A double chin is a layer of fat under the chin that makes you look as if you have two chins. Exercises and natural methods can help avoid surgical removal of this.
Fat under the chin and around the face is generally stubborn to lose, but with consistent exercise and proper diet, you can reduce it naturally (without surgery).
Fat under the chin forms as a result of aging and weight gain. However, even skinny people can get chin fat too.
Definition:
“A double chin is a layer of subcutaneous fat around the neck that sags down and creates a wrinkle, making the owner appear to have a second chin.” [WikiPedia]
In most cases, people with fat under the chin have chubby cheeks as well. It may also come with sagging jowls. These two are mostly a result of weight gain. Here are the causes:
- Genetic disposition in some people.
- Poor diet and sedentary lifestyle that leads to weight gain.
- Fluid retention in the jawline area which may be caused by “a sluggish lymphatic system” along the jawline leading to retention of excess fluid around the chin and jawline area.
- Weakening of the neck, jaw and chin muscles, usually due to aging.
10 Chin Exercises to Reduce Double Chin
Chin exercises and general facial workouts can help reduce chin fat and get fast results. It is sometimes recommended that you work out your facial muscles by eating chewy foods.
Neck, face and chin exercises help tighten chin muscles and reduce facial weight.
There are 35 neck muscles. If these muscles become loose, you will get a saggy neck that will give you two chins. The muscles can be tightened through surgery or with simple workouts at home. Here are 10 best exercises that will give you quick results.
1. Kissing the sky exercise
Also called kissing the ceiling, it strengthens the muscles in the upper neck area. Doing the kiss will tighten the chin muscles and skin, thus getting rid of the sagging chin fat. Here’s how to do it:
- Sit or stand in an upright position.
- Tilt your head back so that you appear to be looking at the sky or ceiling directly.
- Pucker up your lips tightly as though you are kissing the sky or the ceiling.
- Hold this position to the count of 5.
- Release and return to your natural position.
- Repeat the procedure of this exercise about 5 times.
Doing this exercise daily for a couple of weeks is highly recommended. This workout will not only tone your jaw, face and neck muscles but also relieve any stiffness in your neck. For even quicker results, repeat the workout up to 10 times per session.
2. Stretch your neck to the sides
Side neck stretches can help tighten neck muscles from the sides. The exercise is simple and can be done in just 3 to 5 minutes.
- Stand in an upright position with your shoulders squared and relaxed.
- Wrap your right arm over your head to touch the left ear.
- Bend your head towards the right shoulder.
- Hold for 5 minutes and release.
- Repeat with the left hand and the right ear.
You can assist the stretch by gently pulling the side of your head with your hand. Do NOT overdo the pull because you will injure your neck.
3. Jaw jut chin for jowls
Jaw jutting is the process of extending the jaw upward and outward. The exercise is sometimes called the jaw push and is used to reduce jowls and fat under chin.
- Sit in an upright position and relax your shoulders.
- Tilt your head back and face the ceiling so that the jaw is lifted.
- Push the underside of your chin forward so that there’s a stretch under the chin.
- Hold the position to the count of 10.
- Relax and return to the natural position of the head and neck.
- Repeat this 10 times daily to lose two chins.
4. Neck roll yoga
Neck rolls can help relieve neck pain and stiffness. However, they should be done with precision, caution and care because they can cause injuries to the upper spine.
You can do neck rolls while standing or sitting and posing in a yoga position. To tighten muscles under chin and smooth out neck lines, do the following:
- Sit or stand in an upright position, with your spine erect.
- Gently drop the chin forward into your chest.
- Slowly rotate your head to the left.
- Hold to the count of five.
- Rotate your head back so that the chin touches the chest again.
- Slowly rotate the head to the right and count to five.
- Do the rotations for about 25 seconds daily to tone this area.
5. Tongue press
The tongue press “helps tone the chin and neck, while you are learning to keep your tongue at rest.” [Slimshortcut]
- Sit upright with your shoulders relaxed.
- Tilt your head back to face upwards.
- Press your tongue onto the roof of your mouth or palate.
- Lower the chin towards the chest while still forcing your tongue onto the roof of the mouth.
- Press as low as you can to contract the chin muscles and muscles in front of your neck.
- Relax the tongue and go back to the neutral position.
Do this exercise 20 times everyday to reduce chin fat.
