Reviewing Causes and Treatments For the Dreaded Double Chin

What Causes a Double Chin?

A double chin refers to a layer of fat accumulated under the chin. A double chin is generally associated with weight gain, but you don't have to be overweight to have one. The dreaded pocket of fat can also result from your genetics or sagging skin due to aging.

Reviewing Common Double Chin Treatments

If a double chin is genetic, it may be challenging to lose it. Even if you enter a caloric deficit, which is the only way to lose subcutaneous fat on your own, the chin may be the last place to experience fat loss. Targeted chin exercises may help tone the area but will do little to slim the submental region. Therefore, cosmetic treatments for double chins have become more popular in recent years. 

Lipolysis

Lipolysis, also called liposculpture, uses liposuction or heat from a laser to dissolve fat and shape the skin. In most cases, local anesthesia will be enough to perform a double chin removal with lipolysis.

Lipolysis only treats fat. It does not remove excess skin or improve skin elasticity. 

Mesotherapy

Mesotherapy is a minimally invasive procedure in which small amounts of fat-dissolving substances are administered through several injections.

Deoxycholic acid (Kybella) is an injectable drug commonly used in mesotherapy. Deoxycholic acid helps the body absorb fat.

It may take 20 or more deoxycholic acid injections per treatment to achieve full results, and many patients require multiple sessions. You can have up to six treatments with at least one month of time between treatments.

Deoxycholic acid can cause severe nerve damage if injected incorrectly. These injections should only be performed by a dermatologist or a doctor experienced in plastic surgery and familiar with this drug.

Possible side effects of deoxycholic acid and other injections for mesotherapy include:

1. Swelling
2. bruising
3. pain
4. numbness
5. redness

How to Lose a Double Chin at Home

A healthy lifestyle where diet and regular exercise prevail is the best way to eliminate excess fat anywhere in your body.

Be patient if you want to get rid of a double chin. Unless you undergo liposuction or other forms of fat removal, it will not shrink overnight. Depending on the size of the double chin, it may take several months for it to become less visible.

Maintaining a healthy weight can prevent a double chin. It also has the added benefit of reducing your overall risk of several severe conditions:

1. Diabetes
2. high blood pressure
3. sleep apnea
4. heart disease
5. some cancers
6. stroke

If you are unsure if your double chin is genetic, try losing weight, doing cardio, and exercising your chin before opting for a procedure.

Consult your doctor to optimize your diet and double chin exercise program. They will address all your health concerns and help you set healthy goals for your weight loss. They will also recommend a diet that fits your lifestyle.

Elite Body Sculpture Removes A Double Chin With Ease

Patients wondering how to lose a double chin will find the answer they're looking for at Elite Body Sculpture.

Chin AirSculpt® is designed to remove fat without scalpels, stitches, needles, or general anesthesia, allowing for a shorter recovery period than other invasive techniques like traditional liposuction. 

Entry points are made with a dermal punch and heal with just compression garments and bandages, and all skin numbing is done with a needless jet injector. Because patients remain fully awake, the risks associated with sedation are not introduced. 

Instead of manually scraping away double chin fat, our automated technique delicately removes fat cell-by-cell through a two-millimeter-wide entry point. If a scar forms at all, it resembles a freckle-sized blemish. 

For more information on how we can help you achieve your chin or body goals, call our London office to schedule your consultation.