Over the past few decades, liposuction has evolved far beyond a simple body-contouring tool. Today’s advanced techniques make it possible to precisely remove stubborn fat from delicate areas such as the face, chin, and neck, creating a slimmer, more sculpted profile. At my facial plastic surgery practice in Scottsdale, facial and neck liposuction can redefine your jawline, smooth out jowls, and restore youthful balance to your features.
Fat in Your Face
You have a layer of fat all over your body – fat helps protect you by keeping you warm and provides a reserve source of fuel for exercise. Liposuction targets the areas of excess fat, where fat cells build up and have a difficult time going away. On your face, these areas include your cheeks, chin, and neck.
What Is Facial Liposuction?
Facial liposuction targets small, localized fat deposits that resist diet and exercise. On the face, these “trouble zones” often include the cheeks, double chin, and neck, where fat tends to accumulate and weigh down the lower face. As fat cells clump together, they respond to gravity, causing the jawline to soften and facial definition to fade. I can refine your contours and bring out your natural bone structure by removing excess fat from these areas.
How Liposuction Removes the Fat
Facial liposuction is a little more delicate than body liposuction. If the surgeon isn’t careful, they can do permanent damage to your facial muscles or, at the very least, give you serious bruises. Thankfully, facial liposuction techniques have become very precise over the years, allowing surgeons to be gentler with your skin.
Surgeons can use several different types of liposuction to target pockets of fat. One type I use is tumescent fluid liposuction. For this procedure, I inject tumescent fluid (a combination of vasoconstrictors and anesthesia), which swells the fatty tissue and numbs the treatment area. This makes it easier to reach the layers of fat hidden beneath the skin.
After saturating the area, I insert a small tube through a tiny incision to gently suction out extra fat deposits. The incision is made under the chin or along the jawbone for the chin and neck. Any remaining fat can be repositioned or adjusted until the area has the correct appearance.
For the cheeks, the incision can be made on the inside of the cheek or under the jawbone. Because this area is so small, the surgeon may be able to remove the excess fat manually without needing to utilize the tube to suck it out.
How Facial Liposuction Differs From Buccal Fat Removal
While both facial liposuction and buccal fat removal refine facial contours, they treat different types of fat and require distinct techniques.
- Facial and neck liposuction removes fat from beneath the skin’s surface, targeting areas like the chin, jawline, and neck. This procedure enhances external definition and reduces fullness under the jaw.
- Buccal fat removal, on the other hand, focuses on deeper “fat pads” inside the cheeks. During this procedure, I make a small incision inside the mouth to remove part of the buccal fat pad, slimming the midface for a more sculpted look.
In short, liposuction contours from the outside, while buccal fat removal sculpts from within. For some patients, combining both can achieve beautifully balanced, natural results.
Facial Contouring Results
It might not seem like much, but removing even a small amount of excess fat can do amazing things for your profile and overall appearance. Facial contouring through fat removal can improve chubby cheeks, double chins, and the look of the jowls. The face becomes more defined and contoured without needing a more invasive procedure. The best part is that this procedure can be used with other procedures, including fat grafting/transfers, neck lifts, facelifts, and even dermal fillers. You can also expect the results to stick around for a long time, as long as you’re taking care of yourself to prevent the excess fat from accumulating again.
Scheduling Your Facial Contouring Appointment
Liposuction is only one of your many options to improve the contouring in your face and neck. To learn more about the different surgical and nonsurgical facial contouring procedures offered at Hobgood Facial Plastic Surgery, request a consultation or call (480) 214-9955 and schedule an initial patient consultation with Dr. Todd Hobgood.
Updated October 2025
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