6. Pout and tilt
To tone the muscles on your inner-upper neck and lose weight in the chin area, do the pout and tilt exercise. It will tone the muscles and make you lean. It will also tone muscles on the sides of the jawline and neck.
- Sit or stand upright.
- Stick out your chin.
- Stick out the lower lip – to tighten muscles on the sides of your neck and jawline – to form a pout.
- Lower your chin towards the chest area.
- Pause and hold for a few seconds and release.
Do about 25 repetitions to cut excess fat under the chin and on neck.
7. Sticking out your tongue
Sticking out the tongue helps stretch loose muscles in the chin area and neck. According to the Ohio State University, tongue blade exercises can greatly help in strengthening your face muscles and getting rid of fat on face, jawline, jowls and chin.
- Open your mouth.
- Stick the tongue out as far as you can go.
- Hold for about 5 seconds.
- Repeat the same procedure, this time sticking the tongue out to the sides (left and right.)
- Try holding for up to 10 seconds to help tone your chin.
Other recommended tongue stretches include up and down stretches and tongue sweep and licking the lips.
8. Pigeon exercise
The pigeon exercise is also great for fat loss on the chin. It helps strengthen the neck and contour the chin for a much leaner face. Here’s how to do a pigeon pose.
- Place your thumb under the jawbone (just where the jaw bends, near your ear.)
- Place the index finger of the same hand in the same position but on the opposite side of your jaw.
- Push your neck to move the head forward while using your hand to keep the jawbone held still.
- Hold for about 30 seconds.
- Do 5 reps 2 times a day have a lean face naturally.
9. Tongue on teeth exercise
While the tongue on teeth exercise may be designed to increase the range of your tongue’s movement, it also has its own benefits such as helping you lose double chin fat.
It works out muscles at the base of the tongue as well as those of the chin. If you have a small and growing double chin, this workout will help stop it.
- Sit in an upright posture.
- Open your mouth to the widest you can.
- Put the tip of your tongue against the back of your bottom front teeth.
- Try to make the “ah” sound as you inhale and exhale, still holding your position.
- Do this for about a minute.
- Relax back to the neutral position.
Do two reps of this exercise 3 times a day.
10. The O pose
The O-pose exercise will eliminate jowls and neck fat. It is also recommended for those who want to get rid of a saggy neck and wrinkles around the neck.
- Sit in an upright posture with shoulders relaxed.
- Tilt your head backwards to face the sky.
- Close your mouth as usual.
- Open the mouth wide but make an O shape.
- Keep it that way for about 30 seconds. You will feel muscles on the sides of your neck contracting.
- Relax and lower your head to the normal neutral position.
Do 10 reps twice a day to tighten a flabby chin faster. These exercises will help you reduce flabbiness around the cheeks, chin and face.
As you get comfortable with the workouts, ensure that you increase the number of reps to the point of straining. This will help burn fat above and under the neck area.
Natural home remedies
These can supplement the chin exercises we have discussed above. With the two, you will make the fat burning process even more effective and fast. Chin massage is one of the highly recommended home remedies for a double chin. Cocoa butter, milk, egg whites, glycerin and even chewing are easy ways to get rid of a double chin naturally and fast.
1. Chewing gum
Any form of repeated chewing works out jaw muscles and can reduce a double chin easily. Chewing gum is one of the best natural activities people do without paying much attention. The more you chew, the more you will be toning your face muscles.
The best gum to chew as you work out your facial muscles is sugarless gum. Why? Because too much sugar is not healthy and contributes to weight gain.
Sugar-free gum can also keep your teeth healthy. If you have not been chewing gum, start chewing everyday to lose fat under the chin fast.
2. Egg whites home remedy for double chin
Egg whites can eliminate double chin and jowls. According to NaturalSkinCareRecipes.com, egg whites are firming and toning for the skin.” They also go ahead to say that egg whites were used by Chinese empresses as anti-aging treatments centuries ago. If you want to reduce a double chin fast (almost instantly or overnight), use it as a temporary face lift.
- Collect a good amount of egg white in a bowl to make a face mask.
- Add a tablespoon of milk, another of honey and another of lemon juice.
- Add two to three drops of peppermint essential oil.
- Mix to make a consistent mixture.
- Apply to the face and around the chin area and all-round the neck area.
- Leave it for about an hour.
- Rinse with lukewarm water.
You can use this egg white mask daily to get rid of a double chin fast. Other than tightening the skin around the neck and chin, this mask will also get rid of a saggy neck and chin, as well as neck wrinkles.
