[Article updated on 19/09/2023]
Having a double chin is never rejuvenating and can be as cumbersome as facial wrinkles. This fatty deposit located under the chin can affect both men and women and tends to appear from the age of 30. If you notice that a double chin is starting to appear on your face, here are the main solutions that I offer you through this guide.
Before reading on
I’m not an expert in this field, but I am passionate about nutrition and health.
The articles you’ll find on my site are the result of in-depth research that I’d like to share with you. However, I would like to stress that I am not a health professional and that my advice should in no way replace that of a qualified physician. I’m here to guide you, but it’s important that you consult a professional for specific questions or medical concerns. Your well-being is important. So be sure to consult the appropriate experts and take the best possible care of yourself.
What is a double chin?
A double chin is an accumulation of fatty mass located under the lower jaw. It tends to increase in volume over time until it completely blurs the face in the absence of treatment.
This phenomenon can be superficial if it is caused by excess weight, or go deep if its origin is genetic or other. It gives the face an impression of aging and fatigue. It generally appears from the age of thirty and gets worse over the years. The shoulders can also help in this overall refinement, which is why it can also be significant to lose weight in the shoulders.
What are the causes of a double chin?
The causes of the appearance of a double chin are numerous. Here are its main origins.
Overweight
This is the most common cause of the appearance of a double chin. A lack of physical activity accompanied by relatively significant weight gain systematically leads to this phenomenon. Fortunately, fatty accumulation under the jaw and around the neck due to being overweight is treated quite easily and naturally.
Heredity
The double chin is passed down from generation to generation. Thus, some are naturally predisposed to fat being stored at this level. So, it is not necessary to be overweight to see a double chin appear. In the event that genetics is the cause of this phenomenon, it is difficult to treat the problem and surgery remains the main solution to remedy it.
Age
As the body ages, the skin tends to become less supple and loses elasticity. It relaxes at the neck and under the jaw, leaving space for fat to accumulate there. With age, even a relatively thin person can develop a double chin on their face.
A hormonal imbalance
A person suffering from hormonal imbalance, particularly thyroid gland dysfunction, is often prone to a double chin. Indeed, this health problem often leads to weight gain causing the appearance of bags under the chin. Inflammation of the salivary glands is also the cause of the double chin phenomenon. However, once the inflammation is cured, the pocket also disappears.
Lifestyle
Your daily lifestyle can lead to accelerated aging of your skin, manifested by sagging of the area under the chin. Indeed, tobacco, alcohol, stress, your diet, lack of hydration, poor quality of sleep, the sun and many other factors in your daily life influence the appearance of double chin.
Anatomy
Finally, the anatomy of your face can be the cause of the appearance of a double chin. Some people have their chin set back further. This is due to insufficient bone development of the mandible. Thus, the tissues located under the chin are more relaxed due to the lack of advancement of the latter. The accumulation of fat mass is then favored.
Surgery and medical care to treat double chin
To get rid of your double chin, surgery is a fairly radical solution, but effective in obtaining results quickly. If the cause of this phenomenon is anatomical, hormonal or hereditary, resorting to a surgical operation and medical technologies remains the only recommended route.
Liposuction
Liposuction consists of vacuuming out the excess fat constituting the double chin. This process is carried out in a hospital center under local or general anesthesia. Thanks to liposuction, it is possible to extract up to 400 ml of fat and it is done in a single operation. The patient must then wear a compression hood for 7 days in order to optimize the results. If the fat is removed immediately, the skin regains its suppleness between 1 and 3 months.
Genioplasty
Genioplasty, also called mentoplasty, is a surgery to correct insufficient bone development in the chin. To do this, the surgeon adds a silicone prosthesis or a bone rod graft, which will have the effect of bringing the chin forward a little more and reducing the double chin effect. Liposuction often follows this operation to completely remove the fatty accumulation.
The facelift
This is a surgical operation which involves removing excess skin tissue due to progressive sagging caused by age. The facelift can be done at the level of the neck or the chin depending on the progress of the relaxation. Thanks to the facelift, the skin regains its elasticity, which reduces the effect of a double chin. Liposuction generally accompanies this procedure for a better result.
Cryolipolysis
Cryolipolysis is a medical process aimed at isolating a portion of fat from the double chin by pinching a bead and freezing it using a specific machine. This will lead to the destruction of fat cells. This technique is recommended for people whose skin still has good elasticity without needing surgery to recover properly. The results are visible after about a month and a half and only one session is enough.
