Jowl covers the area from the chin to the lower part of the neck. Skin can get loose and saggy on the jowl due to fat accumulation in the area, which might cause a person to look older. Sagging on the jowl can only disappear with a jowl-lift surgery.
In what situations a jowl lift surgery be performed?
Fat accumulation in the jowl, which is usually caused by overweight, can be observed on both women and men. However, due to the skin structure of women, they are more likely to experience this problem than men.
- When there is a sagging on the jowl as a result of excessive loss and gain of weight
- When the jowl sags over time due to gravity
- When the jowl sags as a consequence of the muscles in that area getting loose
- Old age, sunlight,smoking
- Genetic inclination
When should jowl-sagging be tackled?
Tackling a sagged jowl when the deformation of the jowl is in its first phases will influence both the magnitude of the surgery, and the outcome of the operation. In the event of an increase in loosening and sagging, the problems that could be solved with minor operations are replaced with those that would need more complicated operations.
What are the surgery techniques?
Middle ages (30s) are the years that the jowl deformation generally starts. In these age groups, because the elasticity of the jowl area is better than those of older age groups, the accumulated fat can be removed under local anesthesia with 2mm long cannulas, which is the operation known as liposuction.
Whereas for the patients over the age of 50, liposuction method will not be enough because the jowl will have lost its previous tenseness. So, the accumulated fat and the extra skin will be removed surgically. In this surgery, if it is the jowl area that on which the operation will be performed on, the scars due to cuts will be underneath the chin and they will gradually be in the shape of a line. The extra skin will be accumulated behind the ears. However, if a neck lift surgery is performed alongside the jowl-lift surgery and it is combined, the scars will be hid behind the ears depending on the lifting of the skin.
Jowl-lift surgeries are completed within 1.5-2 hours.
Post jowl lift surgery
In the first couple of days after the surgery, some reddening, purpleness and edema in the jowl area can be seen, and this is an expected and normal situation.
In the first day after the surgery, although there might be some pain in the jowl, this pain will be reduced by the medical staff’s help.
There is no limitation on eating and drinking.
There are no stitches to be removed from the jowl. The stitches will be absorbed by the body over time.
In the first few months, the fat that was removed from the jowl will take some time to settle in its new place. The jowl will be in its final shape 3-5 months after the surgery.
Due to the operational method used during the surgery, there are going to be 3-4cm sized scars underneath the chin. These scars will take the shape of a thin white line in 6 months to 1 year.
Is the jowl-lift surgery a difficult operation?
This operation is not as difficult as people fear. The methods used in the jowl-lift surgery do not affect the voice quality or speaking ability of the patient negatively. A loss of mimic does not happen either. Depending on the size of the sagging, compression with laser can be applied. After the operation under local anesthesia, patients are discharged on the day of the surgery.
Deformations can be removed more easily, if the surgery is carried out in the first phases of the sagging. In case of an increase in sagging and loosening, the problems that could be solved with minor operations are replaced with those that would need more complicated operations.
FAQs
Can the jowl-lift surgery be performed under local anesthesia?
The jowl-lift surgery can be carried out under local anesthesia depending on the patient’s health and mental status.
Is the final outcome of the surgery permanent?
The jowl-lift surgery’s outcomes last for long years. Here, the patients’ actions and habits are influential. Not gaining weight after the surgery, not having a diet too often will increase the sustainability of the outcome of the surgery.
Is post-surgery too painful?
After the surgery, the pains can be kept under control with the help of the analgesics recommended by doctors. As opposed to what is usually believed, there is not a too painful post-surgery stage.
How long does the surgery take?
Depending on the operation technique and the skin structure of the patient, it takes between 1-2 hours.
Which gender is more likely to experience jowl sagging?
Deformations around the jowl area are more likely to occur in women. The reason for this is the fact that women’s skin is more sensitive than that of men. This part of the body tends to be more resilient in men. Jowl sagging occurs in men due to old age and overweight.
What are the techniques used in the jowl-lift surgery?
Depending on the situation of the sagging in the jowl; only liposuction (especially laser liposuction)
Lifting the skin by opening up the chin, and muscle mending
jowl lifting alongside face lifting
