 

The recovery journey post-submentoplasty is relatively straightforward, with most patients cleared to return to most regular activities within 1-2 weeks. You’ll attend follow-up appointments with Dr. Sobel to monitor your progress and ensure you are healing as expected throughout recovery. 

Initial Recovery Period 

The initial recovery period from submentoplasty takes about 1-2 weeks, depending on the extent of your procedure and your healing processes. During this time, swelling and bruising peak before gradually resolving, and Dr. Sobel may advise you to wear a compression garment for some time to support your healing tissues and limit swelling. 

Activity Restrictions

As submentoplasty is a localized procedure, you should feel “normal” soon after surgery—however, your body will still be healing and rigorous activity can cause unnecessary swelling, slow the healing process, and potentially impact your results. For a smooth and effective healing journey, you’ll need to avoid strenuous activities and exercise for several weeks following the procedure, until Dr. Sobel confirms you are healed enough to resume regular movement habits. 

Final Results 

Although you’ll notice an immediate improvement in the definition and contour of your profile, the final results of submentoplasty will be visible between 6-12 months. This timeline allows for the complete resolution of swelling and the stabilization of treated tissues. 

Ideal Candidates for Submentoplasty

Many patients who lack definition between their chin and neck are good candidates for submentoplasty. The best way to determine if submentoplasty is right for you is to schedule a consultation with Dr. Sobel; in the meantime, here are some factors that characterize good candidates for this procedure:

• Good skin elasticity (for liposuction only)
• A lack of definition between the jawline and neck
• Excess fat in the submental area (double chin)
• Generally in good health
• Non-smokers

Risks Associated with Submentoplasty

Submentoplasty is considered a very safe procedure when performed by a board-certified cosmetic surgeon like Dr. Sobel. As with any surgical procedure, there are potential risks and complications, most of which are typically mild and temporary including:

• Swelling and bruising
• Infection
• Changes in sensation (numbness or tingling)
• Asymmetry

Submentoplasty FAQs

Take the next step in a more confident profile

To learn more about submentoplasty and whether it’s right for you, call Anderson Sobel Cosmetic Surgery at 425-453-9060 or fill out the form below. We serve patients in Bellevue, Seattle, and the surrounding areas and see out-of-town patients as well.

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References»

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Gomez DA, James IB, Turer DM, Trovato MJ, Pozner JN, Cook J, DiBernardo BE, Mueller GP. Light-Guided Percutaneous Neck Rejuvenation With Division of Platysma Bands and Suture Suspension: A Multicenter Retrospective Study. Aesthetic Surgery Journal. 2023 Mar 15;43(4):393-404. doi: 10.1093/asj/sjac287.

Gonzalez R. Composite platysmaplasty and closed percutaneous platysma myotomy: a simple way to treat deformities of the neck caused by aging. Aesthetic Surgery Journal. 2009. doi: 10.1016/j.asj.2009.04.007. 

Mueller GP, Leaf N, Aston SJ, Stone CW. The percutaneous trampoline platysmaplasty: technique and experience with 105 consecutive patients. Aesthetic Surgery Journal. 2012 Jan;32(1):11-24. doi: 10.1177/1090820X11429939. 

Robenpour M, Fuchs Orenbach S, Hadash-Bengad R, Robenpour O, Heller L. The Wide Suture Suspension Platysmaplasty, a revised technique for neck rejuvenation: A retrospective cohort study. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. 2021. doi: 10.1111/jocd.14001.

Shamban AT. Noninvasive Submental Fat Compartment Treatment. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Global Open. 2016 Dec 14;4(12 Suppl Anatomy and Safety in Cosmetic Medicine: Cosmetic Bootcamp):e1155. doi: 10.1097/GOX.0000000000001155.

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