"The fat under my jaw won't come off — if I remove it with an injection, does my face get slimmer?"
"Do the cheeks shrink with a contouring injection too?"
This is what people looking into contouring injections bring up first.
Hello, I'm Director Kwon Si-jin at DA Clinic Myeongdong ^^
We're getting ready to open our doors in Myeongdong soon, and since so many people have been asking about contouring injections ahead of our opening, we wanted to put together this overview for your information first.
If you assume the lower face is all fat, it's easy to end up treating what isn't the cause.The concern that 'my lower face looks heavy' doesn't come from one and the same cause. Let me show you exactly where they part ways.
A Contouring Injection Is an Injection That Acts on the Face's 'Local Fat'
A contouring injection refers to a local fat-dissolving injection placed into the fat layer of a specific facial area, like the double chin or cheeks.
Let me first go over what a contouring injection is.
It's a way of injecting an ingredient that acts on the fat cell membrane, like deoxycholic acid, directly into that area to induce the breakdown of local fat.
And the broken-down contents are processed through the body's metabolic process over time.
Since the face is a narrow, delicate area, it's good to also keep in mind that the way of handling it differs a little from broad body areas. (how much you feel it differs from person to person)
The 'Cause of the Lower Face Looking Bulky' Isn't Fat Alone
When talking about contouring injections, this is the first misconception to clear up.
The reason a lower face looks bulky or not slim differs from person to person.There are cases where fat is the main factor, but there are also many where it isn't.
Broadly speaking, three things intertwine to create the impression: subcutaneous fat, the chewing muscle (masseter), and the jawbone's skeletal structure.
What a contouring injection can handle among these is the 'fat' part.If the cause is developed muscle or the shape of the skeleton itself, that's a distance away from the area an injection reduces.
So rather than concluding 'lower face = fat,' the order is to first distinguish what the main cause is.
Swelling and Bruising Are Common, and It's Done Over Several Sessions
A contouring injection isn't a treatment that ends in one go; it's usually done over several sessions at set intervals.
Let me show you, as it is, what facial contouring injections realistically do.
Especially since the face is an area rich in blood vessels and with thin skin, swelling and bruising can appear relatively commonly after the injection.
These usually settle over a few days to a week or two, but the degree of swelling and the speed at which it goes down differ from person to person.
So if you have an important event coming up, you'll feel more at ease scheduling the sessions with plenty of time for the swelling to go down.
The Contour Isn't Completed by the Injection Alone
This is the part where I'd like to align expectations together.
A contouring injection is only one method of handling the face's 'local fat'; it isn't a treatment that decides the whole impression on its own.
As I mentioned, the lower-face impression is shaped by muscle and skeleton, and skin elasticity, in addition to fat.
So even if the fat is reduced, if elasticity doesn't hold it up the contour may not look sharp, and if the cause isn't fat, the change itself may not be large.
It's reasonable to distinguish what the main cause is through diagnosis, and to first sort out how far a contouring injection can handle. (There are individual differences in the degree of change you can expect)
Why a lower face looks heavy — the families of cause
Separating these keeps you from working on the wrong thing.
- Fatwhat contouring injections target
- The chewing muscleif it stands out when you clench, this is it
- The salivary glandsif it bulges when you lower your head and tense beneath the jaw, this comes up
- Bonethis one is hard to address with injections
And there's one more: sagging. It isn't that there's a lot of fat — the contour has been buried by descent, and reducing fat here can make it look more hollow instead.
So a step that separates the causes is needed before starting.The causes are often mixed too, so addressing only one may not change things as much as hoped.
Where sagging is present alongside, lifting gets looked at together.That's part of why we have the ultrasound, radiofrequency and microwave families separated out at our Myeongdong clinic.
People in These Situations Should Check One More Time
A facial contouring injection isn't a treatment equally suited to every lower-face concern.
