Firming up the jawline: liposuction, lasers, lifts or injections?
November 30, 2012

When you reach your early 40s, you may notice you have a “drop zone,” i.e., the skin between your neck and jaw, which was once a taut right angle, is now simply dropping. The aging jaw and neck are a challenge. Problems not only include sagging muscles and bulging fat, but also dealing with the thinnest, crepiest skin on the body (except for eyelid skin). To make matters worse, a thin ropey material called platysma tends to split into a V-like formation of protruding cords. W Magazine offers solutions to the sagging jawline.
A Manhattan plastic surgeon comments, “Trying to fix all of that with potions and lotions is like waging a two-front war on a sheet of thin ice.” He recommends a neck lift for women in their early to mid-40s who are not ready for a facelift. The neck lift wraps sagging muscles crosswise to the jaw to restore that all-important right angle. Compared with a facelift, sutures are smaller, there is less pulling and recovery time is much shorter. For loose skin around the neck, liposuction is also a good solution.
Plastic surgeons interviewed by W were almost uniformly skeptical of trendier devices, such as Thermage, Ulthera and Titan, which deliver radio frequency, ultrasound and infrared lasers to stimulate collagen growth. The surgeons said these devices don’t deliver enough energy to have a substantial effect. But a new radiofrequency device, Evolastin, has been getting some good reviews. It delivers heat via small injections directly into the deep dermis, boosting collagen and elastin. One doctor claimed results are equal to about one third of a facelift.
If your problem is double chins, one Beverly Hills plastic surgeon recommends Smart Lipo, which uses lasers to melt fat and tighten the skin. A company called Kythera is close to releasing an injectable that dissolves the double chin with human bile.
A London-based dermatologist swears by preventive Botox injections. “If you start when you’re about 30, you’ll keep the neck and jowl muscles from sagging and you can put off a face lift until you’re fifty, but if you ignore your neck, Botox won’t help you when you’re 48.”
Another alternative is injecting fat from the belly into the jawline area to provide extra volume. This will include the bonus of your own stem cells. Extra stem cells are separated from the fat via centrifuge and then added, making the skin glow more and enhancing collagen.
If you are unhappy with your jawline, find a seasoned professional like a board-certified plastic surgeon to find the best treatment for you.
The mission of the Aesthetic Society includes medical education, public education and patient advocacy. Plastic Surgery News Briefs are summaries of current stories found through various news and magazine outlets that relate to or mention plastic surgery and cosmetic procedures. The views expressed in these news articles do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Aesthetic Society, but are merely published as an educational service to our members and the general public. For additional information on these subjects and other plastic surgery related topics, please go to www.surgery.org
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The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, is recognized as the world's leading organization devoted entirely to aesthetic plastic surgery and cosmetic medicine of the face and body. The Aesthetic Society is comprised of over 2,600 Plastic Surgeons; Active Members are certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (USA) or by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and have extensive training in the complete spectrum of surgical and nonsurgical aesthetic procedures. International Active Members are certified by equivalent boards of their respective countries. All members worldwide adhere to a strict Code of Ethics and must meet stringent membership requirements.
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