What Causes Double Chin: Research-Based Insights
By Dr. Nayana Shetty +2 more
Medically reviewed by Dr. Nayana Shetty
Last updated: Apr 17, 2024Click to rate this article!
[Total: 3 Avg: 4]
Get more insightful and
helpful tips to
treat Diabetes for FREE
Register to Avail the Offer
Send OTPBy continuing, you agree with our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions
By Dr. Nayana Shetty +2 more
Medically reviewed by Dr. Nayana Shetty
Last updated: Apr 17, 2024Table of Contents
Looks are a big deal. They sometimes influence how others see you and how you see yourself. A double chin can chew away at your self-image no matter how old you are or what you weigh. In this article, we will delve into what causes double chin and how to manage them. Lastly, we will answer some frequently asked questions regarding the topic.
Did you know?
Your double chin may look different based on the reason it develops. Reasons like genes or your lifestyle can cause fat to build up under your jaw.
Your genes can impact how tight your skin is, how much collagen it makes, and where fat is stored in your body. All these factors can lead to a double chin. If your family tree has loose skin or fat storage under the chin, you will likely have one too. We can’t change our genes. But knowing how they work may help guide us to the right management option.
As we get older, our skin tends to lose its firmness due to falling collagen levels. This can cause skin to sag and muscles in the face to weaken, leading to a double chin. Also, as we age, fat may move to the chin area, making it more noticeable. While ageing can’t be stopped, the right lifestyle choices may lessen its impact on our skin health and look.
Bad posture habits like bending over too much or always looking down at gadgets can weaken neck and chin muscles over time. That leads to saggy skin and worsens the look of a double chin. Being mindful of our posture and making the right changes may help protect muscle strength and keep a clean neckline.
Putting on weight can lead to fat cells showing up in different places, including the neck and chin areas. Not everyone who puts on weight gets a double chin. But if your body stores fat in this area, you may notice a double chin.
Keeping a double chin at bay mostly involves being healthy and keeping proper posture. These changes may help reduce your risk of getting a double chin and also improve your overall health.
Balancing what you eat and how active you are can keep you healthy and make it less likely for you to get a double chin. Two things make up this balance, they are as follows.
Eating healthy foods full of fruit, veggies, whole grains, lean proteins, and good fats may help keep weight off and stop fat from building up. That includes your chin. Regular physical activities such as aerobic workouts and weightlifting may also help promote health and weight control.
Adding exercise to your day-to-day routine may help burn the extra calories. This will stop fat from showing up under your chin. Aim to do at least 150 minutes of medium-intensity aerobic workouts or 75 minutes of high-intensity aerobic workouts per week. Also, add strength-building moves at least two days each week.
Good posture doesn’t only stop muscles in the neck and chin area from getting weak. It also has many other potential health benefits like lesser back pain and better breathing. Here are some tips on good posture.
Doing specific workouts that target your neck and shoulder muscles can help improve your posture and a better posture may lead to a sharper chin and neckline. Some examples are neck stretches, shoulder rolls, and chin tucks.
An ergonomic setup at your house and office may help promote better posture. Make sure your computer screen is at eye level, buy a support chair, and take breaks to stand or move around during the day.
Jaw exercise tools are little objects that you bite down on with your mouth to work the muscles in your face and neck. In my experience, they may help improve double chin by strengthening the jaw muscles when used properly.
Dr. Siddharth Gupta, MD
Improving your posture and losing weight may help fight a double chin. Also, special workouts that focus on chin and neck muscles may help tone up the area and shrink the look of your double chin.
To my knowledge, through face lift surgery, physicians can eliminate double chins by removing fat and loose, sagging, skin around the chin and neck. A local anaesthetic may be used, but most people are asleep under general anaesthesia.
Dr. Rajeev Singh, BAMS
You don’t need surgery to shrink a double chin. There are many other ways that may help. While they’re not as harsh as surgery, these methods may need many sessions or regular maintenance for the best results.
Lipolysis, or liposculpture, uses suction or laser heat to melt away fat cells and shape up the skin in the target area. A trained health worker performs it and only uses local numbing. It may help reduce small pockets of fat in the chin and neck area. The procedure doesn’t tackle loose skin but acts as a optimistic option for double chin shrinking for suitable candidates.
Lipolysis calls for small incisions where a thin tube or laser fiber is put in. The device gives off energy, making fat cells break down and turn liquid. These are then either taken out or absorbed by the body. Depending on if you chose the laser or suction method and other personal factors, you may start to see results in a few weeks after the therapy. Most patients notice major headway within 2-4 months.
Bruising, swelling, and pain are common after lipolysis. Women who are pregnant or nursing should avoid undergoing this procedure. But as with any medical option, there can be risks. These include infection, scarring, and uneven results. Discussing with a professional in the field is necessary as they can identify who is suitable for the procedure. It can also give an idea of what to expect during recovery and potential problems.
Mesotherapy is a less harsh option and involves using shots of a fat-busting compound into the double chin. Deoxycholic acid is FDA-approved and used in mesotherapy to break down and kill off fat cells in the targeted area.
A trained health worker gives many shots of deoxycholic acid in each mesotherapy session. Most patients need a few sessions, spaced out over at least one month, to reach their goals. The number of shots and sessions will change based on how serious the submental fat is.
Common problems with mesotherapy include redness, swelling, bruising, and pain at the site of the shots. They may be rare but burdensome side effects, like nerve damage or skin death. A seasoned healthcare provider needs to do these shots to reduce the risk of problems.
CoolSculpting is a fat reduction method that doesn’t call for surgery. It uses cooling technology to target and kill off unwelcome fat cells. This method is gaining popularity as an option that doesn’t involve surgery to take care of stubborn pockets of fat across the body, including double chins.