As I mentioned, if the cause is not fat but masseter development or the skeleton, it may not match the domain a contouring injection handles.In that case, distinguishing what the cause is through diagnosis comes first.
If you're pregnant or breastfeeding, if there's inflammation or a wound at the injection area, or if you've just had another treatment on the facial area, it's good to check your condition and then decide whether to proceed.
Also, if you reduce only the fat while the skin is significantly sagging, the contour may actually look less sharp, so it's reasonable to look at the elasticity state together.
How the days after the treatment run
- Day 1 to 3the stretch where swelling is most pronounced. Bruising often comes alongside
- Around a weekswelling drops noticeably
- Around 2 weeksbruising fades, and from around here it's close to the actual appearance
So there's no need to judge it in the mirror the day after. If anything it's most swollen right afterwards, so a conclusion drawn from that impression will be off.
If you have an important date, I'd suggest leaving at least two weeks. It's a period where swelling and bruising overlap, and it's hard to cover.
During recovery, postpone anything that raises the body's heat for a few days, and drinking enough water helps.
- It acts on localised fat in the face
- It does not solve every cause of a heavy lower face
- We look first at what is making it heavy
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Does one contouring injection make my face slim?
A. A contouring injection isn't a treatment that finishes big in one go; it's closer to a treatment that refines local fat little by little over several sessions at set intervals.Also, the reason a lower face looks bulky may be the chewing muscle or skeleton rather than fat, so a contouring injection isn't the answer in every case. So rather than expecting a change in one go, it fits better to first check whether the cause is fat, then proceed over sessions. The degree of change and the number of sessions needed vary by individual depending on the amount of fat, skin elasticity, and the area.
Q. Does a contouring injection make me swell? How long does recovery take?
A. Since the face is an area rich in blood vessels and with thin skin, swelling and bruising can appear relatively commonly after a contouring injection.They usually settle over a few days to a week or two, but the degree of swelling and the speed at which it goes down differ from person to person.Temporary stinging or a dull feeling can also remain at the injection area.So if you have an important event, it's better to schedule the sessions with plenty of time for the swelling to go down. Please keep in mind in advance that there are individual differences in the recovery flow too.
Q. Can I get a contouring injection in the cheeks as well?
A. If local fat is the cause of the concern in the cheek area too, a contouring injection is sometimes considered.That said, the cheeks are an area heavily involved in expression and impression, so overdoing the fat reduction can actually change the impression or make the contour look less sharp, so we tend to approach it carefully.Also, the reason cheeks look bulky may be a factor other than fat, so distinguishing it through diagnosis comes first.So the degree that can be reduced differs by area, and there are individual differences in suitability and result too, so we think it's right to judge by looking at your condition.
Q. Is it a weight-loss injection?
A. It's hard to see it as one. It's closer to tidying the outline of an area, and its purpose differs from weight management.
Q. How many sessions are needed?
A. It's usually described as being divided across several sessions. Putting a lot in at once increases swelling and bruising, and leaves less room to adjust while watching the balance.
Q. If I gain weight again, does it go back?
A. If weight goes up, remaining fat can enlarge again.Which is why this is described as needing lifestyle management alongside rather than holding on treatment alone.
A heavy jawline has several causes
If you've read this far, this is the one thing to remember.
A contouring injection is an injection that acts on the face's local fat; it isn't a treatment that solves every cause of a bulky lower face.
This is my answer to the question you came in with.
Distinguishing whether the cause of your lower-face concern is fat, muscle, or skeleton comes first.Just please remember that swelling and bruising are common and it's done over several sessions, and that there are individual differences in the result.
DA Clinic Myeongdong is set to open soon.We'll share news of our opening and treatment information first on our blog and Instagram ^^
Thank you for reading this long piece.This was Director Kwon Si-jin at DA Clinic Myeongdong.
This column is an informational article meant to provide general medical information, and the effects and side effects of treatments may vary by individual. DA Clinic Myeongdong is set to open soon. (Medical Service Act Art. 56)