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Neck liposuction in Edinburgh

Removes the fullness under the chin and along the jawline that diet and exercise have not shifted. It takes under an hour under local anaesthetic, and you go home the same day. It treats the chin and jawline only. For other areas, see liposuction of the tummy, hips and thighs.

Your consultants
Consultant assessing fullness under the jaw
Anaesthetic
Local
Surgery time
40-60 minutes
Recovery
Few days off work, 4 weeks before strenuous exercise
Guide price
From £4,150

Contents

Who is an ideal candidate?

Neck liposuction is most appropriate for patients who:

  • Have visible fat under the chin or along the jawline that is out of proportion with the rest of the face
  • Have good skin elasticity — the skin should retract over the new contour after the fat is removed
  • Are in good general health and non-smokers, or willing to stop smoking before and after surgery
  • Are close to their ideal weight and stable in weight
  • Have realistic expectations about what liposuction can and cannot do

A consultation is a conversation, not a commitment to surgery. If we feel neck liposuction is not the right answer for your case — for example, if loose skin or sagging muscle bands mean a neck lift would serve you better, or if a weak chin is part of the problem and chin enhancement would deliver more — we will say so honestly.

What the procedure involves

Neck liposuction at Waterfront removes the fatty fullness under the chin and along the jawline that diet and exercise cannot reliably shift. The procedure is performed under local anaesthesia as a walk-in walk-out treatment, typically lasting under an hour.

  • Consultation: a careful assessment of the neck — specifically, whether the fullness is fat (which liposuction addresses) or loose skin and muscle (which it does not).
  • Anaesthesia: local anaesthetic numbs the neck area. General anaesthesia is rarely needed for neck liposuction alone but may be used where the procedure is combined with other surgery.
  • Liposuction: small incisions are made under the chin and behind the earlobes. A fine cannula is used to break down and remove the excess fat through these small openings.
  • Closure: the incisions are small enough that they typically close with one or two sutures each.

Where appropriate, neck liposuction may be combined with chin enhancement (using fillers or a chin implant) in the same session — this is common for patients whose neck profile is being affected by a weak or recessed chin as well as excess fat.

What neck liposuction can and can’t do

Neck liposuction removes fat, and only fat. Whether it suits you depends far more on your skin and the shape of your chin than on the fat itself, and we will tell you plainly if something else would serve you better.

It can

  • Remove a fatty fullness under the chin that diet and exercise have not shifted.
  • Sharpen the angle between the chin and the neck.
  • Reduce heaviness along the jawline where it is caused by fat under the skin.

It can’t

  • Tighten loose skin or neck bands. If your skin will not shrink back over the new contour, liposuction alone can leave it looser, and a lower face and neck lift is the right operation.
  • Make up for a weak chin. Where the chin sits back, chin enhancement may do more for your profile, alone or alongside liposuction.
  • Lift jowls. Jowls are mostly loose tissue rather than fat, and need lifting rather than suction.
  • Protect you from weight gain. The fat cells removed do not return, but the ones that remain can still enlarge if you put on weight.

Your consultant will tell you at your consultation which of these apply to you.

What is the cost of neck liposuction?

Where appropriate, neck liposuction may be combined with chin enhancement (chin implant or filler) in the same session — common for patients whose neck profile is being affected by both fat and a recessed chin. Combined procedures are quoted individually after consultation.

For patients whose concern is loose skin or muscle banding rather than fat, a lower face and neck lift (from £14,000) is the appropriate procedure.

The full price for your individual case can only be confirmed after a face-to-face consultation with the consultant who will perform your surgery.

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Questions before you book?

Ask anything about neck liposuction, its recovery, risks or cost, any time and in plain language. If you would like, our team can contact you afterwards.

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Quick answers

How much does neck or chin liposuction cost?
Guide prices are listed in the Cost section above. The full price for your individual case is confirmed after a face-to-face consultation with the consultant who will perform your surgery.

