Double Chin Appearance in Selfies Lead a Recent Cosmetic Trend
Has the “selfie” made us more aware of our double chin? In the age of the “selfie” and Snapchat and Instagram, we are all more conscious of our appearance. According to the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS), 55 percent of facial plastic surgeons were consulted in 2017 by patients who wanted to improve how they looked in their “selfies.” One of the main areas that patients want to have improved is the removal of their double chin.
Why do some people have a “double chin”?
A “double chin” or submental fat is the result of fat growing in the region under your chin. Fullness under the chin is an area that is distressing to both men and women and is the result of both weight gain and genetics. It has previously been difficult to reduce this area of fat even with healthy diet and exercise.
There are however many ways now to remove this area of fat, most of them with little or no downtime. There are times that a combination of treatments may be necessary, depending on your age and skin laxity, to give you back the ideal neck. Thermage tightens the skin through Radiofrequency and produces new collagen, CoolSculpting freezes the fat, and Kybella injections both dissolve the fat under the chin and tightens it. Some patients may just need one of these treatments and others may need a combination of treatments to rejuvenate their chin and neck areas.
CoolSculpting and CoolMini
CoolSculpting works through the principle of Cryolipolysis which is a non-invasive body contouring treatment. There is a small applicator called the “CoolMini” which is secured to the area under your chin and freezes the fat and dissolves your double chin. The procedure can be done on both sides of your jaw to create a sculpted jawline.
The CoolMini takes 45 minutes for a single session and reduces the submental fat by 25% and costs approximately $1,000 per session (though each case can vary). There is no down time at all for CoolSculpting treatment of the neck area. The results of the procedure take 12 weeks to see the full effects as the fat cells get metabolized by the body and die off. If there is a large area of fat, the procedure may be repeated again after one month for added fat dissolving and improved cosmetic results.
Kybella Injections
Kybella was FDA approved in 2015 as a cosmetic injectable to dissolve the fat under the chin with minimal downtime. Kybella was purchased by Allergan from Kythera and is an amazing way to dissolve the fat though a simple injection. The main ingredient is deoxycholic acid which occurs naturally in the gut and dissolves your fat. It generally takes 3 treatments spaced four to six weeks apart to completely dissolve the fat under your chin.
It is a great alternative to liposuction since this requires no anesthesia and the only side effect is some temporary swelling and possible bruising or numbness at the injection site. Since there are no risks with these injections as there are for liposuction or other surgical procedures, Kybella has grown in popularity since its introduction. The price of Kybella is approximately $1500 per treatment session with an average of three sessions needed for each patient. Kybella also has the added advantage of some skin tightening effect as well as fat reduction.
Find out more about Kybella treatments
Thermage and Laser Skin Tightening
Thermage, Ultherapy, BBL Forever Young, and Exilis Ultra are all non-surgical lasers that have gained popularity as treatment options that tighten the skin. Thermage has become the leader in non-invasive skin tightening though Radiofrequency technology. By heating up the dermis, new collagen is produced and the skin around the jowls and neck is tightened and rejuvenated. Exilis utilizes both Ultrasound and Radiofrequency technology and can be used to tighten the skin and is especially useful around the delicate eye area as well. Many patients have both skin laxity and fat in the submental area and a combination of Thermage to address the skin laxity and Coolsculpting or Kybella to dissolve the fat is the best way to treat this area and give you a contoured jaw line.
Chin Augmentation
In some cases, patients need to balance the look of their face since they may have a receding chin and need to have more balance in their face. There is an easy way to have a non-surgical chin implant and that is through Juvederm or Restylane injections. With a simple placement of Hyaluronic Acid filler in the chin area, combined at times with Botox for dimpling or wrinkles in the chin, the area can be brought forward to enhance the balance of your face and jaw line.
Find out more and contact us online to book an appointment or call 212-535-3088 to learn more about how we can help you get rid of your double chin.