Two is always better than one. While this could be true regarding most things in life, it definitely is not, in the case of double chins. Seeing a developed double chin in the mirror has never given anyone happy thoughts. Well, one can argue that having two chins is better than having two faces. While that’s one weird optimistic way to look at it, one should try to get rid of it.

What is a Double Chin?

In basic terms, it’s a fold of skin or fatty flesh appearing below a person’s chin, which would look as if the person has two chins. Double chin is also known as “submental fat”, which are extra layers of fat growing under the skin.

What are the Causes for Double Chin?

While the general idea is, if you develop a double chin, it’s a sign of obesity. However, there are more reasons for this.

1. Diet and Weight

If your diet contains a lot of calories like meat, fish and whole grain nuts and if you love to eat a lot of processed food like cheese, beans and egg, and just can’t live without your daily dose of unhealthy fats, you probably are asking for a double chin, as well as an unhealthy body!

2. Age

Everyone ages. When you do, your skin will lose its elasticity, naturally. This can cause saggy skin, which might contribute to a double chin.

3. Genetics

This one, you can’t help. And genetics do play a large role in developing double chins. If anyone in your family history has a less-elastic skin or a double chin, chances are, you also might develop one yourself. At least you’ll have the genetic probability to do so.

4. Posture

Poor posture weakens the muscles of your neck and chin, by continuing to remain in this poor posture, the surrounding skin of your neck and chin might become weaker, thus lose its elasticity. Over time, this may contribute to a double chin.

5. A Tense Neck Muscle

The platysma muscle of your body is connected to your chest, upper shoulders, neck and parts of the lower face. People who are used to gritting their teeth often are prone to adding extra tension to this muscle, thus causing banding over time. This might contribute to a double chin as well.

6. Undefined Jaw Line

If you don’t have a strong enough chin bone to keep the skin stretched and in its proper place, over time, a double chin might develop.

How to Get Rid of the Double Chin?

The ways to get rid of a double chin may vary based on why it may have developed in the first place. While there are some exercises which you can do at home (which won’t hurt doing anyway) you might need to consult a physician to figure out why it has developed, due to bone structure, muscle development, skin elasticity, fat or any other reason. Depending on the cause, treatments would vary.

1. Exercise

There are various types of exercises which you can do at home to get rid of the double chin. Here are four different types of exercises

Rotate your head

Gently rotate your head, clockwise and anticlockwise. Make sure the muscles are stretched when you do so.

Kiss the Ceiling

Look at the ceiling and make a kissy-face. Make sure that the lips are relaxed, but they are tight enough to stretch up the side muscles of the neck.

Squeeze the Ball

Get an exercise ball, which is about 9-10 cm. Sit straight on a chair, move your head down and hold the ball between your chest and the chin. Try to pressure the ball with the chin, without using neck support for pressure. Do this around 20 – 30 times a day.

Tongue Stretch

Stick your tongue out to the maximum (Better do this when no one’s watching, though) and lift it upwards, towards the nose. Hold it for about 10 seconds and release. Repeat this a couple of times.

2. Chewing Gum

Chewing gum can be a muscle exercise itself. The less subtle, the better, so that more muscles around the jaw would move. Also if you have midday cravings for snacks, this might help you get rid of it, ultimately affecting weight loss in the long run, and double chin reduction as well.

3. Lose Weight

Try to lose your weight by exercising, yoga, controlling cholesterol intake, reducing portion sizes, reducing junk food consumption, eating fresh vegetables and fruits, having low-fat dairy products, etcetera. When you lose weight, you’ll lose the fat across your entire body, even the layers near the chin. This might help reduce the double chin unless the reason for double chin is genetics or bone-structural.

4. Face Masks

Different face masks can be used for different purposes. Some are designed to help tighten the skin so that it reduces any appearance of a double chin. Glycerine, coffee or green tea masks could have a positive effect if used along with facial exercises. A mask made of egg whites, lemon juice and honey can also be used daily to reduce fat around the chin. However, these masks may only work for some people.

5. Topicals

You can apply a mixture of sunscreen, vitamin C and retinol cream to keep your skin smooth and healthy.

6. Thread Lift

This doesn’t sound very appealing; but “thread lift” is a technique used to treat skin elasticity problems. This method includes insertion of threads under the facial skin in a particular pattern, to lift it up. It’s less expensive and easier than facelift surgery, hence, if a facelift is a possible consideration, this might be something to try first.

7. Ultrasound Lasers

This is a treatment used to tighten saggy skin or tighten targeted layers of soft tissue and is used to treat skin elasticity issues.

8. Liposuction

This method is helpful in cases where ‘excess fat’ is the main culprit for the double chin. Liposuction uses a specific suction technique to remove fat from selected areas only.

9. Mesotherapy

This is common, yet a time-consuming and risky treatment method, involving injecting compounds which dissolves fat. The process can last up to 6 months and you might receive over 100 injections to the chin! If not done properly, it can even cause nerve damage!

10. Botox

This method is used if the definition of the jaw is what’s causing the double chin. Also named the “Nefertiti Lift”, after the Egyptian queen herself, this is a technique which involves injections of botulism toxin to be platysma muscle. This is a ‘relatively safer’ method

11. Surgery

If required, as a last resort, a plastic surgeon can reshape or remove parts of the platysma muscle to give your neck a lift, thus getting rid of the double chin as well.

We talked about many promising and fool-proof methods to get rid of that double chin, ranging from least to most invasive. The application may depend on the actual cause of your specific case of double chin though. Sleep on it, get expert advice and choose the best methods that work for you. Skip the “turtleneck”…and may the odds be ever in your favour!