So, what can you expect from chin liposuction after 1 week?
Chin liposuction is a medical procedure intended to slim and contour the neck and face. In this post, we’ll review the procedure, provide tips for recovery, and address whether or not it’s worth it to get chin liposuction.
We’ll cover:
- Chin Liposuction After 1 Week: What to Expect
- Chin Liposuction Recovery Time
- Recovery Tips
- Is Chin Lipo Worth It?
At Elite Facial Plastic Surgery, our double-board certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Dominic, has the experience and skills to make your recovery as smooth as possible.Contact us today to learn more about our chin lipo services and advice on how to maintain your results.
What to Expect After Chin Liposuction
The name “chin liposuction” is a bit of a misnomer since the operation doesn’t involve the chin itself but the submental area below the jaw and the upper neck. The procedure will create a more defined jawline and tighten the skin in the upper neck.
Excess fat may accumulate in this area due to weight gain, aging, or simple genetics. While some embrace their natural profile, others opt for chin liposuction, or more accurately, a neck lift to achieve smoother, more elegant contours around their neck and lower jaw. This minimally invasive procedure removes excess fat from under the skin in a targeted area by breaking it up and suctioning it away.
While chin lipo surgery is a minor procedure, to have the best chin liposuction results, it is crucial to follow your plastic surgeon’s post-op care recommendations to ensure a fast and successful chin lipo recovery. This is especially important to ensure the success of the healing process and that you have your desired toned facial appearance and the best possible chin lipo results.
Below are some of the things you can expect from recovery.
Swelling
You’ll likely experience a swollen chin area and slight discomfort after your procedure. Mild to moderate swelling around the incisions and in the treated area is typical. Inflammation usually peaks several days into recovery, subsiding within a week. Ask your doctor if pain and inflammation medications are safe during recovery.
Staying hydrated, wearing a chin compression garment, and applying ice help reduce discomfort and inflammation. While residual swelling may make the area look more prominent than before, rest assured that you’ll begin to see results once the swelling starts to subside.
Compression Garment
The compression garment is a soft, wide elastic strap that wraps around the head to support the skin and tissues under your chin as they heal. Wearing the compression garment correctly may be the most vital part of your recovery, as it helps your skin tighten and conform to your new jaw shape.
The light compression from these garments also helps flush fluids from the area and increases blood flow, stimulating healthy tissue growth. It must be worn 24 hours a day for one or two weeks, depending on your doctor’s advice.
Some medical professionals recommend wearing it at night for several months after your procedure to get the best possible results. You may remove it to bathe or for a few minutes at a time if wearing it becomes overwhelming.
Scarring
Dr. Dominic Castellano strategically selects small incision sites under the jaw, around the hairline, and behind the ears to keep them hidden while they heal. Each incision is only a few centimeters long, and most fade quickly. We can also provide or recommend topical treatments to help fade them even faster.
Visible Results After Chin Lipo Recovery
In general, chin liposuction patients begin to see visible results of chin lipo after the swelling subsides in up to one week. Your skin will continuously tighten and shrink around your new face shape for three to four months after the procedure. However, you’ll experience cosmetic benefits throughout this post-recovery period.
After approximately four months, your skin and muscles should be fully adapted to your jaw and neck’s new, well-defined contours, and you should notice a reduction of your double chin.
Chin Liposuction Recovery Time
Though full recovery from chin lipo can take several months, all swelling and discomfort should subside within the first week of the recovery process, and you should be able to resume most normal activities within the second week. You’ll also notice dramatic changes to your profile as your facial tissues continue to heal.
Though you may feel almost normal after your chin liposuction surgery, it’s vital to rest, take things slowly, and avoid activities that could cause complications or injury. Here’s a breakdown of what to expect during the first two weeks after facial liposuction.
Day 1
The first day of your chin lipo recovery is also the day of the surgery, which is an outpatient procedure. After the chin lipo procedure, you’ll likely feel little to no pain because a local anesthetic still numbs the area.
You’ll be restricted from exercising, bending forward, or lifting anything heavy to protect the treated area. And you’ll begin wearing the compression garment and head home to rest.
Since mobility is restricted, patients often prepare for chin liposuction recovery ahead of time. Suggestions include setting up comfortable rest areas in the living room and bedroom, stocking up on ice packs, and getting a medical-grade wedge pillow to keep your head elevated at night.
Week 1
The first week of chin liposuction recovery is critical, as your body is quickly healing and reforming tissue during this time. You’ll also likely experience the most inflammation and discomfort during this time, though these side effects are mild for most patients and should begin to subside by the end of the week.