Can I spread the cost?
Yes. You can pay in full two weeks before your procedure, or spread the cost with interest-free finance through Omni Capital Retail Finance over 6 or 10 months, with a deposit of between 10% and 50%. There is no interest and no hidden fee, and most applicants get a decision straight away. We do not accept private medical insurance for cosmetic treatment.
Will the same surgeon plan, perform and review my neck liposuction?
Yes. The consultant who assesses you at your first appointment is the consultant who plans your procedure, performs it, and follows you through every post-operative review. There is no handover between assessment and surgery, no patient coordinator, and no surgeon rotation.
What is neck liposuction?
Neck liposuction is a surgical procedure to remove excess fat from beneath the chin and along the jawline, restoring definition to the neck and the lower face. It is performed under local anaesthesia through very small incisions and is a walk-in walk-out treatment.
Is neck liposuction the right surgery for a double chin?
Yes — provided the double chin is caused by fat rather than loose skin or sagging muscle. For a fatty double chin in a patient with good skin elasticity, neck liposuction is the standard procedure. If the cause is loose skin or muscle banding, neck liposuction alone is not the right answer.
How is neck liposuction different from a neck lift?
Neck liposuction removes excess fat through small incisions, with no skin removal — suitable for patients whose skin will retract afterwards. A neck lift (usually performed as part of a lower face and neck lift) tightens the underlying neck muscles and removes loose skin, leaving a longer scar around the ear but addressing concerns that liposuction cannot.
Who is a good candidate for neck liposuction?
Patients with excess neck fat, good skin elasticity, in good general health and with realistic expectations. Skin elasticity matters because the skin needs to retract over the new contour once the fat is removed — in patients with poor skin elasticity, neck liposuction alone can leave the skin looser than before.
Are the results of neck liposuction permanent?
The fat cells removed during liposuction are permanently eliminated. However, significant weight gain after surgery can cause the remaining fat cells in the area to enlarge, which can affect the result. Maintaining a stable weight is the best way to preserve the contour.
How long does the procedure take?
Typically under one hour, depending on the amount of fat to be removed and whether the procedure is combined with anything else (such as chin enhancement).
Is there scarring from neck liposuction?
Scars are minimal. Incisions are very small — usually 2 to 3 millimetres — and placed in inconspicuous locations under the chin and behind the earlobes. They fade over months and are usually only visible on close inspection.
What is the recovery time?
Most patients return to desk-based work within a few days. Bruising and swelling settle over one to two weeks; strenuous exercise should be avoided for around four weeks. Final contour emerges over three to six months as the tissues settle.

Recovery from neck liposuction is short. Most patients return to desk-based work within a few days and to normal activities within a week. A supportive chin strap is usually worn for the first few days to reduce swelling and support the new contour. Strenuous exercise should be avoided for around four weeks.

Bruising and swelling are at their most noticeable in the first week and continue to settle over the following month. The early result will be partly obscured by swelling; the final contour emerges over three to six months as the tissues settle.

A nurse reviews you at one week, and more often if needed in the early healing period. Your consultant sees you again at around six months once the result has settled. Between then, your consultant is always available — if anything concerns you, they will respond directly and arrange to see you as soon as needed.

What are the risks of neck liposuction?
Risks include swelling and bruising, temporary numbness, infection (small), contour irregularity, poor skin retraction (if skin elasticity is insufficient), bleeding, and the small risks of local anaesthesia. Specific risks for your case will be discussed in detail at consultation.
Can neck liposuction be combined with other procedures?
Yes. The most common combination is with chin enhancement (filler or implant) — many patients whose neck profile they want to change are dealing with both excess fat and a recessed chin. Less commonly, neck liposuction is performed at the same time as facial work such as facial fat transfer.
What happens if I have concerns after my surgery?
All patients are seen by a nurse at one week, and more often if needed in the early healing period. Your consultant reviews you again at around six months once the result has settled. Between those reviews, your consultant is always available — if anything concerns you, they will respond directly and arrange to see you as soon as needed.

