In 2018,18 million Americans had a surgical or minimally invasive cosmetic procedure.

Among the many reasons people opt for surgery to change the way they look, body image is one of the most common. And the effects of aging on a woman’s face and body play a huge role in body image.

As we get older, one of the most noticeable changes we face is the loss of skin elasticity that results in sagging skin. When that develops around our neckline, it can cause a double chin. But even a double chin that isn’t the result of aging can benefit from a chin procedure.

Double chin procedures range from liposuction to implants and facelifts. Depending on the reason for your double chin, the result you’re looking for, and your willingness to undergo surgery, there’s a host of chin procedures for correcting this common source of insecurity.

Before you make an appointment, read this guide that explores different types of double chin procedures and what you can expect.

What is a Double Chin?

A double chin is also known as submental fullness. This common condition is the result of excess fat. It’s caused by a layer of fat that forms along your jawline, just below your chin.

Many people associate double chins with being overweight or obese. And while weight gain can lead to the formation of a double chin, it can also be caused by age and genetics. In addition, your anatomy and airway positioning can contribute to the appearance of a double chin.

In a study conducted by the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, 68% of people reported being unhappy with their double chin. So regardless of the cause, you’re not alone in wanting to change this feature. And lucky for you, there are a number of different chin procedures to help you do so.

Types of Double Chin Procedures

Choosing from double chin treatment options among will depend on whether you want to remove excess skin, reduce excess fat, or reshape your jawline entirely. But factors such as whether you’re a good candidate and your budget will also come into play.

Keep reading to explore which options could be right for you.

Chin-Plants

A chin-plant, or chin implant, is a cosmetic procedure that fixes chin deficiency with an implant in the chin. Surgeons define chin deficiency as a chin that doesn’t fall along a vertical line drawn through the junction between the nose and upper lip. The extent of a chin deficiency is determined by looking at your profile.

But chin-plants can be used when you simply want to change the shape of your chin. The surgeon sculpts silicone implants to your individual jawline and create your desired shape. The shape is determined in accordance with your other features to ensure the implant brings balance and artistic harmony to your entire face.

Many shapes can be achieved with a chin-plant. Below, we discuss some of the more desirable shapes available.

• Heart-shaped: This shapes the chin into a v-shape. According to some research, this is the most desired shape for women looking to change their jawline.
• Square: This is the second most desired shape among women going for chin-plants. It results in a completely square bottom and, as such, suits both male and female faces.
• Round: With a little less definition than a square chin, this gives the face a warm and welcoming shape.
• Dimpled: Think John Travolta and that’s what a dimpled chin looks like—although most people opt for a less visible dimple. While this used to be a very popular choice, fewer people are opting for dimpled chins. In fact, many people are opting to have their natural dimple reduced using fillers.
• Protruding: This makes the chin appear to sit slightly forward on a person’s silhouette. A protruding chin makes the chin more noticeable, and on the right face, it can add personality and character.

Patients may also opt to change the length of their chin. While a slightly longer chin can augment the rest of your facial features, a chin that’s shorter than the nose can compliment certain face shapes and features as well. Your surgeon can tell you what chin-plant would be best suited to your particular features.

Chin Liposuction

Chin liposuction removes the excess fat that sits on your jawline and under your chin. Removing the fat deposits from under the skin sculpts both the neck and the chin and improves your silhouette.

A good candidate for chin liposuction is typically younger, still has good skin elasticity, but struggled with an undefined neck angle. This is because liposuction helps with excess fat but can’t improve a double chin caused by sagging skin. This chin procedure will remove the neck fat and improve the angle of the neck and jawline.

The procedure involves a few small incisions placed both under the chin and behind the ears. The surgeon will use micro-instruments to selectively target and remove fat deposits to achieve a defined and contoured silhouette.

In most cases, you can return to normal activities after seven to ten days of recovery. The entire recovery period lasts around two weeks.

You may experience both swelling and bruising, which are common side effects of liposuction. This typically goes down within two weeks but can last as long as four weeks. You’ll be expected to wear a compressive bandage for seven days following the procedure and sutures are typically removed on the fifth day of recovery.

Neck Lift

There are different types of neck lift procedures. A neck lift can involve removing extra skin, which is called cervicoplasty. But a neck lift can also be used to tighten the neck muscles, which is called platysmaplasty.

A neck lift procedure to improve a double chin might combine both of these procedures to achieve the desired results. It’s a good option if you have:

• excess, sagging skin on the neck and/or chin
• excess fat on the neck and/or chin
• otherwise youthful appearance on the jowls, jawlines, and sides of the mouth
• overall good health

Unlike neck liposuction, a neck lift can be used to correct both excess fat and sagging skin. It tightens the skin to correct any sagging and also softens any wrinkles around your neck. But it also employs neck liposuction to remove any excess fat deposits on your jaw and neckline.

