If you’re wondering how to get rid of a double chin, you’re one of the millions of men and women struggling with this very common problem.
There are few things capable of impacting your self-confidence quite like a persistent double chin. It’s bothersome for many people who struggle with it. This is especially true since fat around the face, chin, neck and jaw can be very stubborn fat.
Even if you only have a little bit of excess fat around your neck or jaw, it can feel as though your facial definition is disappearing more and more each day.
Fortunately, there may be a way to reduce your double chin.
If the cause of your double chin is excess submental fat, simple strategies such as changing your diet and performing regular exercises can help create a sleeker look around the face, neck and jaw.
Let’s explore some of the most popular and most effective strategies for banishing your double chin.
What Causes a Double Chin?
First, it’s important to know that our genetics often influence how and where fat is distributed around our bodies. Even if you’re not overweight and follow a great diet plan, you may still struggle with excess fat around your chin.
Like most things, your genetics can play a crucial role in your double chin development, because your genetics dictate where most of your excess fat will go – if you ever have any.
Evidence suggests that double chins are something we tend to pass down through the generations. If your parents struggled with double chins, you might too.
Other causes of double chin formation include:
- Age: The skin generally begins to lose elasticity as you get older, which can lead to the appearance of saggy skin around your chin. If age is the reason for your double chin, then you might need to look into strategies for tightening, rather than losing fat.
- Diet and weight: Weight gain won’t always be the cause of a double chin, but your weight can exacerbate this condition. Diets high in processed foods, calories, and unhealthy fats can influence weight gain and prompt a double chin. Try switching to another, more healthy diet, which reduces your intake of fattening foods.
- Posture: Poor posture can influence the way your chin looks, too. Poor posture weakens the muscles in the chin and neck, contributing to a higher risk of a double chin over time, as the skin loses elasticity when not used.
Treatment Options for a Double Chin: Diet and Face Masks
The first, and perhaps the simplest way to reduce your risk of a double chin, if you believe it’s caused by being overweight and not genetics, is to improve your diet. Eating more nutritious food and cutting out excess fats and carbs will generally give your body less fat to store. Of course, the way your body deals with fat will have an impact here. It’s helpful to look at your genetics to see how your body is predisposed to store carbs and fat before choosing the diet that’s right for you.
Drinking plenty of water can help to remove excess fat in the body as well. Studies show that people who drink water before their meals generally lose more weight than those who don’t. Water-rich foods including cucumbers and melons can even help remove toxins from the body.
Speaking of cucumbers, why not pop a couple of slices on your eyes and enjoy a face mask? Green tea, coffee, and glycerin face masks can help to tighten your skin. Some people also swear by masks made with egg whites, lemon juice, and honey.
Medical Treatments and Cosmetic Surgery
It’s usually best to avoid surgery unless you’re absolutely sure that’s what you want. However, if you’re really worried about the excess skin around your chin and neck, then you might find surgery is the best option. A non-invasive procedure is a better choice for those who don’t have a lot of money to spend or feel uncomfortable going under the knife.
Products such as cryolipolysis, non-surgical lipo and heat-based treatments can help to improve the production of collagen in the skin to boost elasticity while breaking down fat cells.
More invasive options include:
- Kybella: Approved by the US FDA, Kybella involves injecting a specific drug into fat tissue to help break down fat in the chin and surrounding area.
- Lipsculpting: Surgical lipsculpting supports double chin removal by getting rid of excess fat with a laser or suction system. Liposculpting doesn’t create elasticity in your skin, so it won’t help with sagging skin.
- Mesotherapy: This involves injecting various compounds into the chin to dissolve fat. The process can take around 6 months, and can require up to 100 injections, depending on the purpose. However, there can be dangerous side effects.
The more invasive your treatment option, the greater the risk of side effects, including things like bruising, pain, swelling, and so on. Your double chin may also come back if you don’t have the right treatment to maintain the outcome.
The Best Double Chin and Facial Exercises That Actually Work
Facial exercises really can work to reduce the appearance of a double chin if done regularly. Plenty of YouTube tutorials and mobile phone apps will help teach you these facial exercises.
An exercise is an important tool in banishing any kind of fat – even your double chin. Currently, the jury is out on what the most effective exercises are for facial toning, so it’s best to experiment with a few different styles if you’re not sure. Sometimes, something as simple as chewing more sugar-free gum more often is the extra exercise your face needs. However, below are some even better options of effective facial exercises to get you started:
The Neck and Face Warm-Up
Start by warming the muscles in your face. This should help to reduce the risk of injury and improve your overall results. Gently rotate your head forward, down, and back up in a circular, clockwise motion, then reverse the direction. You should feel a little stretch around your chin, face, and neck, but take it slow, so you’re not uncomfortable.
Use the same circular motion to stretch the jaw. Gently extend your jaw left, forward, right and backwards, holding the position for a few seconds each time.
Whistle at the Ceiling or Kiss the Sky
Double chin exercises often focus on stretching and working the muscles in your jaw, face, cheeks, and neck. One great option is to start by whistling at the ceiling. Sit with your back straight and your shoulders back and tilt your head towards the ceiling. Purse your lips into a whistling shape. You don’t actually have to whistle if you don’t want to.
Hold your position for as long as possible but take a break when it starts to feel too uncomfortable. Another option is to simply “kiss the sky”. To do this, stand straight and look towards the ceiling, puckering your lips and blowing kisses upwards.
Extend your lips as much as you can to get the most out of these exercises. You should feel the muscles tighten in your chin and neck.
The Ball Squeeze
Accessories make a huge difference to any exercise routine when you know how to use them properly. If you have a stress ball, or another soft ball-shaped object on hand, place it under your chin and use your chin to gently push down on the ball in a firm, steady motion.
If you struggle to stop the ball from rolling away when conducting this exercise, you can find some exercise tools online which achieve more or less the same thing. These tools often come with a pad for your chin, and a spring underneath that you push down towards your neck.
The Pouting Stretch
Channel your inner diva and learn how to make the most of your pout.
A pouting stretch is ideal for strengthening and tightening the muscles in your neck and chin. When seated or standing, stick your bottom lip out as much as you can to form a pout. With your bottom lip in full pouting mode, hold the position for 3 to 5 seconds, then tilt the chin towards your chest without moving anything else. Hold the position for another 3 to 5 seconds, then start again.
You can repeat this motion around 10 to 20 times, or just keep working until you feel the stretch in your neck muscles.
The Cat’s Yawn
Sometimes referred to as the lion’s yawn, this is another excellent option if you want to work on a pesky double chin. Open your mouth as wide as you can, and stick your tongue out, similar to a yawning cat or lion. It’s a great way to strengthen the muscles around your face, neck, and chin.
You can practice this exercise anywhere, sitting or standing – just make sure you feel comfortable with who might see you doing it. The muscles around your face should feel tighter if you’re performing the motion correctly.
How to Get Rid Of A Double Chin: You Can Do It!
A double chin is just one example of a pesky fat deposit that can be tough to fix. If you’re genetically predisposed to have more fat around your chin, it’s likely that you’ll have to work harder to keep your face looking taut. Fortunately, there are things you can do to reduce your chin and neck fat.
Just like getting rid of any form of fat, the right diet and exercise (along with a little patience), can work wonders. Just make sure you know how your body is built before you get started.
Curious what types of physical traits you’re genetically prone to? This information can help you understand if you might have to work a little harder (and be a little more patient) because you’re fighting against your genetics. Getting a DNA test could give you some useful insights into the exercise and diet strategies that work best for you, as your personal nutrition guide based on your DNA will guide you in terms of diet strategies. In the meantime, remember to exercise your face whenever you can.
