Double chins have a talent for making people feel insecure about how they look, especially in photographs. There are many reasons a double chin may occur. It can be due to weight gain or because of looser skin under the chin. It can also form due to the effects of aging.
A double chin (submental fat) is a problem many patients wish to resolve. Fortunately, there are various cosmetic solutions available. But before checking out the different treatment options, let’s take a look at what causes a double chin and how you can help prevent the issue.
What Causes A Double Chin?
There are many reasons people develop excess fat deposits under the chin. Understanding these causes can help you tackle the issue more effectively.
Excess Fat
If your face has excess fat, it may collect under your chin. This phenomenon can occur even if you are not overweight. However, if you are steadily gaining weight, you also might start noticing a double chin over time.
Age Factor
As you grow older, your skin might lose its natural elasticity and start to sag. If the skin under your chin sags, it can look like a double chin.
Bad Posture
If you slouch over your phone, laptop, or desktop, chances are good that you have a double chin. Slouching can affect the neck and chin muscles and your posture can create the appearance of a double chin.
Genetics
If members of your family have double chins, you might have one too. Genetics can significantly affect the way your face looks.
What Can I Do To Prevent A Double Chin?
The best way to prevent a double chin is to take care of your health and food habits. Fatigue, poor diet, stress, and deteriorating mental health can all lead to excess weight gain and cause a double chin to form.
It is important to maintain a healthy weight, exercise regularly, and quickly address problems like stress and fatigue. There are certain food habits that can help you prevent double chin issues, such as:
- Consuming lean protein like fish and eggs
- Eating vegetables with every meal
- Adding fruit to your daily diet
- Opting for fewer dairy products
- Avoiding processed food
- Switching to whole-grains
- Adding different types of nuts, fruits, and vegetables to your diet for healthy fat
- Staying away from fried foods
These little changes not only help keep the dreaded double chin at bay but also reduce your risk of developing serious health problems such as cancer and diabetes.
How To Get Rid Of A Double Chin Fast
Depending on the cause of your double chin, cosmetic surgery options might be appropriate for addressing signs of aging. You can opt for a facelift, neck lift, liposuction, and various other procedures depending on your doctor’s suggestion. These can contour the skin and tone your chin the way you prefer.
Cosmetic surgery is great for aging skin and can allow you to address more than just your double chin. But if aging isn’t causing your double chin, a non-surgical treatment option may be a better choice. One great choice is Kybella, an effective injectable procedure.
Kybella is an FDA-approved, minimally invasive cosmetic procedure that involves injecting small amounts of fat-dissolving deoxycholic acid into the skin. The acid is known to aid the body in absorbing excess fat.
Kybella is a well-known drug used in mesotherapy to eliminate a double chin. It should only be administered by an experienced plastic surgeon to ensure safety and excellent results. It is a gradual process that can take several months to complete.
Keep in mind that Kybella is not for everyone. It is ideal for patients with relatively elastic neck skin and not much excess skin or platysmal banding. The Kybella treatment is also not recommended for those with very large necks or those with severe skin laxity or looseness. If you have either of these issues, a surgical procedure may be a better choice.
However, if you have a small amount of excess fat in the area just beneath the chin that is unresponsive to exercise, the Kybella treatment may be a good fit.
Does Kybella Work Better Than Surgery?
If you want to remove your double chin with cosmetic treatment and no surgery, Kybella can be the ideal solution. It has a high rate of success in treating the chin with no downtime. You do not need any incisions or sedation for this treatment.
While liposuction continues to be a great choice for some patients, many people wish to eliminate their double chin with minimal downtime. Kybella uses deoxycholic acid, which is a naturally-occurring substance in the body that functions as a bile salt to break up fats in the intestines.
In the injectable form, the acid breaks up fat cells in the treated area and allows the body to metabolize and excrete the fat through normal metabolic processes. You might need up to six treatments spaced a month apart for the best results.
Keep in mind that there is some swelling that can occur after each session. However, side effects and pain are minimal and should subside quickly.
Learn More About Kybella Treatments
If you think Kybella could be the right treatment option for your double chin, call our office at (513) 891-5438 to set up a consultation appointment with the team at Donath Facial Plastic Surgery in Cincinnati, OH. We can help you to decide whether Kybella or another treatment is right for you!