Ultrasound
Ultrasounds are used in cases where the skin loses elasticity and causes the effect of a double chin. Also called HIFU (High Intensity Focused Ultrasound), this technique targets the collagen in the skin, tightening it again and toning the muscles. The sessions can be painful, the facial skin being a sensitive area. It is for this reason that local anesthesia is applied. After age 65, the sagging of the skin is such that this method becomes ineffective.
Radio frequency
Radiofrequency is similar to the ultrasound technique. It is recommended when the skin loses elasticity and stimulates collagen in order to regain better tension. For greater effectiveness, radiofrequency can be combined with other methods such as cryolipolysis. Several sessions are necessary before seeing convincing results.
Weight loss to lose weight from a double chin
The double chin linked to excess weight and poor lifestyle is the one that is most easily treated. Most of the time, you just need to implement an adequate weight loss program to lose weight from a double chin.
So, if you want to reduce your double chin as simply as possible, you must get out of your sedentary lifestyle by practicing regular physical activities and rebalancing your diet.
Limit the consumption of refined sugar, foods containing saturated fat and industrial products. Also radically reduce your alcohol consumption, as well as the salt in your dishes. Eat more foods rich in antioxidants and omega-3s.
Regarding sport, start jogging in the morning, cycle and walk more often. Any activity aimed at eliminating excess fat from your body will help reduce your double chin.
Facial exercises to refine double chin
There is also another effective alternative to lose your double chin. This involves doing exercises for the muscles of your neck and your face. Your head area is, like the rest of your body, made up of many muscles. By toning them using facial gymnastics, you help make the skin firmer and gradually eliminate the fat accumulated under your chin.
These types of exercises that I offer you are very simple and quick to perform. In addition, they are not tiring, but require diligence and perseverance. You should practice facial gymnastics whenever you have free time. Here are 6 easy exercises.
Chin extensions
Stand or sit with your back straight and your shoulders relaxed. Close your mouth, then raise your head as high as possible, making sure to tilt it back. Jolt your lower jaw forward until you feel tension in your neck. To maximize tension, bring your lower lip above the upper lip. Hold this position for a few seconds, then release and repeat several times.
The tennis ball
For this exercise, you will need to bring a tennis ball. Place it under your chin and press it forcefully using your chin. Hold the pressure for about 2 seconds, then release without dropping the ball. Repeat the movement twenty successive times.
The kiss
Close your mouth and raise your head as high as possible, making sure to tilt it back. Purse your lips as if you were going to kiss the ceiling. You should feel tension in your neck, just under your chin. Hold this position for a few seconds before returning your head to its normal position. Repeat the exercise several times.
Tongue pulling
Look ahead and open your mouth. Then extend your tongue as far as possible, trying to touch the bottom of your chin with its tip. You should feel tension in your neck. Hold the position for about 10 seconds, then bring your tongue back into your mouth before starting again. Do the movement several times.
Neck stretching
Stand or sit with your back straight. Raise your head as high as possible while tilting it back. In this position, you should feel tension in your neck. Then open your mouth, then close it to further tense your neck muscles. Repeat the movement ten times.
Chin extension to the side
Sit or stand with your back straight. Turn your head to the left and extend your lower jaw forward as far as possible. You should feel tension in your neck. Hold this position for about ten seconds before releasing the tension in your jaw. Repeat the movement on the other side.
Self-massage to refine your double chin
Finally, there is an equally simple and effective alternative to losing your double chin. This is self-massage. As you might have guessed, this technique involves massaging your face and the muscles of your neck and chin yourself to gradually eliminate the fat accumulated under your chin.
Hand massage
This first method of self-massage uses only your hands. To do this, you must grasp the skin located under the chin with your thumb and index finger. Then slide it under your jaw in a palpate-roll effect.
To do this, you need to start the movement from the center of your throat and extend up to just below the ears. This movement will gradually disperse the fat while stimulating the circulation of stagnant fluids in the area under the chin and neck.
Massage with Gua Sha
Finally, the second self-massage technique uses an accessory called Gua Sha. This is a tool generally cut from stone (rose quartz or jade) and which allows lymphatic drainage to be carried out in the facial area. It helps release toxins and tone the skin.
Currently, Gua Sha is an essential beauty accessory on social networks and is particularly effective in eliminating a double chin and reshaping the oval of the face. Before using it, I strongly advise you to moisturize your skin with the oil of your choice. Use the hollow part of your Gua Sha to massage from your chin to the bottom of your ears. You reshape the oval of your face thanks to this movement. To eliminate fat under the chin, use the flat, thick part of the accessory and massage under the jawline outwards. Don’t press too hard and go slowly.