A double chin develops due to a layer of fat known as submental fat underneath the chin. Though often associated with weight gain, other factors, including genetics or looser skin due to aging, can contribute as well. Many wonder if weight loss, certain exercises, or medical procedures can help them get rid of a double chin. The good news is that when it comes to this occurrence, a combination of effective strategies can fix it — as long as you know what’s causing it in the first place. Knowing how to hit the particular drawbacks important can simplify the process and help you reach noticeable results.
What is a Double Chin?
Having a double chin is typically due to fat accumulation in localized areas, especially found in the upper neck area just beneath the jawline, which is commonly where fat is deposited on the human body. This is scientifically referred to as submental fat, and its visibility tends to increase with the loss of elasticity of skin as we age. Such subcutaneous fat can be attributed to factors such as the pull of gravity, aging, or even genetic predisposition. Sometimes, it can give the illusion of a second chin, and then in extreme cases such as triple or quadruple chins. One look in the mirror can usually tell you these changes, which can be psychologically draining, leaving one feeling self-conscious and more aware of their posture and pictures.
While losing weight is helpful for minimizing the size of a double chin, this does not always provide a total solution. “If the formation results from premature aging, genetics, and lack of elasticity in the skin, the impact of losing weight may be significantly less,” Rogers says. But when it’s due to weight gain, weight loss can lead to obvious gains like sharper chiseling of the chin and reduced wrinkles. A mindful approach to diet, exercise, good posture, and a relaxed smile can help support these sites in your overall health and help target the lower face.
What Causes A Double Chin?
Double chins can develop for many reasons — and usually a combination of submental fat, age, and loss of skin elasticity. The skin-firming and elastic-maintaining collagen and elastin that the body produces slow as the body ages. This decrease, along with gravity’s downward pull, can result in sagging skin in the neck region. Moreover, when you gain weight, the new excess fat is usually stored in the areas under the chin, making it even more obvious. An unhealthy diet means one that contains excess calories, junk foods and unhealthful fats, and is largely responsible for laying down this fat layer.
For some, genetics are a strong consideration where a double chin is concerned, with family history impacting the way the body distributes fat. The double chin is common even in individuals with a healthy lifestyle because hormones or ingrained DNA patterns may be at work. This problem can also be reinforced by bad posture and weak muscles in the surrounding. The steps taken towards this point would include being mindful of your diet and the measures employed to maintain a healthy weight, as well as the exercises that target muscle strength, explaining how they may serve to help reduce the prominence of the under-chin area tailored to your body type.
Can Weight Loss Improve a Double Chin?
Yes, losing weight can affect the appearance of a double chin, particularly if a double chin is caused by excess fat from weight gain. As the body burns energy, it draws from specific areas, including the neck and chin, and the results can be very visible. Still, the degree to which you can improve the symptoms varies based on individual characteristics, including skin elasticity and whether the culprit is mainly genetics or loose skin. Regular exercise strengthening of the aforementioned and diet (avoid bad posture or weak internal muscle) can help increase the effect. While shedding pounds can deliver broader health benefits, it might not eliminate all the extra padding in the jawline, especially if it’s hanging skin or some other condition. For more resistant areas, non-invasive fat reduction treatments can provide further assistance.
The Relationship Between Weight and Double Chin
There is frequently a complicated relationship between weight and a double chin because different factors are at play. For others, shedding pounds can result in a visible decrease in the amount of extra layer of fat leading in the neck. It’s just a matter of cause and effect — as the body sheds weight, the cushioning under the neck and jaw is also likely to diminish. But the story isn’t always so clear. And if a double chin is ment in response to a genetic predisposition or loose sagging skin, losing weight alone will not be likely wholly eliminate its appearance. In some cases, losing weight too quickly can actually make a double chin appear worse, as the skin can lack elasticity.
In order to be successful in the long run, you are going to want to take a comprehensive approach, whereby a routine that includes targeted measures such as overall skin health, anti-aging, and a balanced lifestyle are going to mesh together. Integrating personalized interventions like controlled loss of weight or muscle toning focused around the neck can assist with overcoming these predicaments while creating fair play in how the body reacts.
What exercises target a double chin?
There is no scientific evidence that certain exercises can make a double chin disappear, but many anecdotally find simple movements to be effective. Six exercises, if indicated and done several times a day, can help strengthen and tone muscles in the skin area under the chin. Be sure to check with a doctor before attempting new exercises to make sure they’re safe to add to your routine.
1. Straight jaw jut
Lean your head back and gaze at the ceiling as you press your bottom jaw forward and feel a stretch underneath your chin. Hold for a count of 10, then relax your jaw and return your head to a neutral position. For best results, do this exercise 10 times.
2. Ball exercise
Position a 9- or 10-inch ball under your chin, and rest your chin and push down against the ball. For best effect, repeat the motion several times a day in three sets of 8 to 10 repetitions each.
3. Pucker up
Tilt your head back and face upward, and pucker your lips as if you’re kissing the ceiling to stretch the area just below your chin. Stop pursing and return your head to a neutral position. Do this in three sets of eight to 10 reps each.