Candidates for a neck lift are generally over the age of 40 and in good overall health. Smoking may well affect your long-term results.

This chin procedure can cause swelling and bruising that last anywhere from two to four weeks. Like neck liposuction, you’ll be expected to wear a compressive bandage for the first seven days of recovery. Most neck lift patients can return to normal activities ten days to two weeks after the procedure.

Other Chin Procedure Options

Neck lifts, chin-plants, and liposuction, all involve the use of anesthesia and require a significant recovery period that limit performing normal activities. If that doesn’t sound like the type of chin procedure you’re looking for, consider one of these non-invasive chin procedures.

Botox®

Sometimes, the appearance of a double chin is simply the result of a large masseter muscle. So how do you know if that’s the case?  Your skin moves back and creases a little bit every time you smile. But if the skin wrinkles around your jaw as well, this could be an indication of a masseter muscle that’s too big. To combat the appearance of a double chin that this muscle causes, you might consider the neurotoxin Botox to relax the muscle. This can add a narrowing effect to the lower half of your face as well as a smooth the jawline.

Fillers

Injectable fillers can bring a long-lasting, rejuvenated look to various areas of the face and make your lips plumper. But they can also be placed along the jawline to improve the appearance of a double chin.

Sometimes, the appearance of a double chin is the result of a shrinking jawbone. A natural byproduct of aging, this can cause sagging on the chin and jawline. But for people between 40 and 70 with mild to moderate sagging, affordable and non-invasive fillers can make a world of difference in your profile.

The amount of filler can be adjusted to suit your particular shape and needs and the results last as long as two years. The only common side effect is swelling and bruising, and that subsides within a few days.

SculpSure®

SculpSure® utilizes a laser wavelength to selectively target stubborn fat cells. It’s the latest advance in noninvasive body contouring, FDA-approved for the neck area and double chins.No suction, no freezing, no painful massage and can provide significant fat reduction in a single treatment!  Targeting with customizable laser frames, it painlessly raises the temperature in the fat, causing destruction of fat cells and tightening of the skin. The damaged fat cells are naturally absorbed and removed from the body, with early results seen as quickly as six weeks, and optimal results at 12 weeks.

Ultherapy® – Ultrasound Energy

If your desire is to noninvasively lift the skin of the neck under the chin, Ultherapy® is an excellent option. The only technology cleared by the FDA to say it actually “lifts” the neck without surgery, Ultherapy is as close as you can get to a nonsurgical face or neck lift and it only requires one treatment to be effective.

Ultherapy uses safe, time-tested ultrasound energy to lift and tighten the skin naturally, stimulating collagen production by delivering focused ultrasound energy not only to the dermis of the skin but to the foundation layer (SMAS) underneath. The SMAS layer is typically tightened in surgical lifting procedures.

There’s no downtime (go at lunchtime!) you can return to your normal activities immediately. You begin seeing results almost immediately, with tighter, smoother skin. In the days after the procedure, there is continued improvement.

Radiofrequency

You may have heard of radiofrequency treatments. Vivace® is a new treatment that starts with microneedling and adds radiofrequency and laser light. Both the micro needling and the radiofrequency components stimulate collagen, resulting in skin tightening. Vivace uses 36 insulated and tiny needles to painlessly insert heat into the skin, which stimulates collagen and elastin that tightens the skin. It is the most precise radio frequency microneedling device currently available, with 31 adjustments available at very small increments to adjust to your skin.

When your body produces more collagen, your skin elasticity is restored and your skin becomes firmer. This can help target the sagging skin that causes the look of a double chin. However, this option is not a good choice for smokers, yo-yo dieters, or people who like to sunbathe. All of these activities break down collagen and will have the reverse effect of a radiofrequency treatment.

Improve Your Body Image With Us

Having a chin procedure can improve the shape of your chin and reduce the appearance of a double chin and have a positive impact on your profile and your self-confidence. Cosmetic procedures for fixing a double chin include chin implants, chin liposuction, and neck lifts. But if you prefer the non-surgical route, you might consider fillers, neurotoxins,and other non-invasive procedures such as ultrasound, laser, or radiofrequency micro-needling treatments.

Choosing the right procedure means discussing with your doctor about your expectations and the options available to you. She or he can help you choose an option that will give you the most flattering result for your face. Contact us today for a free consultation to discuss the best options to get the best result for you!