I Can't Rid of My Double Chin: What Treatment Can Help?

I Can't Rid of My Double Chin: What Treatment Can Help?

Certain areas of your body seem to hold onto fat, and nothing you do seems to diminish those stubborn pockets. Submental fat, the kind that settles in under your jawline and gives you a double chin, is one of the most obstinate types of fat in your body. Diet and exercise don’t seem to affect it.

Stop the silly chin exercises and end your frustration — you can get rid of your double chin without surgery at the offices of Rick J. Smith, MD, in East Lansing, Michigan. Dr. Smith is our board-certified plastic surgeon who understands the importance of feeling good about how you look. 

We offer a full spectrum of laser treatments and injectables to improve the look of your skin and boost your confidence. If you have a double chin that won’t respond to weight loss and exercise, a member of our team can consult with you to determine if you are a candidate to get rid of it with simple injections of Kybella®. Here’s what you need to know.

Why do I have a double chin?

Extra fat under your jawline, or submental fullness, can occur in both men and women of any age. Although this type of fat can accumulate if you gain weight, you don’t have to be overweight to have submental fullness. In fact, you can be perfectly fit and still have a double chin.

Age and genetics play a significant role in the development of submental fat. Some people are born with an extra pocket of this chin fat, and it remains a part of their facial features for life unless they choose to treat it.

Many exercises claim to reduce submental fat, such as jutting your jaw forward, tilting your head back and puckering your lips, and stretching your tongue out and upward, but ultimately, these efforts fail. While they may strengthen the muscles they flex, the fat stays put — genetics is a formidable foe.

What treatments can get rid of submental fat?

A survey conducted by the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery found that 67% of the participants were dissatisfied with the look of their submental fat, and many of them are looking for treatments to get rid of their double chins.

For many years, liposuction was the only way to completely eliminate submental fat, and it is still an effective treatment. 

But there’s a less invasive, less traumatic treatment that can dissolve your double chin — Kybella, an injectable medication.

How Kybella works

Mimicking the way bile acid absorbs fat in your body, Kybella is made of a synthetic form called deoxycholic acid. When we inject Kybella into your submental fat, the acid obliterates the fat cells, and your double chin goes away. 

Kybella is safe and effective when administered by a trained professional like Dr. Smith. In 2015, the Food and Drug Administration approved Kybella for the treatment of submental fat, and it remains the only FDA-approved injection for this purpose. 

If your double chin is bothering you, we invite you to come in for a consultation to find out if you’re a good candidate for Kybella. To schedule a visit, contact us by calling our friendly staff at 517-225-2297 or using our online scheduling tool to request an appointment. 

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