4. Tongue stretch
Maintain a forward gaze, extend your tongue as far out as it can go, and raise it up toward your nose. Maintain this position for 10 seconds, and then let go. For optimal results, perform this movement 10 repetitions in three sets of 8 to 10 repetitions each.
5. Neck stretch
Tilt your head back and stare up at the ceiling, then push your tongue against the roof of your mouth. Hold for 5 to 10 seconds, then release. For effective toning, repeat this stretch until you reach 10 steps.
6. Bottom jaw jut
Keep your chin up, gaze at the ceiling, and turn to the right while pushing your bottom jaw forward. Hold for 5 to 10 seconds, then let go. Do the same exercise again, with your head turned to the left, and repeat 10 times on each side for balanced toning.
How can you get rid of a double chin fast?
A healthy diet and regular exercise are the best way to burn off excess fat throughout your body, including a double chin. Although a dose of patience is essential, more immediate solutions such as liposuction or laser lipolysis can reduce the size of a double chin relatively swiftly, though not overnight. In most cases, maintaining a healthy weight will prevent a double chin for good. In addition, this offers additional benefits like lowered overall risks of diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, heart disease, and even some cancers or stroke.
Does chewing gum help double chin?
Although chewing gum can enhance chewing and swallowing capacity, per a 2018 study, it doesn’t lead to defined jawlines, according to a 2019 study. But it can work to build up the tongue and cheek muscles, which could, in turn, improve the aesthetics of the jawline over time.
What Are The Different Treatments For Double Chin?
Treating a double chin depends on what is causing it — genetics or loose skin, for example. In some cases, exercise can tighten the area, but there are also non-invasive procedures that can reduce the problem. These can be technologies that work on fat in the skin for visible results.
Lipolysis
Lipolysis: This is a liposuction/heat (from a laser) treatment that melts fat and contours the skin. Also referred to as liposculpture, this procedure usually doesn’t need you to be put under and is often used to treat a double chin. The fat-specific nature of lipolysis is why it is very effective for spot treatments.
CoolSculpting via CoolMini
CoolSculpting is a US FDA-cleared treatment method that uses cryolipolysis to freeze and kill fat cells. This controlled cooling device uses applicators in different shapes, sizes, and positions to treat smaller areas such as the chin, underarm, and knee fat. For these areas, the CoolMini handpiece created targeted fat removal. Patients typically need two or three sessions, though more therapy may be necessary based on the volume of fat in the area. The process for each individual session takes between 30 minutes to an hour, with sessions spaced 30 days apart for best results.
Mesotherapy
Mesotherapy is a minimally invasive treatment that uses microinjections of fat-dissolving compounds to target stubborn fat beneath the chin. Depending on the individual, the process can take up to 6 months and involve up to 100 injections. Its a non-invasive alternative to liposuction, which it provides a good option for removing fat for patients who want a less aggressive solution.
Kybella
Kybella is an FDA-approved injected drug that contains deoxycholic acid, a substance that helps the body absorb fats. It was introduced in 2015 and used very effectively to treat a double chin. The treatment consists of 20 or so injections in a session, and a patient can receive up to six treatments total, at least a month apart. Very effective, but if applied improperly can lead to serious nerve damage, so it needs to be done by an experienced dermatologist or doctor with plastic surgery experience who knows the drug.
HIFU
The treatment HIFU stands for High Intensity Focused Ultrasound, and it is a non-surgical procedure that targets the double chin and neck area to lift and bring back more youthfulness in the treatment area. It uses a highly focused beam of ultrasound waves to target tissue below the skin without penetrating the surface. Because HIFU tightens the skin, it can be a wonderful option for both facial and neck tissues that have unwanted excess skin. The effects usually last for about nine months and can be influenced by a person’s lifestyle, age, genetics, and general health.
Aqualyx
Aqualyx treatment is an injectable fat-dissolving treatment for a double chin. This compostable solution provides contouring and shaping of areas such as the chin without the need for surgery. It produces few side effects — there may be some mild swelling or bruising, but those effects usually resolve within days of the injections being given. M. In general, Aqualyx is ideal for patients who want to shape and refine their silhouette rather than lose weight and is not suitable for patients with a body mass index (BMI) greater than normal.
Radiofrequency
Radiofrequency is a treatment that passes an electrical current to cause heat37 that targets desired fat cells under the skin. It gets into the deeper layer of the area, enabling it to be effective to reshape. It is deemed safe and lasts about half an hour, so it is great for the busy people. The number of sessions you need will depend on the results you are looking for.
The Bottom Line
For many people, a double chin is not just a cosmetic issue — it impacts the contour of their neck as well as their self-confidence. The good news is that cleared, non-invasive treatments such as Kybella® can effectively treat moderate to severe fat in the neck area. This innovative treatment is offered at facilities such as MilfordMD Cosmetic Dermatology Surgery & Laser Center and is performed by skilled and experienced surgeons who address individual dermatologic concerns with precision. Massage therapy, Facials, and Cupping therapy are a few options for those who do not want invasive procedures and want to enhance their appearance.