How do you get rid of a double chin? Moisturise, exercise, massage

A double chin doesn’t have a singular cause

Where does a double chin even come from? “For some people it all comes down to genetics. It’s possible for one to be born with a specific lower jaw position and muscle placement, meaning that they’ve always been predisposed to having a double chin,” says Ivana Pokorná, founder of Formositas, an aesthetic medicine clinic. She also adds: 

“In other cases, age can be to blame, as the facial contours become less defined with age and subcutaneous tissue, including fat, ages too, which also affects the chin area. This affects even very slim women over the age of 45. And finally, a double chin is often the result of excess weight and an inappropriate lifestyle.

How to get rid of a double chin in 4 steps

1. There’s no such thing as too much moisturiser

The first step is to focus on taking complete care of the neck and décolleté. A firming cream for the chin or a facial contour cream will therefore come in handy. You also deserve a pat on the back if you already use a cream specifically formulated for your neck and décolleté. 

The active ingredients in such products not only moisturise the skin, but can also stimulate the production of collagen for improved skin elasticity or work to counteract the deposition of subcutaneous fat.

Do you want to help support their effect? Learn how to perform manual massage of the chin and lower facial contours. 

• As soon as you start applying moisturiser, ensure all your movements go against the direction of gravity. Start at the base of the neck and continue up over the edge of the face and chin.
• Place both hands against your jawline, so that you can “pinch” the skin of the lower facial contour between your thumb and index finger. Always start in the middle of your chin and move both of your hands away from each other, towards the ears, in a synchronised manner, while “pinching” gently.
• Then bend your fingers and hold your chin between your bent index and middle fingers. Starting from the middle of your chin and working towards your ears, perform the massage again with bent fingers. Use slow, fluid strokes.

2. Try targeted double chin exercises

A workout for your chin? YES! How? That’s where facial yoga comes in. “Even the area under the chin is full of fat and muscles, so the fat needs to be removed and the muscles need to be strengthened. Just like with the rest of your body. Facial yoga may not make the fat disappear, but it will definitely help with strengthening the muscles in the area of your chin,” explains Ivana Pokorná. One big advantage is that you can learn these exercises quickly; they’re simple, and you’ll begin to see results in no time. 

Try revisiting your childhood by going back to your goofy ways! Because when you stick your tongue out as much as you can, you will feel the muscles around your chin tighten. Then try sticking your tongue out straight in front of you and bending just the tip of it towards your nose. Repeat both exercises 5 times, perhaps every morning.

3. Firming and smoothing massages

The more pronounced your double chin is, the more thorough you have to be in order to get rid of it. So don’t overlook the option of using a massaging and firming device. 

“Using the right device on a regular and long-term basis can really help with muscle strengthening in this area,” says Ivana Pokorná, who recommends combining all three methods of action to target a double chin and advocates the use of devices even as a preventative measure. “Basically, as soon as you hit 40, it's almost too late for any kind of prevention!” she adds.  

4. Clinic of aesthetic medicine

And what options do aesthetic clinics offer when dealing with a double chin? There are several of them, and professional consultation is a must.

“You can choose from several options. Injectable lipolytics are used to help reduce subcutaneous fat. The downside of this method is that it doesn’t always lead to satisfactory results and often causes some loosening of the skin in the treated area. That’s why it’s necessary to continue working on firming the skin and subcutaneous tissue as well as strengthening the facial contours to maintain the results. Exercises and moisturisation are a must,” recommends Ivana Pokorná. 

And if you’re looking for a permanent solution, you’ll be happy to know that it exists. “It comes in the form of a more invasive and risky local liposuction, which isn’t suitable for everyone. It’s called an endolift, a procedure in which the doctor inserts a thin micro-optical fibre with a laser beam into the subcutaneous tissue. It firms the skin and subcutaneous tissue while increasing skin density and reducing the amount of fatty tissue. Lipolysis forces fat cells to release their contents, but an endolift eliminates them once and for all,” concludes Ivana Pokorná, founder of Formositas, an aesthetic medicine clinic.

Do you have a double chin but you’re put off by the thought of having to follow all the steps we’ve recommended? You can always use the power of contouring for a visual solution. So the question is: do you already have a trusty contour palette?