Our neck liposuction specialists

You meet your consultant at your first appointment. The same consultant plans your treatment, carries it out and sees you afterwards.

Mr John Biddlestone

Consultant plastic surgeon

GMC Specialist Register (Plastic Surgery)

Mr Will Anderson

Consultant plastic surgeon

GMC Specialist Register (Plastic Surgery)BAAPS

Mr Omar Quaba

Consultant plastic surgeon

GMC Specialist Register (Plastic Surgery)BAAPS · ISAPS · Board Certified in cosmetic surgery (ICSB)

Mr Awf Quaba

Consultant plastic surgeon

GMC Specialist Register (Plastic Surgery)BAAPS · BAPRAS

Excellent service, care and attention to detail from start to finish. I cannot recommend the hospital and in particular Mr Awf Quaba enough and would recommend both Mr Quaba and Waterfront Private Hospital to any of my friends and family either now or in the future.

I had a lower face and neck lift combined with liposuction under chin 6 months ago and I am so pleased with the outcome. Thank you so much

Ann Docherty
March 2025 Read on Google (opens in a new tab)

Google

4.9

118 reviews, out of 5

  • 5-star reviews: 112
  • 4-star reviews: 5
  • 3-star reviews: 0
  • 2-star reviews: 0
  • 1-star reviews: 1
All reviews on Google

Risks, and how often they happen

Every operation carries risk. Here they are in three groups. The figures come from UK national guidance and published studies, averaged across many patients, so your own risk may be higher or lower. Your consultant will go through what applies to you, and every risk is in your written consent.

Expected Almost everyone, and they settle

  • Swelling and bruising, most noticeable in the first week and settling over the following month.
  • Numbness or altered feeling under the chin, which usually returns over weeks to months.
  • A chin strap for the first few days to reduce swelling.
  • Tiny scars of 2 to 3mm under the chin and behind each earlobe, fading over months.

Uncommon Some patients, and some need further treatment

  • Temporary weakness of the lower lip, making the smile uneven, from bruising of a small nerve branch along the jaw. In published series it has recovered in every case.
    About 1 in 100
  • Lumps, firm areas or unevenness under the chin. Most soften with time and massage, and a few need a small touch-up.
    About 1 in 100

Rare but serious

  • Bleeding that needs treatment.
    About 1 in 1,000
  • Infection that needs treatment beyond a course of tablets.
    About 1 in 1,000

For the long term

  • Your skin keeps ageing. The neck will soften again with time, and liposuction does not slow that down.
  • Weight change affects the result. A stable weight is the best way to keep the contour.
  • The final shape takes three to six months to show as swelling settles and the skin tightens over the new contour.

More from BAAPS on liposuction.

Where these figures come from

Aftercare and recovery

Your recovery is led by the consultant who performed your surgery. A nurse reviews you at one week, and your consultant sees you again once everything has settled. Between appointments, our team are available whenever you have a concern — you do not need to wait for a scheduled review. Practical guidance on dressings, activity and returning to work is in our aftercare guide.

  1. Day of surgeryHome within hours. Neck liposuction is done under local anaesthetic.
  2. Week 1Nurse review: wound checked, dressings changed, questions answered.
  3. Days 2–5Back to desk work.
  4. Week 4Gentle exercise. Final shape settles over 3–6 months.
  5. 6 monthsYour consultant reviews the settled result. Sooner if you need it.
  6. 12 monthsNurse reviews, dressing clinics and the treatment of any complications are included.

Typical timings. Your consultant and nurse will tailor them to you.

Two Waterfront nurses smiling in the upper lounge

Written by

Mr Omar Quaba, consultant plastic surgeon

Mr Omar Quaba, MBBChir, FRCS (Plast), GMC 4586300, is a Consultant Plastic Surgeon with over 20 years of experience in plastic surgery. Based at Waterfront Private Hospital in Edinburgh, he is fully accredited on the GMC Specialist Register and specialises in advanced cosmetic procedures. Full member of BAAPS.