The jawline and neck do something most patients don’t fully realize until they look at a candid profile photo. They tell the world your age. The face can be smooth, the cheeks can be lifted, the eyes can look bright and rested, but if the jawline has softened or the neck has lost its angle, the entire profile reads older than it should.
For years, the answer was filler. Dermal fillers along the jawline and Kybella under the chin can do beautiful work for the right candidate. But there is a point where injectables stop being enough, where the underlying anatomy needs more than added volume. That is where surgical neck and jawline contouring comes in.
At Rodeo Surgical Art in Beverly Hills, Dr. David Mashhadian performs a refined suite of contouring procedures designed to deliver permanent definition: chin implants, neck liposuction, buccal fat removal, and neck lift surgery. Often these procedures are combined in a single surgical session to create a complete transformation of the lower face and neck. This guide explains who these procedures are for, what each one accomplishes, and how Dr. Mashhadian approaches the artistry of contouring at his Rodeo Drive practice.
Why the Jaw and Neck Define Your Profile More Than Any Other Feature
There is an angle plastic surgeons obsess over called the cervicomental angle. It is the line where your jaw transitions into your neck. In a youthful face, this angle sits somewhere between 105 and 120 degrees and looks crisp, defined, and clearly separated. As you age, that angle blurs. Fat accumulates beneath the chin, the platysma muscle in the neck loosens, the skin loses elasticity, and the boundary between jaw and neck softens into a single rounded line.
When that angle disappears, no amount of skincare or weight loss will bring it back. You can be lean, fit, and disciplined and still have a soft jawline because the issue is structural, not superficial. Patients often describe feeling that their face does not match how they feel inside, that they look heavier or older than they actually are. The cervicomental angle is usually the reason.
A defined jawline and a sharp neck angle communicate youth, health, and vitality at a glance. Restoring that geometry is one of the most transformative things cosmetic surgery can do for a patient’s profile, and it is what neck and jawline contouring is designed to accomplish.
Common Concerns That Surgical Contouring Solves
Patients arrive at Rodeo Surgical Art with a recurring set of concerns. Recognizing yours in the list below is often the first sign that surgical contouring may be a better fit than another round of injectables.
Submental fullness is the term for the fat pad that sits beneath the chin, sometimes called a double chin. For some patients, this fullness has been there since their twenties and is genetic. For others it appeared with age or weight gain. In either case, it rarely responds fully to diet or exercise because submental fat behaves differently from fat in the rest of the body.
Weak or recessed chin projection is a structural issue. Some faces are simply built with less chin projection than the rest of the features call for, which throws off the balance of the entire profile. A weak chin makes the neck look fuller than it actually is and makes the jawline look softer than it is.
Full or rounded lower cheeks, sometimes called chipmunk cheeks, are caused by buccal fat pads that sit prominently in the lower cheek area. Some patients love this fullness in their twenties and find it ages them as they get older.
Early jowling refers to the small bulges of tissue that develop along the jawline as the cheek pads descend. Even before the rest of the face shows visible aging, jowls can completely change the look of the lower face.
Platysmal banding is the appearance of vertical cords running down the front of the neck. These are caused by the platysma muscle separating and becoming visible through the skin. They are particularly noticeable when speaking or making expressions.
The Surgical Procedures Dr. Mashhadian Uses for Neck and Jawline Contouring
Surgical contouring is not a single procedure. It is a category of techniques, and the right combination depends entirely on what is causing your specific concerns. Dr. Mashhadian evaluates each patient individually and designs a personalized plan that may involve one of these procedures or several performed together.
Chin Implants (Genioplasty) for Projection and Structure
A chin implant is a small, biocompatible implant placed through a tiny hidden incision either inside the mouth or beneath the chin. The implant adds projection and definition to the chin, which has a remarkable downstream effect on the entire profile. A more projected chin makes the neck look longer, the jawline look stronger, and the lower face look more balanced.
