Double chins are formed when a layer of fat around the neck starts to sag, causing a wrinkle to develop beneath the chin. They’re the result of having excess fat, excess skin, or a combination of both. Double chins are often associated with being overweight, but can actually be caused by several factors, including:
– Age
Skin loses its intrinsic elasticity as you age, which can result in loose skin sagging under the chin, which can allow a double chin to develop. Age related muscle and cartilage deterioration can also weaken the chin, leading to looser skin underneath.
– Diet and Weight
Gaining weight does not always result in a double chin, but it can certainly contribute to developing one. Having a double chin can unfortunately make one look overweight, even if the cause of the double chin is NOT weight related. Excess weight is however typically the cause of double chins in younger people.
– Genetics
People with a family history of inelastic skin are at higher risk of developing a double chin. Similarly, some people are simply predisposed to storing body fat under the chin, even if they are not necessarily overweight.
– Posture
Over time poor posture can weaken the muscles in the neck and chin area, which can result in the surrounding skin losing its elasticity. This, in turn, contributes to an increased chance of developing a double chin. It’s even been suggested that constantly looking down at one’s phone can contribute to causing skin under the chin to sag.
– Health Problems
Double chins can also be caused by a number of health problems, including thyroid gland malfunction, swollen lymph glands, kidney disorders and facial swelling caused by inflamed salivary glands.
What Can be Done About a Double Chin?
Diet and exercise can be effective but will not typically deliver results fast enough for most people’s tastes. Also, it may not work in cases where genetics are a factor in developing a double chin.
Liposuction has traditionally been used to remove excess body fat, but is an invasive procedure requiring anesthetic with several worrying side effects. It also requires considerable recovery time, to say nothing of pain and discomfort.
Surgical facelifts have also been used to address double chins, but are an expensive, painful, and inherently more risky way to treat the condition. They are quickly falling out of fashion as more people look to non-invasive treatment options.
Non-Surgical Solutions for Double Chins
In 2017, the FDA approved the first non-surgical fat reduction treatment for use on double chins. This treatment, CoolSculpting, is able to reduce fat in the treated area by up to 20% after a single treatment and is a non-invasive procedure with minimal side effects. CoolSculpting works by killing fat cells using cooling pads applied to the skin – fat cells are more easily damaged by cold than other cells. The dead fat cells are eliminated naturally in the weeks following a treatment, which helps makes the reduction in the size of a double chin look natural.
Double chins don’t pose any direct health risk but minimizing them is something that many people want. CoolSculpting provides an accessible way for this to be accomplished, hence CoolSculpting procedures are very quickly growing in popularity. We recently added CoolSculpting to the list of services we offer at Your Laser Skin Care.
Finally, in cases when CoolSculpting may not be recommended, we also offer Kybella, another FDA-approved procedure that uses injections of a compound that causes fat cells to break down and dissolve. Kybella is also an effective treatment option for double chins.
We’ll be delighted to schedule a consultation if you’d like to explore whether CoolSculpting or Kybella is a possible treatment option for you.
Your Laser Skin Care in Los Angeles specializes in Botox and Fillers injections, laser hair removal, vein therapy, chemical peels and IPL among many other services. Please call us at (323) 525-1516 or visit us online at www.yourlaserskincare.com to schedule a free consultation.
