Over the past decades, liposuction has become more than a simple tube used around the abdomen to suck out extra fat. The techniques are now more refined and the procedure can be used on almost any area of the body, including the face and neck. Using liposuction on those particular areas might seem a little odd at first since typically the procedure is used on the body. However, when liposuction is used as a facial contouring method, it can be extremely effective at removing stubborn pockets of fat to improve your facial definition and overall profile. Learn more about facial liposuction from Scottsdale-Phoenix facial plastic surgeon Dr. Todd Hobgood.
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. Why these particular areas? When fat cells start to lump together, they get heavier and are more susceptible to gravity. Over time, gravity pulls those fat pockets downward and causes you to lose contouring and definition. Since your cheeks, chin, and neck are the lower half of your face, the fat cells settle there.
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, the liposuction techniques have become very precise over the years and allow surgeons to be gentler with your skin.
There are several different types of liposuction that can be used by surgeons to target the pockets of fat. One type that is currently used at Hobgood Facial Plastic Surgery is known as tumescent fluid liposuction. For this procedure, Dr. Hobgood uses tumescent fluid (a combination of vasoconstrictors and anesthesia) to prepare the target area for fat removal. The fluid is injected into the target area and creates numbness and swelling. This makes it easier for Dr. Hobgood to reach the layers of fat hidden beneath the skin.
Once that layer of fat has been accessed, a very small tube is inserted through a tiny incision to gently suction out extra fat deposits. For the chin and neck, the incision is made under the chin or along the jawbone. 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.
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 your 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, call (480) 214-9955 and schedule an initial patient consultation with Dr. Todd Hobgood.
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