The Double Chin is a common aesthetic issue with excess adipose tissue that can be caused by poor diet or genetics.  A double chin often means that the fat in your full face has nowhere else to go except under it. In other words, your double chin is a result of excess weight gain and fat. Being overweight doesn't necessarily lead to a double chin, but it can contribute to the likelihood of developing one.  In addition to the T Shock and CoolSculpting, there are several other methods to affect the development of the double chin.

Age

As we age, the elasticity in our skin starts to wane.  This reduction in elasticity can make the skin appear saggy and loose in the chin.  This loose, sagging skin under your chin eventually resembles a double chin.

Excess Fat

A double chin often means that the fat in your full face has nowhere else to go except under it.  In other words, your double chin is a result of excess weight and fat.  Being overweight doesn’t necessarily lead to a double chin, but it can contribute to the likelihood of developing one. 

Genetics

Look at other people in your family.  Do they too have double chins regardless of their age or weight?  If they do, you may have a propensity for fat to accumulate in your chin.

Anatomy

Some people simply have shorter jawlines, making a double chin hard to avoid.  Also, a weak jawline or chin can make your chin appear double, even if it’s not.

Poor Posture

Poor posture can result in all sorts of health and beauty problems.  Aside from neck, back and shoulder pain, slouchy posture can weaken the neck and chin muscles.  Over time, these weakened muscles lead to saggy skin.

How To Get Rid Of A Double Chin

There are several and effective ways to reduce a double chin.

SculpSure

FDA approved in 2017, SculpSure uses heat to cause the fat cells to explode and release their lipids, the fatty acids that comprise the core of fat cells.  Over the next six weeks your body slowly flushed these fat cells away.  More than one treatment may be required.  SculpSure is not a permanent solution as only cold can kill fat cells so the fat cells affected with this treatment can reinflate over time with improper diet. 

Kybella

Kybella is an FDA approved injectable that relies on synthetic deoxycholic acid to get rid of a double chin. Deoxycholic acid is a naturally occurring molecule already found in the body that helps it break down and absorb dietary fat. A synthetic acid in Kybella mimics this process and kills the fat under your chin.  Kybella costs range from $600-1200 for a single application and the results last six-eight months.

Coolsculpting

CoolSculpting is a patented nonsurgical cooling technique used to reduce fat in targeted areas.  It’s based on the science of cryolipolysis which uses cold temperatures to freeze and destroy fat cells.  The procedure was created to address specific areas of stubborn fat not responsive to a healthy diet and exercise.

CoolSculpting was cleared by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2012.  The procedure does not require anesthesia.  Users may experience temporary side effects, which should go away within a few days following coolsculpting treatments. Side effects may include swelling, bruising, and sensitivity.

Convenience

• The procedure takes about 35 minutes for the chin.

• Expect minimal recovery time. 

• Available through a plastic surgeon, physician, or healthcare provider who is trained in CoolSculpting

Cost and Efficacy

• The average cost for a single treatment on the chin is about $1,400.

• Average results are 20-80% following a single cryolipolysis procedure in treated areas. On the chin, clients should expect a percentage in the lower end of that range.

Liposuction

Sometimes referred to as "lipo" by patients, slims and reshapes specific areas of the body by removing fat deposits and improving your body contours and proportion.   This procedure, which is also known as submental liposuction, helps remove unwanted fat under the chin through a thin tube (called a cannula) that's inserted in a small incision under the jawline. That cannula, attached to a vacuum, sucks out excess fat deposits to create a sleeker, more sculpted look.   Post surgery symptoms are bruising and tender to the touch for several weeks.  

Chin liposuction is considered an invasive treatment which costs $3,075 on average, though the price can range anywhere from $950 to $5,000.

The common item all these treatments share is that the client is usually left with loose skin in the treated area.  This of course depends on factors such as age and skin laxity.  The problem with loose skin vs a fuller neck is that loose skin makes you look older so removing the fat can leave you with a more pronounced issue.

Thermal Shock

The Pagani Cryo and STAR T Shocks employ thermal shock technology which is simply achieved through an electrical cell in the head of a wand tied to a power supply in the device module which can add or subtract hot and cold very rapidly.  The premise being that if you “shock” the tissue it has a far more pronounced affect on the skin than simply employing hot or cold independently.

The concept of thermal shock has been practiced by physical therapists and chiropractors for many decades.  The difference is that these professionals use hot compresses and cold packs which take longer to work than the Pelletier cell so the “shock” factor is lessened.   

Thermal Shock treatments for a Double Chin involve just using cold, not to kill the fat cell, but to tighten the fatty tissue.  Fat cells are not killed so there is no chance of the client developing a “turkey neck”.   Once the client undergoes a series of 5-7 sessions they can usually maintain the compression with 1-2 monthly maintenance sessions.   

Once clients see the improved aesthetic appearance of their neck they tend to reduce caloric content which, in time, reduces the amount of adipose tissue in the jaw.