Double chins are getting the spotlight these days. Thanks to technology really. Even though you can’t look down and see your own neck, selfies, Facetime and shiny I-phone surfaces put your double chin right back in your face. Perhaps, this is why the preferred selfie pose is one where the camera is above. In any event, people are clamoring to rid themselves of this extra neck baggage tout suite.
Three different methods are available for treating neck fat and it pays to select the method that’s the most effective or “worth it”. We take a look at Ultherapy, Kybella, and neck liposuction. Although all three work, pain, cost and downtime play into the overall satisfaction.
Ultherapy
is a non-invasive treatment used to lift and tighten loose skin using ultrasound energy to heat targeted tissue under the chin? This system came on the market with all kinds of hope of anti-gravity powers. One area advertised as a perfect target was the double chin. Unfortunately, patients describe Ultherapy as being very painful with the results appearing (if they do) two to three months post-treatment. Multiple treatments are encouraged and the price creeps upward with each attempt at satisfying results. Real Self (realself.com) rates this method for reducing the double chin at a 65% “worth it” rating.
Kybella
was introduced in July 2015 with a specific application for reducing a double chin. Kybella (also called ATX-101) is a cocktail of injections that melt fat. Multiple treatment sessions (2-4) are recommended at anywhere from $600 to $1000 per vial each session. Patients report that the treatments are extremely painful with lasting numbness and months of swelling. The “worth it” factor seems to be questionable. The expense factor undeniable.
Neck Liposuction
(also called submental liposuction) is the suction elimination of fat. Liposuction has been used in cosmetic surgery for decades. A skilled surgeon can sculpt the neck in one session with only one small incision site for the introduction of the vacuum cannula. Local sedation makes the single procedure nearly pain free. Bruising and swelling are minimal. To further tighten the area and help retract the skin after liposuction, you might be encouraged to wear a chin strap or jaw bra. Submental liposuction is approximately $2500 and 91% of patients agree it’s worth it.
So, chin up and thumbs up folks. Give a big selfie smile and delete that double chin. Of all three treatment methods examined here, submental liposuction seems the best choice when considering pain, cost, and effectiveness.
See how Changes Plastic Surgery & Spa patients look before and after neck liposuction by board-certified plastic surgeons in our San Diego office. Contact us below.
