Recently you’ve noticed that you seem to have two chins, your normal chin and enough fat in the area just below to create a “double chin”. Maybe you’ve put on a little extra weight that is proving hard to lose. Maybe you’re now in your thirties. Maybe everyone in your family develops a double chin sooner or later. Whatever the reason, there it is and you don’t like it.
Those are the major causes for an excess of fat in the submental area (the space beneath the jaw): weight gain, aging and heredity.
So what can you do about your double-chin?
There are quite a few treatments to remove the fat and restore your neck to its normal appearance. The type of treatment to a certain extent depends on the person and on how elastic the skin and deeper tissues are.
If the fat is removed and the skin sags, there will not be an improvement in appearance. Therefore, for older individuals whose tissue elasticity has deteriorated due to age, the best treatment is surgery, so that some skin can be removed as well. Because heavy smoking can make the skin sag, smokers more frequently require surgical treatment.
Younger people with good skin elasticity have more choices for reducing or eliminating their double-chin without surgery. Surgery used to be the only answer, but that time is gone. Now there are several non-invasive methods to choose from.
Weight Loss & Exercise
For a relatively minor problem, you can try chin exercises. For example, tilting the head back and thrusting the jaw forward stretches and strengthens the muscles in the neck area near the jaw. Doing this 20 times, on three occasions during the day for several weeks, strengthens the muscles, tightens them, and can pull the neck back into normal shape. Combined with weight loss, you may see some results, but, while exercise and weight loss can make a difference, they may only be effective for minor and mild cases.
Kybella
The newest treatment, recently approved by the FDA, has the potential to be the best one. Deoxycholic acid, also called Kybella, is a naturally occurring substance found in bile. The gall bladder squirts it into the intestines after a fatty meal, like pizza, and the acid breaks down the fat. Kybella is a synthetic version which has been approved specifically for the treatment of double chins. Mixed with a numbing agent like Lidocaine, it is injected into the fat deposit under the chin where the fat cells break down and the body does the rest.
CoolSculpting
Cryolypolysis, also called CoolSculpting, is a new procedure that cools the skin and the tissues beneath it. This method is effective because the fat cells are particularly sensitive to the cool temperatures. The fat cells die over the next few days, and the body gets rid of them.
Accent Body Contouring
Accent body contouring is another effective method for removing the fat under your chin because it treats cellulite and tightens up loose skin. Along with the fat loss, your skin surface texture may improve with Accent body contouring. Accent body contouring uses radiofrequency (RF) technology to stimulate production of new collagen by heating the skin’s inner layer. There are minimal side effects with little to no discomfort, which makes this option appealing to a variety of people. You can immediately resume your normal day after Accent body contouring.
Removing your double-chin can improve your facial appearance. Contact Hollywood Dermatology today to talk about which option is best for you to remove your double-chin without surgery.
