Are You A Good Candidate for Chin and Neck Liposuction?

Whether due to age, weight, or genetics, there’s no question that excess sagging skin around the chin and neck is unattractive. It can give you the appearance of looking older or weighing more than you actually do. It may also be the result of significant weight loss around the face.

Whatever the cause, you may be looking for a way to correct the problem so that your face looks smoother and more youthful. You may have questions for our staff at Jefferson Plastic Surgery when you come in for your initial consultation. Perhaps the most important of these is whether or not you will make a good candidate for chin and neck liposuction. Here, we have provided some quick pointers to help you decide if you fit the criteria of a good candidate for this surgical procedure.

Alcohol Consumption

Although an occasional glass of wine or bottle of beer is just fine, regular alcohol consumption can make you a riskier candidate for any surgical procedure. Alcohol is known to thin the blood, which may put you at risk of excessive bleeding both during and after the liposuction procedure. This may lead to longer healing times and poor wound healing, which in turn can leave you with excessive scarring. Our staff strongly encourages you to stop any alcohol consumption starting at least two weeks prior to surgery until at least four weeks afterward.

Tobacco Use

By now, you know about the countless health risks associated with tobacco use. However, you may not know that tobacco smoke can dry out the skin, particularly around the face. This becomes problematic for any facial surgical procedures because drier skin will not heal as well and can leave excessive scarring. Our staff recommends stopping any tobacco use at least two weeks prior to surgery. Under ideal conditions, our staff recommends taking your surgery as a good opportunity to quit tobacco use for good. At the very least, you should not resume tobacco use until at least six to eight weeks after surgery.

Medications, Vitamins, and Supplements

The medications, vitamins, and supplements you take on a regular basis can also play a role in your candidacy for liposuction. Any blood thinner medications (such as warfarin) put you at greater risk of excessive bleeding, both during and after surgery, as do vitamin E, fish oil, and garlic supplements. Your best bet is to talk with your surgeon during your consultation visit about any medications, vitamins (including multivitamins), and supplements that you take on a daily basis. You may also need to consult with your primary care doctor about the best way to safely stop taking any prescription blood thinners to reduce your risk of excessive bleeding.

There is no reason why you cannot be an excellent candidate for a neck and chin liposuction procedure. The important thing to remember is to look at some of your lifestyle habits that put you in a higher risk category for adverse outcomes and figure out how to curtail or eliminate those habits. You will be much happier with the end result from your surgery as a result.