If possible, we recommend you take the first few days post-procedure off of work or school to rest and facilitate healing. After that, you may arrange to telecommute if you’re feeling well enough. You’ll still be wearing your compression garment or chin strap for most of the day and sleeping with your head elevated.
Week 2
By the second week of recovery, any inflammation should be almost completely gone, and you should no longer be in pain.
Some medical professionals recommend wearing the support garment day and night through week two, while others recommend wearing it only at night. Talk to your Elite Facial Plastic Surgery medical professional about which option is right for you.
During week two, you should be able to resume most normal activities, including light exercise. You’ll likely feel almost normal and should begin seeing a dramatic difference in your facial contours and profile. Most patients can resume all normal activities by the end of recovery week two.
Double Chin Lipo Recovery Tips
Proper aftercare is key to a faster, pain-free chin lipo recovery. Many patients feel almost normal just a few days after their submental liposuction, so it can be tempting to skip aftercare steps during recovery.
However, good aftercare reduces pain and swelling more quickly, prevents complications from overexertion, and guards against infection. It also helps your facial tissues heal correctly, so you can enjoy the best possible results.
Remember that feeling good during recovery is a sign you’re in the process of healing, not that you’re fully healed — it’s still necessary to rest. You aren’t in the clear until the plastic surgeon gives you the O.K.
Below are some tips to make your recovery as pleasant as possible.
Keep Your Head Elevated
During recovery from double chin lipo, fluids accumulate in and around the healing tissue, contributing to post-treatment inflammation. Keeping your head elevated encourages these fluids to drain and helps reduce swelling. It also prevents pain and discomfort from accidentally straining the healing area.
For several days following the procedure, sleep on your back with your head elevated about 6 inches above the mattress. This angle facilitates fluid drainage, helps keep the support garment in place, and prevents damaging the treated area in your sleep.
Use a Cold Compress
Cold therapy helps relieve inflammation and pain, especially in the first few days post-procedure. Choose a medical-grade ice pack filled with gel so you can easily mold the compress to the affected area. Wrap it in a clean towel or other cloth and hold it gently to your face for 10 to 15 minutes, then take it off for the same amount of time. You can safely continue this cycle for as long as necessary.
Leave the compression garment on while using a cold compress. The elastic band should be thin enough for the cold to penetrate your skin.
Avoid Heavy Lifting
When you lift heavy items, you flex many of the muscles in your upper body, including your neck and jaw. After double chin liposuction, the muscles in these areas are tender and begin to tighten to your new jaw shape.
To avoid straining or damaging these muscles, avoid heavy lifting such as picking up a child or pet, carrying heavy groceries, or exercising with weights. For precise weight limits, talk to your plastic surgeon about which activities you can perform safely during recovery from double chin liposuction.
Monitor Blood Pressure
Patients who undergo general anesthesia during chin liposuction may experience a drop in blood pressure afterward. The anesthetic can remain in your body for 24 hours after the procedure, so it’s important to monitor your blood pressure and make sure it doesn’t drop below an acceptable level.
Wrist cuff monitors are a convenient and effective way to monitor your blood pressure at home. Take your blood pressure every few hours or according to the advice of your Elite Facial Plastic Surgery medical professional.
Is Chin Liposuction Worth It?
Chin liposuction surgery is a minimally invasive procedure that removes excess fat in the submental neck area to achieve a firm, elegant, contoured face shape. During the treatment, fat in the targeted area is broken up and suctioned from under the skin, preventing new fat cells from forming in that area.
Though patients can still gain weight after liposuction, treated areas are unlikely to accumulate as much fat as they did before. Initial recovery from chin liposuction can last for several weeks, with noticeable improvement after two weeks.
Most pain, discomfort, swelling, and bruising should subside after one week, and you can wear the supportive strap for less and less time as your recovery progresses. Full recovery — and the full cosmetic effects of the procedure — may take several months.
The effects of chin liposuction last between seven to ten years — longer if you maintain a healthy weight and take good care of your skin. Many find these lasting results a fair tradeoff for several weeks’ recovery and minimal side effects.
Schedule a Consultation with Elite Facial Plastic Surgery Today
Elite Facial Plastic Surgery is the gold standard in facial cosmetic procedures. We offer free consultations and affordable options to help you meet your aesthetic goals. All treatments take place in our accredited, state-of-the-art, in-office surgical suite by a board-certified plastic surgeon.
Post-treatment, our medical professionals provide thorough aftercare instructions and resources to make your recovery as short and stress-free as possible. When you’ve fully recovered, you’ll be ready to literally put your best face forward with confidence.
For more information about double chin liposuction or chin liposuction cost, please book a complimentary consultation online or call our office at 813-547-6992.
