Tim Morris was miserable for more than a decade because of a double chin that made him so self-conscious he couldn’t date.
The 38-year-old from Dallas, Texas, said the fat started accumulating around his neck in his 20s, despite being an extremely active runner, walker and football player.
At the height of his insecurity, he even grew a beard down to his chest, which he said made him “look like a bullfrog.”
But his life has changed dramatically after fat was sucked from his neck to strengthen his jawline and clarify his facial structure.
Plastic surgeons predict the $5,000 procedure, dubbed the “lunch hour neck lift” because it takes less than an hour, could be one of the hottest cosmetic trends among men this year.
Tim Morris, not his real name, from Dallas, Texas, had a neck lift at age 38 after saying he was unhappy with his double chin
Mr Morris says he ‘loves’ his new neck and now feels much more confident in his appearance
Mr. Morris is pictured above with the large beard he grew to hide his double chin. He tried different diets and exercise routines but couldn’t change it
With alternatives – such as weight loss and exercise failed – he underwent the surgery – and said he couldn’t be happier with the results.
Mr Morris – not his real name – told DailyMail.com that the operation had revolutionized his self-confidence and his dating life.
He now goes on dates about every week, he said, while before he barely made one a month. He hasn’t found anyone who is stable yet, but remains hopeful for the future.
“(Before the surgery), when I saw myself talking in a video, I thought my double chin made me look like a bullfrog,” he said.
“(But now) I’m probably more like a young actor you see in a movie. It seems like every actor has a great jawline and mine is more like that now.”
He added: ‘I love my new neck.
‘It went much better than I thought. I always look at myself in the mirror now, I like to look at myself now – that’s a change.’
Above you can see how the neck lift surgery was performed
Mr Morris had new dating photos taken and said he now goes on dates almost every week, while previously he had about one date a month.
He underwent the surgery with Dr. Raja Mohan in Texas, where the procedure involved removing fat cells from under the chin.
The surgeon also tightened the large muscle under his chin – called the platysma – using stitches.
The operation was performed early in the afternoon and took only an hour. Mr. Morris was then able to go home and work for six hours.
Mr Morris had an initial consultation in early 2023 before having the operation later that year.
Doctors said he had chin ptosis – or when the flesh behind the chin drops below the jawline.
This affects millions of Americans and can be caused by loss of skin elasticity, aging, poor posture and weight gain, among other things.
Dr. Mohan said he often sees men in their 20s, 30s and 40s for the procedure, who are most likely to be affected by the service.
He predicted that this could be a new trend for men in 2024.
“Traditionally, we believe that the patients who come for a neck lift are women,” he told DailyMail.com.
‘But we have quite a few male patients and I think it is becoming more and more common among men.
‘Men want to look younger, look good and have more self-confidence.
‘I see more and more of them coming to my clinic with concerns about their neck.
“They see it more often in photos, through platforms like Instagram, and in Zoom meetings, and this (makes them more interested in the surgery).”
Mr Morris underwent an immediate neck lift, a simple operation that takes about an hour.
Dr. Raja Mohan, pictured, performed the operation
Before the surgery, Dr. Mohan numbed the area under the chin and then made a small incision with a scalpel.
He tightened the platysma muscle – or a large muscle under the chin that can cause the flesh to sag when weakened.
This was done using multiple rows of stitches to bring the two main muscles that form the platysma, on the left and right of the neck and chin, closer together.
This procedure is often called a corset platysmaplasty because plastic surgeons say it is similar to lacing a corset.
The stitching was done using metal tools, including a Webster needle holder – used to hold small needles and suture material or threads – and other metal tools to hold the incision open.
Then Dr. Mohan also performs liposuction to remove fat cells from the area.
First, the area was filled with a fluid that loosens fat cells – with Mr Morris saying this caused his chin to swell dramatically.
A cannula (or needle-like tube) is then placed into it to aspirate or remove the fluid and any fat cells that have been dislodged as a result.
After the operation, which lasted about an hour, Mr Morris was advised to wear a sleeve over his neck and chin for two weeks to ensure everything healed properly.