We most often associate a double chin with excess weight and excess fat accumulating just beneath the chin. However, not everyone knows that extra kilos are not the only cause of this facial appearance.

A double chin may also be encouraged by:

• poor body posture — especially a forward head position and rounded back. Frequently staying in this position weakens the muscles of the neck and chin, causing the skin to lose tension and begin to crease;
• lack of physical activity — which leads to muscle dysfunction and poor body posture;
• loss of skin elasticity — caused, for example, by frequent weight fluctuations, weight gain, age, or genetic factors. The skin loses firmness and begins to sag under the influence of gravity;
• improper care of mature skin — which loses elastin and collagen, causing the skin to sag precisely in the area connecting the neck and jawline;
• genetics — some people inherit a tendency to accumulate fat tissue specifically around the neck and chin;
• stimulants — smoking cigarettes and excessive alcohol consumption accelerate the breakdown of collagen fibres, causing the skin to become lax more quickly.

At-home methods for a double chin mainly include appropriate physical exercises that help strengthen the lower facial muscles and selected neck muscles.

Examples of exercises for a double chin:

• place your hands under your chin and try to open your mouth while applying resistance with your hands. This exercise activates selected muscle groups around the mouth and lower jaw;
• shape your lips as if you were giving a kiss, then return to a natural position;
• pronounce vowels out loud as clearly as possible;
• open your mouth wide and stick your tongue out as far as you can;
• lift your head upward and lower it, bringing it toward your chest. At the same time, tense and relax your neck muscles;
• straighten your back and lean against a wall. In this position, slowly turn your head alternately to the left and right.

To strengthen the muscles, perform all double chin exercises a dozen or so times in several sets.

Facial, neck, and décolleté massages improve lymphatic flow and also have an excellent effect on the muscles and overall well-being. A massage that helps address a double chin is performed from the base of the décolleté up to the chin. You can do it yourself or use special massagers. Remember, however, that the skin in this part of the body is delicate, so the massage should not be too intense. Consider professional therapy.
For a double chin, the following are especially recommended:

• Kobido massage, often referred to as a facelift without a scalpel. It originates from Chinese medicine and involves slow, fast, and deep movements that stimulate the skin, muscles, and nerves;
• Endermologie Alliance, a type of vacuum massage that uses an advanced technological device. It adjusts its intensity to the delicate skin of the face. This massage stimulates the production of elastin and collagen, which has a beneficial effect on the appearance of the skin.

When a double chin is advanced enough that exercises and massages do not help, it is worth starting with a consultation with an aesthetic medicine doctor, who will recommend the most effective treatments for eliminating a double chin. These may include:

• PDO thread chin lift – this method provides impressive results without the use of a scalpel. PDO threads stimulate the production of elastin and collagen, helping restore firmness and proper skin tension around the chin. The effects of the treatment continue to improve over the following weeks. A thread lift is not painful, but due to mild bruising and swelling, it requires a few days of recovery;
• surgical chin lift (chin liposuction) – this is the most effective procedure, performed under local anaesthesia and requiring several days of recovery. It is most often recommended when you want to get rid of a double chin caused by accumulated fat tissue.