Submental Pre-Platysmal Fat: the Fat Under the Chin
Quick facts
- Definition
- Subcutaneous fat of the area under the chin, between the skin and the platysma.
- Location
- Submental, superficial to the platysma muscle.
- Distinction
- Subplatysmal fat lies beneath the muscle, between the platysma and the deep muscles.
- Relation to the double chin
- It contributes to the double chin and to a more obtuse cervicomental angle.
Submental pre-platysmal fat is the adipose tissue under the chin, in the subcutaneous layer, between the skin and the platysma. It is the fat you pinch between your fingers when assessing a double chin. Its volume helps define the contour between the chin and the neck.
Pre-platysmal or subplatysmal?
The distinction is anatomical and changes the clinical reading.
| Fat | Position | How it is assessed |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-platysmal | Between the skin and the platysma | Pinching the tissue |
| Subplatysmal | Below the platysma | Palpation with the muscle contracted; it cannot be pinched |
The second, described in subplatysmal fat, does not go away with treatments designed for superficial tissue. That is why the initial assessment needs to separate the two.
How does it fit into the assessment of the face?
The amount of fat, the quality of the skin and the position of the hyoid bone and the chin define the cervicomental angle. A double chin may also include skin laxity, platysmal bands or a recessed chin. The assessment of the lower third looks at all of this, as in double chin: assessment.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between pre-platysmal and subplatysmal fat?
Pre-platysmal fat lies between the skin and the platysma, more superficially. Subplatysmal fat lies below the muscle. The location changes the cause of the double chin and the options the professional considers.