To get rid of a double chin, combine a healthy diet and general exercise to reduce overall fat, add targeted facial/neck exercises like chin lifts and tongue presses to tone muscles, and consider non-invasive (Kybella, CoolSculpting) or surgical (liposuction, neck lift) procedures for faster, more significant results, especially if genetics or skin sagging are factors.
To reduce a double chin, manage your weight through exercise and a balanced diet, perform facial exercises like chin lifts and jaw exercises, maintain good posture, hydrate well, and consider non-surgical treatments like Kybella injections or CoolSculpting after consulting a professional.
The simple answer is: it depends. If your double chin is primarily caused by weight gain, losing weight through healthy eating and regular exercise may help reduce it. However, many people find that submental fat is stubborn — especially when genetics, aging, or skin laxity play a role.
Excess weight or being overweight is one of the most common contributing factors for double chin. Whether the double chin is caused by thyroid, excess body weight, kidney problems, or a sinus infection, it's important to identify the real reason before choosing any treatment.
Opt for anti-inflammatory foods like cucumber and green tea and prioritize a good night's sleep. These simple steps can help your face appear slimmer and less puffy within a few days, recommends Chaput.
While chewing exercises the masseter muscles in your cheeks, these are not the muscles that contribute to the appearance of a double chin. Moreover, the resistance offered by chewing gum is too insignificant to cause fat loss or muscle toning in the chin and neck area.
Facial swelling (facial edema) happens when fluid builds up in the tissues of your face. It's a symptom of many common allergies, injuries and infections. It can also be a sign of certain underlying medical conditions. Swelling can occur on one or both sides of your face.
People with a double chin, or submental fat, have an excess layer of fatty tissue under their lower jaw. This common condition affects young and old, men and women. And it happens for a variety of reasons. You don't have to be overweight to get a double chin.
4. Does Sleeping Position Affect a Double Chin? Yes, sleeping on your back with your head elevated can help, while sleeping face-down may contribute to sagging over time.
Techniques like “neck stretches,” “chin lifts,” and “jaw jutting” may support skin elasticity when practiced regularly. Skin Care Products: The right skincare products, like those containing retinoids, peptides, and hyaluronic acid, can be some of the best treatments for sagging chin skin.
Best Foods for Skin Tightening and Fat Reduction
Some foods support collagen production and skin elasticity, helping to tighten sagging skin: Vitamin C-rich foods (oranges, bell peppers, strawberries) boost collagen. Omega-3 fatty acids (salmon, flaxseeds, walnuts) help improve skin firmness.
Women tend to lose weight in their legs first, while men are more likely to lose weight in their torsos first.
Start Simple: Easy, At-Home Solutions
For the slim crowd experiencing the double chin dilemma, causes can range from the expected to the obscure. Apart from genetics, factors such as improper tongue and mouth posture—or even habitual mouth breathing—can contribute to the condition. Unsuspectingly, bad posture impacts the appearance of your jawline.
Even if gum chewing strengthens the muscles used for chewing, it won't change how your jawline looks. That's because the muscles involved—mostly in the cheeks and neck—don't shape the jawline.
Excessive Fat Accumulation
The primary cause of a double chin is often related to excess fat. When our dietary intake exceeds our energy expenditure, the excess sugars are stored as fat in various areas of the body. Common regions for fat deposition include the face and the area beneath the chin.
The unhealthiest sleeping position is generally considered to be sleeping on your stomach (prone position), as it forces your neck to twist and flattens the natural curve of your spine, leading to neck, back, and shoulder pain, numbness, and poor sleep quality. An overly curled fetal position is also harmful, causing joint stiffness and restricted breathing, while sleeping on your back can worsen snoring and sleep apnea for some individuals.
Getting rid of a neck hump by ditching your pillow sounds simple but it's not the pillow alone that causes it and going pillow free isn't the fix for most people. That small hump at the base of the neck is often a mix of posture, muscle imbalance, and spinal alignment, not just how you sleep.
As explained above, a double chin can be caused by either lax skin or excess fat cells, each requiring a different method of treatment. Loose skin, for instance, may be able to be slightly tightened with certain non-surgical treatments, or neck lift surgery may be needed for more dramatic improvement.
Hydration and Healthy Habits
Staying hydrated and eating a balanced diet might not directly remove a double chin, but they play a role in supporting skin health, circulation, and reducing bloating or puffiness. Try to: Drink plenty of water daily. Avoid excess salt, which can cause water retention.
It can be due to constant weight gain or weight loss, causing looser skin under the chin. It can also form due to the effects of aging. A double chin (submental fat) is a problem many patients wish to resolve. Fortunately, there are various cosmetic solutions available.
Salty and processed foods: High sodium content leads to water retention, making your face look puffy. Alcohol: Dehydrates your body, causing fluid imbalance and swelling. Refined carbohydrates: White bread, pastries, and sugary snacks contribute to inflammation and bloating.
Cortisol face—sometimes called “moon face” or stress face—is a real condition where chronic stress or high cortisol levels cause facial puffiness, swelling, and changes in fat distribution. 2. What causes cortisol face? Cortisol face is caused by elevated cortisol, your body's primary stress hormone.
Moon face is a condition that causes a round, puffy-looking face due to an accumulation of fat deposits on the sides of the face. It is not a disease, but it can be a symptom of a medical condition or a result of taking certain medications like glucocorticoids.