Dr. Mashhadian uses a range of implant sizes and shapes to match your existing bone structure, never adding more projection than your features can naturally support. The result looks like the chin you were always meant to have, not like an obvious enhancement. For patients whose primary concern is a soft profile or a weak chin in photos, a chin implant alone can be transformative.
Neck Liposuction (Submental Lipo) for the Cervicomental Angle
Submental liposuction removes the fat pad beneath the chin through a tiny incision under the chin, typically smaller than a quarter inch and hidden in a natural crease. Dr. Mashhadian uses fine cannulas to sculpt the area precisely, removing the right amount of fat to reveal the natural neck contour underneath without overcorrecting.
For patients in their 30s and 40s with good skin elasticity, neck liposuction alone can dramatically restore the cervicomental angle. The skin retracts naturally over the new contour, and patients often describe looking ten years younger from the side. For patients with looser skin, neck liposuction is usually combined with a neck lift to ensure the skin redrapes smoothly over the corrected fat layer.
Buccal Fat Removal for Lower Face Tapering
The buccal fat pads sit deep in the cheeks, just below the cheekbones. In some faces they create attractive lower-cheek fullness in youth. In others, particularly faces with a rounder lower third, they make the lower face look heavier and undermine the definition of the jawline. Removing a portion of these fat pads through tiny incisions inside the mouth creates a more tapered, sculpted appearance from the cheekbone down to the jaw.
Dr. Mashhadian is conservative with buccal fat removal. The procedure is permanent, and over-removal can create a hollowed, gaunt appearance later in life as the face naturally loses volume with age. He removes only the amount that creates definition without sacrificing future facial harmony.
Neck Lift and Platysmaplasty for Skin and Muscle Laxity
When the underlying issue is loose skin or separated platysma muscles, liposuction alone is not enough. A neck lift addresses the skin envelope and the muscle layer directly. Through carefully placed incisions behind the ears and sometimes a small incision beneath the chin, Dr. Mashhadian tightens the platysma muscle (a procedure called platysmaplasty), removes excess skin, and re-drapes the remaining tissue smoothly over the corrected contour.
A neck lift is the right answer for patients with visible platysmal bands, significant skin laxity, or the appearance of a turkey neck. It produces the most dramatic and longest-lasting results of any neck procedure.
How These Procedures Are Combined in a Single Surgical Session
Most contouring patients benefit from more than one procedure. Combining chin implant, neck liposuction, buccal fat removal, and neck lift in a single surgical session means one round of anesthesia, one recovery period, and one cohesive result. Dr. Mashhadian’s combined contouring procedures typically take 2 to 4 hours depending on what is included, and patients return home the same day.
Surgical vs. Non-Surgical Contouring: When Each Makes Sense
Non-surgical contouring (using fillers, Kybella, Botox for masseter reduction, and skin tightening devices) remains an excellent option for patients with mild concerns or those not yet ready for surgery. The key difference is permanence and the degree of correction possible.
Non-surgical contouring delivers temporary results, requires ongoing maintenance, and has a ceiling on how much correction it can achieve. Surgical contouring delivers permanent or semi-permanent results, requires recovery time, and can address issues that injectables simply cannot reach: loose skin, descended fat pads, weak bone projection, and separated platysma muscles.
If you have already invested in fillers and Kybella and feel you have hit a plateau, surgical contouring is likely the next step. If you are early in the aging process and want to delay or avoid surgery, non-surgical injectable options at Rodeo Surgical Art may serve you well for years before surgery becomes the right choice. You can also explore non-invasive jawline and neck tightening treatments that bridge the gap.
What to Expect: Consultation, Procedure, and Recovery
Your journey begins with an in-person consultation at Rodeo Surgical Art on Rodeo Drive. Dr. Mashhadian conducts every consultation personally. He will examine your facial structure, discuss your concerns and goals, take photographs from multiple angles, and design a contouring plan tailored specifically to your anatomy.