During a CoolSculpting session, a device is put on the skin. It cools the fat cells below the skin. The cooling disrupts the cell structure, causing them to break down and get flushed out of the body. Most patients notice a change within 3-4 months of therapy. Often they need more than one session for results as per their wishes.
Common side effects of CoolSculpting are temporary numbness, redness, swelling, and bruising in the applied site. There can be some rare problems like paradoxical adipose hyperplasia. This is where the fat cells grow bigger instead of breaking apart. Always seek guidance from a professional before going for any non-surgical options to know about the possible risks and side effects.
In order to improve the shape of the neck and chin, many neck-lift managements try to tighten the neck muscles (platysmaplasty) or remove superfluous skin (cervicoplasty). To my knowledge, this operation is frequently combined by doctors with a regular face-lift, which may result in a tight feeling in the neck for a few months.
Dr. Smita barode, B.A.M.S, M.S.
Surgery has proven to be an enduring answer for those looking to erase their double chin. Surgical options such as liposuction and neck lifts don’t only address excess fat but also deal with sagging skin problems for a complete cosmetic upgrade. However, these options need a trained surgeon and have built-in risks. They also call for a recovery period.
Liposuction, a common surgical process, involves drawing out fat from below the skin to shape and build a new contour in the target area. When dealing with a double chin, the surgeon will try to take out the extra fat while changing the form of the chin and neck area. This should result in a more refined jaw.
Carried out under local numbing, liposuction involves making thin cuts in the target area. A thin tube called a cannula is then put in through these cuts. The cannula is used to remove and suction out the fat cells. This method takes on fat nicely and gives lasting results for suitable candidates. However, liposuction doesn’t take care of skin sagging. So, it may not be the best choice for those with major skin sagging.
As with all surgeries, liposuction has potential risks. These include infection, bleeding, and scarring. Also, uneven results or deformities in the contour might need more corrections. Patients can expect some swelling, bruising, and discomfort in the healing period, which usually lasts 1-2 weeks. Having a discussion with a qualified surgeon can help decide if you’re the right fit. It can also manage what to expect during healing and potential problems.
A neck lift, or platysmaplasty, is a surgical process made to take off extra skin and tighten up the muscles in the neck and chin area. This leads to a more defined and youthful look.
Carried out under general anesthesia, a neck lift involves making incisions around the ears and/or below the chin. The surgeon removes the extra skin, tightens neck muscles, and shifts or spreads out the fat for a smoother and better-shaped outcome. A neck lift is especially effective for those with sagging skin and can give a major beauty boost.
Neck lift surgery comes with potential risks. These include infection, bleeding, scarring, and nerve damage. Patients should be ready for a healing period of about 2-4 weeks. In this phase, they may see some swelling, bruising, and discomfort. A thorough discussion with a skilled surgeon can help you decide if a neck lift is right for your personal needs and worries.
While gaining weight is a common reason for double chins, thin people can also develop double chins due to other factors like bone structure, facial muscles, and collagen production.
The unique bone structure of a person’s face can shape the look of the chin and neck area. Certain facial bone structures might make a person prone to a sharper or softer chin and jawline, regardless of their weight.
The strength and firmness of facial muscles can shape the look of the chin and neck area. Weak or less-grown muscles may lead to a double chin, even in thin people.
Collagen is a key protein that keeps skin firm and stretchy. Lower collagen output, from ageing or genetic factors, can lead to sagging skin and that can result in a double chin.
Before choosing a management plan for a double chin, it’s vital to consult with a specialist. They can offer precious data on how well-fitting and safe your chosen options are.
A professional will check out your special situation considering things such as skin health, your weight, and personal traits. It will help them nail down the best option for you.
A healthcare provider can help you set achievable goals about the results and limits of the selected option. This ensures that you have a good grasp of likely outcomes.
By seeking a professional’s advice, you can believe that the advised option will be performed in a safe and caring way. Thus, you get the most out of the procedure with little risk.
Many factors go into making a double chin. These can range from genes and age to posture and putting on weight. Some of the causes are out of our control and others we may be able to combat. Choose a healthy lifestyle and good posture can reduce the chance of a double chin. If you already have one, there is a wide range of options. These include special workouts, non-surgical methods like lipolysis and mesotherapy, and surgical procedures such as liposuction and neck lifts. But make sure you discuss with a specialist who can study your case in detail. They can then lead you to options that suit you best and make sure that the chosen path is safe and sound.
A double chin may leave on its own if it’s due to putting on weight. But if a double chin comes from genetic factors or saggy skin, beauty procedures or surgical processes might be required for an appreciable result.
There’s no quick fix for a double chin unless you go for surgical or less harsh options that call for healing time. Losing weight and doing targeted workouts may work for some. But you must be patient and stick to a healthy lifestyle.
Chewing gum could help tighten your tongue and cheek muscles. But there’s no proof that it can improve the look of a double chin.
Thin people may end up with a double chin due to factors other than weight. These can include genes, facial bone structure, collagen output, and weak or small face muscles.
Overeating foods heavy in calories and low in nutrients like sugary snacks, fried food, and processed items can result in weight gain. This is a common cause of double chins. Focus on a balanced meal with plenty of fruit, veggies, whole grains, and lean proteins to keep a healthy overall appearance.
Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information and before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof.
Links and product recommendations in the information provided here are advertisements of third-party products available on the website. PharmEasy does not make any representation on the accuracy or suitability of such products/services. Advertisements do not influence the editorial decisions or content. The information in this blog is subject to change without notice. The authors and administrators reserve the right to modify, add, or remove content without notification. It is your responsibility to review this disclaimer regularly for any changes.
Comments