Submentoplasty

Q: Dr. Eppley, I have consulted with another surgeon about this procedure. I don’t really need a lower face lift. Is this done or can it be done under local? The cost of the general anesthesia and operating room is high and I’m intrigued by your price listed at this website. Thank you.

A: Thank you for your inquiry. A submentoplasty procedure is not a procedure I would attempt to do in the office under local anesthesia. While some version of it make be able to be done, it would not be the same version or achieve the same result as that obtained in the operating room under some form of deeper anesthesia. It is possible that maybe your neck needs are amenable to a more limited approach that may achieve acceptable results under local anesthesia. But I would have to see pictures of your neck to provide a more qualified answer to how to achieve the best submentoplasty results in your case.

It is important to realize that a submentoplasty is an upgraded version of neck liposuction that includes additional fat removal as well as platysma muscle work. With this understanding it is easier to appreciate why local anesthesia may not be the most comfortable way to have it done.

Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana