Everyone’s body is different, including how fat is distributed. In most instances, we can maintain a svelte figure through disciplined diet and exercise. However, stubborn fat areas refractory to lifestyle rigour can still persist. These areas include the face and neck, the upper arms, the axilla and armpits (especially in women with possible ‘accessory breasts’), the love handles, and the inner and outer thighs. Thankfully, there are now procedures that can help to permanently reduce these areas of stubborn fat.

Stubborn fat can reduce the attractiveness of the face. An attractive face includes a well-defined jaw and chin line, stronger in men and more delicate with a V-shape in women. In the lateral silhouette, there should be the gentle curve of the convex chin leading to a firm under chin area (submentum), with a distinct angle (cervico-mental angle) delineating the submentum from the lower neck. 

Poorly defined jaw and chin lines can be due to one or a combination of anatomical anomalies in the structures of the chin and neck. First of all, a retruded chin leads to the loss of anterior support for the neck line. This can be improved with chin enhancement via a genioplasty, chin implant, or enhancement with filler or fat. Moving down to the submentum, a variety of factors, including loose skin, excess fat under the skin or muscle, or loosening of supporting structures in the neck, can lead to the loss of neck definition and a double-chin or turkey-gobbler chin appearance. Treatment options to improve these deformities depend on the cause, and can include minimally-invasive skin tightening procedures, surgical neck lift, or in a large number of cases, the removal of fat through liposuction (ONFA Liposuction).

Liposuction refers to the reduction of subcutaneous fat using a specialized cannula attached to a suction apparatus. The suction apparatus can be in the form of a syringe or suction bottle, and can be enhanced with modalities such as VASER^TM or power-assisted handpieces. The incisions by which liposuction is performed are small (<4mm) and are strategically placed to make the procedure almost scarless. Through planned, uniform inward and outward movements of the liposuction cannula, fat in any area of the body can be removed in a smooth and efficient manner, from both the superficial and the deep layers. More defined liposuction can also be performed with a smaller cannula in certain areas to highlight the natural contours and shadows of the body, in what is termed ‘high-definition’ liposuction. Liposuction has become an important tool for the plastic surgeon, both for the removal of unwanted fat as well as the harvesting of fat for transfer to other parts of the body for enhancement, for example, to the breasts.

The face and neck are areas with multiple nerves and blood vessels, and care must be taken not to injure the facial nerves during any procedure in this region, as this could lead to facial asymmetry. Using intricate knowledge of face and neck anatomy as well as smaller cannulas, plastic surgeons can carefully extract subcutaneous fat from areas of excess, such as the submentum and jowl areas, and perform shadowing at the jawline where more definition is required. This is the definitive treatment for the double chin, and can also help with the ageing neck, possibly in combination with treatments to aid with tightening of the neck skin, such as VASER, Morpheus 8 or FaceTite RFAL (Radiofrequency Assisted Lipo-removal). Best of all? As long as the patient continues to watch his lifestyle habits, this procedure is permanent and really once and for all.

The benefits of ONFA Liposuction to the face, chin, and neck, are the creation of a defined, attractive jawline and lower face in all profiles. The jowls of can be reduced and flattened, and the cervicomental angle can be accentuated. The ‘full cheek’ appearance will be improved. Fat removal tends to be permanent, and in cases where there is a large amount of excess fat removed, can even improve snoring and obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) symptoms by reducing effect heavy soft tissue of the neck can have on the airway.

The procedure itself can be performed as same day surgery and under local anaesthesia. The incisions are barely visible, and oftentimes the bruising is minimal. The majority of swelling resolves within the first 2 weeks, and most patients can get back to full activities and exercise at that point in time.

The best candidate for ONFA liposuction of the face, neck and chin are those where the majority of soft tissue fullness is due to excess subcutaneous fat. These are the individuals who will see the most significant difference after the procedure. Ideally, the chin should not be too retruded. The fullness should not be due to other structures in the neck like muscle or salivary glands, or to excess loose skin. They should be relatively healthy with no or well controlled medical problems. Seeing a qualified plastic surgeon will allow a thorough assessment of these factors as well as the appropriate recommendations. It is important that the options for treatment are thoroughly discussed to enable the individual to make the right choice to achieve the results they desire. Besides fat reduction through liposuction, other modalities may be recommended simultaneously or after the liposuction to help improve the neck contour through tightening of the skin and underlying attachments to the muscle. These modalities include radiofrequency devices (e.g. Morpheus 8 or FaceTite RFAL) and laser devices.

Complications of ONFA liposuction of the face and neck are rare, but possible. General procedural complications may include pain, bleeding, infection and scar. More specific to the face and neck where many nerves are located, is the risk of nerve injury leading to facial asymmetry. In a large majority of cases, these nerve injuries are temporary due to infiltration of numbing solution or irritation of the nerves from the liposuction cannula and swelling. The facial asymmetry in these cases usually resolve in a matter of weeks. It is extremely rare to have a permanent nerve injury from the liposuction procedure. However, to minimize this complication, it is important to seek the opinion of a fully qualified plastic surgeon whose rigorous training would include intricate knowledge of facial anatomy and techniques to avoid complications.

ONFA liposuction is designed to help you reduce areas of stubborn fat, where no amount of diet or exercise can help, Many patients find these procedures satisfying and liberating, especially when it comes to wearing certain types of clothing. It is a relatively straightforward procedure, with minimal downtime and risks if performed by a trained individual. For more information, please reach out to the plastic surgery team at Polaris Plastic & Reconstructive surgery to schedule an appointment, if just to answer any curious queries you may have. We look forward to helping you.