What is a Double Chin?

If you have noticed a soft layer of fullness under your chin, that is what doctors call submental fat. It sits in the space beneath the chin, and in clinical papers you will see it labeled submental fullness.

Most people blame weight gain, and that is part of the story. More often though, genetics and aging are the bigger reason it shows up.

Why does high submental fat (double chin) affect facial aesthetic?

You do not have to be overweight to have one. Plenty of young, slim people still carry a bit of fullness under the chin.

Left alone, the area tends to sag over time, which can make your face look older than it is. The frustrating part is that a strong, defined jaw might be hiding right behind it.

Attractiveness is personal, and some people are perfectly happy with their double chin. Even so, a clean jawline reads as attractive to most people, and that is why this is one of the more common things we get asked about.

What causes high submental fat (double chin)?

A double chin shows up when an extra layer of fat settles into the space under the chin. Once you know what put it there, it is easier to pick the right way to deal with it.

Aging

As we age, skin loses its elasticity. When that happens it can no longer hold the fat firmly in the submental space. That same loss of elasticity brings wrinkles too, which only adds to the look of a double chin. (1)

Weight gain

Putting on weight is the cause most people think of, and it often is the trigger. It tends to be worse if you are already prone to a double chin. High-calorie foods, unhealthy fats, and processed foods all add weight and can build fullness under the chin. (2)

Genetics

For some people, a double chin simply runs in the family. If poor skin elasticity or extra submental fat is common among your relatives, there is a good chance you will see it at some point too. (3)

Poor posture

Slouching for hours at a time can weaken the muscles of your neck and chin. Over time that adds to a double chin, especially once the skin around your neck starts to lose its elasticity and wrinkle. (4)

How to prevent high submental fat (double chin)?

Double chin exercises

Exercise burns extra fat, and the neck is no exception. The research on whether targeted exercises actually melt submental fat is still thin, but people who do them regularly say they help. A few to try are the whistle at the ceiling, kiss the sky, the ball squeeze, the pouting stretch, gum chewing, and the lion's yawn. Aim for 10 to 15 reps of each per day. (5, 6)

Weight loss

If your double chin came from weight gain, eating better and losing weight is the place to start. Cut back on the calories you take in each day. The face is usually one of the first places weight loss shows.

Drinking more water helps too. Studies show that people who drink water before meals and keep their intake up lose weight faster than those who do not. Water, fruit, and vegetables also help your body clear out toxins that can inflame the skin and deepen facial wrinkles, double chin included. (7)

Face masks

A few face masks can soften the look of a double chin by firming the skin and toning the muscles underneath. Masks made with glycerin, coffee, green tea, egg whites, honey, and lemon juice, paired with the exercises above, can noticeably reduce fat around the neck and chin. (8, 9, 10)

Facial moisturizers

Good moisturizers usually carry vitamins and extracts like vitamin C, green tea, and collagen that tighten and hydrate the skin. Some are made specifically to firm the neck and give it a more youthful look. (11)

Applicators, straps, and mouthpieces

Applicators are pressed against the chin to deliver ingredients like collagen that make the skin more elastic over time. Facial straps wrap around the chin and tighten the submental area gradually. Mouthpieces help if you are doing jaw exercises to burn the fat underneath.

How to treat high submental fat (double chin)?

If you have eaten well, done the chin exercises, and tried the face masks and the double chin is still there, you have other options. The more involved procedures are good at removing stubborn submental fat.

Mesotherapy

Mesotherapy works by injecting compounds like phosphatidylcholine and organic silicium into the double chin to dissolve the fat. The doses are tiny and have to be placed carefully by a professional to avoid nerve damage. It is one of the better ways to handle spot fat like a double chin, though it can take up to six months and as many as 100 injections. (12)

Submental liposuction

Submental liposuction tightens the muscles around the chin to reduce the double chin. It is often paired with a facelift or chin implant so the whole face improves, not just one spot. The fat is removed using suction or lasers. Afterward the jawline looks sharper and the fat around the neck is gone, with the area left tighter. What it will not do is improve your skin's elasticity.

Once it is done, you will wear a head wrap for a while to tighten the skin under the chin and keep swelling and bruising down. (13)

Lipolysis

If you want results as quickly as possible, lipolysis may be your best bet. Injection lipolysis uses a fat-melting solution to digest the fat beneath the chin. Laser lipolysis melts the fat cells with heat from a laser instead.

Expect some swelling, bruising, and mild soreness afterward. It is manageable. (14, 15, 16)

CoolSculpting

CoolSculpting freezes the fat cells rather than melting them. The frozen cells die off and leave the body naturally, which gives you a more defined jawline and chin. People tend to reach for it when gentler methods have not worked, since it is the most powerful option and the most expensive. (17, 18)