Excess fat in the face can actually make you appear heavier and like you weigh more than you do. Even with moderate exercise and healthy eating, facial fat can be difficult to get rid of, especially underneath the chin, on the neck, cheeks and jawline.
Facial liposuction can be a great solution to reduce stubborn facial fat and remove the appearance of a “double chin,” which is often a hereditary trait. It can also help achieve a more aesthetically pleasing facial contour by re-sculpting areas around the chin, neck, jowls or cheeks.
Both younger and older patients may benefit from the long-lasting results of our facial liposuction in Pittsburgh. Many older patients see greater benefits when combined with another surgical procedure such as a facelift, neck lift, blepharoplasty or brow lift. Good candidates are often men and women with fatty deposits and sagging skin in the jowl area, lower face and chin. Dr. Leong will determine whether facial liposuction is a good option for you during a consultation.
What are the limitations of facial liposuction?
It is important for you to understand that facial liposuction by itself cannot address all cases of excess facial fat. The critical issue is that performing facial liposuction alone (without being combined with a facelift) relies on the skin shrinking down adequately onto the underlying facial tissues. The patient’s age is the most important variable in predicting if the skin will “shrink wrap” snuggly over the face after the surplus fat has been removed. This age varies from patient to patient, but is somewhat between 40 and 45 years old. If you are younger than that, the skin can typically contract appropriately and an outstanding result is possible.
If you are older than this range, removing fat often simply results in hanging skin – not a desirable goal for patients! This is why facial liposuction is often combined with a facelift. The fat is removed via liposuction and the excess skin is removed with a facelift procedure.
Other variables such as sun exposure, smoking, and ethnicity can also impact the degree to which the skin reacts to a facial liposuction procedure. Dr. Leong will discuss each of these variables with you during your consultation.
The day of the facial liposuction procedure
Some advantages of a facial liposuction procedure are that it is marginally invasive, does not take long to perform and downtime is often minimal. On the day of the procedure, to ensure your comfort, you will be prepped with general anesthesia or sedation. Dr. Leong will create a small, well-concealed incision beneath the chin (and sometimes behind the ears) in order to access the fat. Saline solution is inserted into this opening to allow for easier removal of fat. A cannula is then used to suction excess fat for a slimmer and slenderer you.
Facial liposuction normally takes around one hour, depending upon the amount of fat that needs to be removed. Please note that if you are adding another procedure to facial liposuction, it will take more time. Over the counter pain medication or prescription pain pills may be taken if needed. The main bruising and swelling usually lasts a few days (but complete recovery can require several weeks) and can be minimized with proper post care treatment.
The true result of the procedure can be seen after swelling and bruising resolve. Most patients return to work in one week or less. Dr. Leong will ask you to come back into the office a few days after the procedure to document your progress and ensure that you are healing well. One of the most exciting visits for patients is when they get to view their before and after photos. Up until then, it is difficult to truly appreciate the dramatic results of the procedure.
What is the cost of facial liposuction in Pittsburgh?
In Pittsburgh, the price of facial liposuction ranges from $3,000 to $7,000. Pricing for this procedure can vary based on the size of the area, the amount of fat being removed, and the difficulty of the surgery. The plastic surgeon or facial plastic surgeon’s experience will also play a role in the cost. Once Dr. Leong examines each patient, a customized plan and pricing will be discussed in detail. Reach out to our Patient Care Coordinator at 412-693-6475 for further questions.
Financing
Please visit our patient information page to learn more about our financing options or call our office at 412-693-6475. Facial liposuction is typically not covered by insurance.
Contact Sistine FacialPlastic Surgery
To learn more about Facial Liposuction or to schedule a consultation to talk more about this procedure, please contact Sistine Facial Plastic Surgery today.