What’s The Best Way To Define My Jawline?
A sharp, well defined jawline is attractive and desirable. However, due to either heredity, aging, or weight gain, that sharp jawline you want may not be there. What can you do to reshape your jawline? The answer depends on what is causing your under defined jawline, as well as what your anatomy is like.
Double Chin Removal: Kybella or Lipo?
Many people have a under defined jawline due to fat under their chin–The so called “double chin.” This fat deposit can blunt your angle. Also, in today’s prevalent selfie age, people are more self-conscious of what they look like. Though many apps exist to help edit the photo to make you look better, they still don’t solve the underlying issue. You still have the undefined jawline and fat. If you are young with good skin elasticity, effective options include liposuction, Kybella injection, or surgical suspension. Surgery always seems to be the last option desired, so people tend to go for Kybella. Kybella is deoxycholic acid, a substance that’s been proven to dissolve or destroy fat at injected sites. By destroying fat cells under your chin, we’re counting on the skin to gradually redrape to a more attractive angle. The advantage of Kybella is it’s an in-office procedure that can be done in one visit. There is some pain and you have to expect significant swelling for a few days. Patients have described themselves looking like bullfrogs. That’s why ideally you would do this on a Thursday (or Wednesday) to take advantage of the weekend to recover in time to return to work or school the following Monday. A big disadvantage is requirement for multiple sessions of Kybella before you see results. Depending on how much fat you have, you may need anywhere from one to four vials each session. Sessions are repeated every four to six weeks until you are happy with results. Because there’s an undetermined number of sessions, Kybella can potentially be very expensive.
Another option is submental liposuction. This is a minor surgery where fat is suctioned out. You also have to be aware the liposuction itself doesn’t create the sharper jawline. It’s your skin redraping back to a more attractive profile that we’re going for. This process takes about three to four months. The advantage of liposuction is it’s a one-time treatment. The disadvantage is it is surgery. You will have three small incisions—one under your chin and one behind each ear lobes. You will wear a compressive dressing for two weeks. Surgery carries common risks that you have to accept, but these are fortunately not common. Bleeding, infection, swelling, pain are possible complications from surgery. In my opinion, liposuction is more effective than Kybella and probably more cost effective overall.
The Affects of Aging on Your Jawline
If you’ve lost your sharp jawline and neckline due to aging, it’s likely you have some fat but also significant loose neck skin. If so, then your skin is likely too loose to benefit solely from liposuction or Kybella. In this case, your best result will require a surgical suspension, ie. Neck lift or lower facelift. This may sound scary, but surprisingly this surgery is not very painful postoperatively. You may experience some tightness and swelling, but pain is unusual. Perhaps the biggest disadvantage of surgery is the recovery time required. Usually, you will need about ten to fourteen days off from work. But I think this is vastly outweighed by the dramatic improvement you will get with a facelift or necklift. In addition, your results will last at least eight to ten years.
Fillers for the Jawline
There are less common options to define your jawline. Fillers can sometimes be used to accentuate a jawline. Fillers (or chin implant) can be used to augment your chin projection. By increasing your chin projection, this will also give an impression of a sharper jawline. Be aware that fillers are adding volume. Depending on your facial features, injecting fillers to your jaw or mandible may actually make you look bigger and perhaps less attractive. The only way to see if this is an option for you is to see a board certified facial plastic surgeon, body plastic surgeon, or dermatologist
For more information about chin augmentation and jawline contouring, contact Dr. Kenneth Yu, Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon, and his qualified team of experts serving the San Antonio, Texas area. To schedule a consultation, please contact our Concierge Patient Coordinator at 210-876-6868.
