In the past, surgery was the only way to effectively eliminate double chin. But nowadays, a number of procedures are available to treat this cosmetic problem without surgery, even some are probably better than liposuction and face-lift (depending on your situation). Cost, time of recovery, and how long it takes to see results are a few factors you’re likely to concern.
The most easy way, probably also the first option most people have tried, is topical application with skin tightening creams. It might be your best bet if you don’t want to spend a lot of money to treat your second, lower chin – though this’s not always true, because sometimes people need to try many different products before they eventually find the ‘real’ one that they’re looking for.
What to understand, double chin often has to do with the fat pocket underneath the jawline, something that would not go away with creams or other topical treatments. What skin tightening creams have are some active ingredients that may work to help tighten skin tissue.
But in general, they might work on very mild double chin. But you should not expect dramatic changes because if they work, they usually work in a mild way.
The price of each skin tightening product varies, this can go anywhere from tens to a few hundred dollars. Just make sure to buy and use any cosmetic products from manufactures you trust.
You might also like to read, does exercise for double chin work?
VelaShape, also called VelaSmooth, has moved two steps forward. As the name suggest, VelaShape III is now in its third generation system. It works more effectively with safe, more powerful energy capacity.
This therapy uses unique combination of laser (infrared light energy), bi-polar radio frequency, suction and massage. Since the FDA approved this therapy, which also been proven in some clinical trials, it has become one of popular choices to get a non-invasive lift with fewer risks than surgery.
It was gaining its popularity to treat cellulite. Nowadays it’s also commonly directed at the neck region for neckline improvement. With the combination of bi-polar radio frequency and infrared light, it heats the fat cells of the treatment area. As a result, the amount of fat inside cells shrinks and decreases – but the fat cells are not removed. Therefore it requires several treatment sessions to acquire dramatic results. The cost of each treatment is around $500.
Since the treatment doesn’t remove fat cells, the reduction of fat doesn’t last as long as surgical procedures such as liposuction. Probably, your fat cell density may have a role. But since it can also help tighten the skin by stimulating collagen and elastin with a vacuum and massage rollers, it’s worth a try for mild to moderate double chin.
Another promising aspect of this treatment is that it has no downtime and risks (minimal to non-existent). In general, it’s relatively safe for all skin types. There’s no needle, anesthesia, or incision — as well as major precautionary step required to be qualified.
What to remember, it’s not a weight loss therapy. It just shrinks circumferential mass and increases blood circulation (for more new collagen & elastin production), making your jawline look more youthful and thinner. If the fat pocket under your jawline is extremely ‘heavy’, you should try other options.
3-4 treatments are usually required for optimal results. You should see an improvement of tightness at least one month afterwards.
This FDA approved therapy is basically a kind of CoolSculpting for the neck. It’s called ‘mini’ since it’s specially designed for treating smaller area such as double chin. As with most CoolSculpting procedures, CoolMini works with cryolipolysis, an advanced cooling technology.
Cold that can selectively target and freeze fat was the insight behind cryolipolysis science. With a few adjustments, now we can use it to effectively freeze fat cells in treatment area. The affected fat cells are then gradually eliminated from the treated area through metabolic processes so the procedure won’t harm the surrounding tissues. It’s safe technology and can provide a reduction in fat thickness. The scientific evidence of this technology has been published in many peer-reviewed publications.
There is no downtime; people usually can return to their normal activities after treatment. It also doesn’t involve any needles, injection, or incisions. But it doesn’t provide dramatic changes quickly. The fat thickness reduction is about 20-25 percent. And it may take months (1-3 months) before you can see your optimal results.
The cost of each provider for CoolMini varies. In general, it is around $700 to $1,500 per treatment. The good news, people usually only need one treatment.
If you’re ready to spend more money and expecting dramatic changes more quickly, Kybella (non-invasive treatment with deoxycholic acid) is more recommended. See more here!
CoolMini and even Kybella are not effective to tighten sagging skin. They are mainly aimed to target the fat pocket under the chin. Here your doctor would also suggest NIR therapy afterwards, especially if you have bad skin tightness.
NIR therapy works with a safe level of infrared light energy. It has nothing to do with fat, it only tightens the skin. So for submental fullness of double chin, it is usually combined with another therapy that can remove fat.
During this non-invasive skin rejuvenation therapy, the light penetrates into the deeper layer of the skin so the top layer of the skin is safe (unaffected). Then the light energy heats substances in the skin tissues (including water). This stimulates the fibers of collagen to react (contract and tighten). Also, fibroblasts are stimulated to produce more collagen and repair skin cells.
The procedure takes only several minutes, without needles and incisions. It is almost free of pain. You may only feel a mild, warm wand being rubbed on your chin that usually only cause a small amount, mild redness in the treatment area. Plus, it also has no downtime.
The cost of treatment is around $1,500. How many treatments you need may usually come down to personal preference. Although some people say one treatment is enough for their expected results, mostly it requires a course of 3-6 treatments.
- ‘What VelaShape does?’, Syneron Candela. Retrieved from here.
- ‘Is CoolSculpting effective?’, published on the Harvard Health (2017).