The procedure itself is performed in the practice’s AAAHC-certified surgical suite, located adjacent to the consultation offices through a private back entrance. Anesthesia is administered by an MD anesthesiologist, and the surgical team is fully trained and consistent across cases. Most contouring procedures take 2 to 4 hours.
Recovery follows Dr. Mashhadian’s proprietary Recovery EXL™ protocol, which has helped many patients return to their normal routine faster and with less discomfort than traditional approaches. A typical timeline looks like this:
Days 1 to 3: Most swelling and bruising peak during this window. You will wear a supportive chin strap or compression garment as directed. Discomfort is generally manageable.
Week 1: Sutures are typically removed. Most swelling begins to resolve. Many patients feel comfortable being seen in public, especially with a scarf or higher collar.
Week 2: Most patients return to work and light social activities. Bruising has typically resolved.
Weeks 4 to 6: Residual swelling continues to refine. The new contour becomes increasingly defined.
Months 3 to 6: Final results emerge. Tissues fully settle, scars continue to fade, and the cervicomental angle is fully visible.
Why Patients Choose Dr. Mashhadian for Neck and Jawline Contouring in Beverly Hills
Dr. David Mashhadian is a Diplomate of the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery, a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, and was appointed a Board Examiner for the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery. He completed his medical training at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York and intensive postgraduate fellowship training in General Body and Facial Cosmetic Surgery.
What sets Dr. Mashhadian apart in the Beverly Hills market is the combination of structural precision and aesthetic restraint. Contouring is one of the most technically demanding categories in cosmetic surgery because the lower face and neck involve nerves, vessels, and structural relationships that must be respected. It is also one of the most artistic, because results live in millimeters. Too aggressive and the face loses character. Too conservative and the patient is back at the same problem in two years.
Dr. Mashhadian performs every step of every procedure himself, from consultation through follow-up. There are no nurses, physician’s assistants, or estheticians substituting for the surgeon at any stage. That continuity of care is part of why patients travel to Rodeo Drive from across Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Hollywood, and internationally. Patients seeking comprehensive rejuvenation often combine contouring with a deep plane facelift, fat transfer, and skin resurfacing in a single surgical experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does neck and jawline contouring cost in Beverly Hills?
Cost varies based on which procedures are combined and the complexity of your case. Chin implants, neck liposuction, and buccal fat removal as standalone procedures fall in different price ranges, and combined contouring is typically priced more efficiently than the procedures performed separately. Dr. Mashhadian provides a detailed quote at your consultation that includes surgeon fee, anesthesia, surgical facility, and follow-up care.
Will I have visible scars?
Incisions are placed in hidden areas: inside the mouth, in the natural crease beneath the chin, and behind the ears. Most patients find that scars are nearly invisible within several months of surgery, particularly when scar care protocols are followed.
Can I combine this with a deep plane facelift?
Yes. Many patients who need full facial rejuvenation benefit from combining contouring with a deep plane facelift. Dr. Mashhadian regularly performs these combined procedures, and the contouring work integrates seamlessly with the facelift result.
How long do results last?
Chin implants and buccal fat removal are permanent. Neck liposuction results are very long-lasting because the removed fat cells do not return. Neck lift results typically last 10 to 15 years. The natural aging process continues, but the structural improvements from contouring do not reverse.
Am I a candidate if I’m in my 30s?
Often yes, particularly for chin implants, buccal fat removal, and neck liposuction. Patients with genetic submental fullness, naturally rounded lower faces, or weak chin projection are excellent candidates for contouring in their 30s. Skin elasticity at that age is typically excellent, which produces beautiful results.
Schedule Your Consultation at Rodeo Surgical Art
If your jawline and neck no longer match how you feel, surgical contouring may be the right next step. To schedule a private consultation with Dr. Mashhadian at Rodeo Surgical Art, call 310-652-4500 or fill out the consultation form on this page. We serve patients from Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Hollywood, and internationally.