3. Use wheat germ oil
Another way to get rid of chin fat naturally is using wheat germ oil. It contains a lot of vitamin E that will tighten loose skin under the chin. According to Doctor Oz. wheat germ oil is one of the best superfoods that help burn fat. Used topically, it can also help tone the skin significantly.
- Rub plenty of wheat germ oil around the chin area. Try to massage it in.
- Massage in motions from the underside to the upper side of the chin.
- Do this for about 15 minutes.
- Leave it on your skin overnight.
- Repeat regularly to lessen a double chin fast.
Doctorsresearch.com reports that wheat germ oil not only protects the skin, but also works as a laxative that nurtures the skin while reducing lipids (fats).
Adding it in your diet and using it topically can show great results in weight loss and general fat loss under the chin.
4. Use green tea for fast weight loss
Studies have shown the benefits of green tea for weight loss. It contains a lot of antioxidants or bioactive substances that help with increased fat burning.
According to Authority Nutrition, green tea contains “EGCG (Epigacollacatechin gallate), a substance that can boost metabolism” and help you lose weight faster.
If you are getting fat under the chin from obesity or excess weight, green tea should be one of your best beverages.
Green tea will improve your body’s ability to burn fat. “The active compounds in green tea can aid in the process of burning fat by boosting the effects of some fat burning hormones.”
5. Melon
Melons contain 95 percent water which is needed for a healthy skin. It is also rich in phosphorus, calcium, a little protein and vitamins. It has been praised for its anti-aging properties.
Melons fight a saggy chin with their anti-aging, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Vitamin B in melons is also a good toner for your skin.
Melon juice helps tone the skin and muscles around the chin area. Though its effect may be minimal, you can use it to enhance your weight loss program and banish fat.
- Cut fresh melons and take two to three pieces.
- Blend the pieces to get melon juice.
- Using a cotton ball, apply the juice to the neck area and the double chin.
- Leave for about 30 minutes.
- Rinse off with lukewarm water.
Repeat this procedure twice a day. You can also mix the juice with milk or apple juice for even better results.
6. Chin wraps
Chin wraps work the same way body wraps work. There are commercial chin wraps and homemade wraps. These wraps can be effective in reducing excess fat in unwanted areas including around the waist and on the stomach.
- Apply mineral oil on your chin where there is excess chin fat.
- Use a plastic wrap to wrap the area well with a warm towel.
- Leave the wrap under your chin for about 45 minutes.
- Remove the plastic wrap and the towel.
- Rinse the skin off using lukewarm water. Pat dry.
A chin lift wrap can give instant results. If you use it regularly, you will get results without surgery. It is the kind of remedy you need if you have a small double chin when you look down.
7. Cocoa butter
Cocoa butter is used as a moisturizer in many cosmetics. The reason is its amazing moisturizing properties. Using it as a natural treatment for double chin works due to its ability to improve the skin’s elasticity.
Here’s how to use the remedy to lose fat.
- Put a few tablespoons of cocoa butter into a bowl or container.
- Place it in the microwave and warm it.
- Massage the neck and chin with the warm oil for a 3 minutes.
- Repeat two times a day, once in the morning and once before going to bed.
8. Massage the chin and neck
Massage therapy can help get rid of unwanted fat, reduce flab and tighten sagging skin. It is particularly good with fat that is caused by poor lymphatic system and accumulation of toxins that cause fat and weight gain.
According to Kneefat.com, massage therapy reduces stress and helps with reducing Cortisol levels in the body.
It then helps reduce binge eating – a major cause of double chins in teenagers and young adults. Here’s a video on how to do a chin massage at home. You can use coconut oil, vitamin E oil or cocoa butter for the best results.
9. Glycerin
Glycerin is a thick, colorless fluid with no odor. It is also called glycerol. Glycerin is used as a toner, moisturizer and anti-aging natural treatment.
According to WebMD, glycerol is “taken by mouth for weight loss, improving exercise performance, helping the body replace water lost during diarrhea and vomiting…”
Topical use of glycerin as a massage can also work as a home remedy forneck fat removal. This is because it firms up the chin. Here’s how to use glycerin as a face mask.
- Mix a tablespoon of Epsom salt, two tablespoons of glycerin and 4 drops of peppermint oil to make a face mask.
- Apply the mixture to your face as a normal face mask. Pay more attention to the chin area.
- Leave it on your face for about 10 minutes. This will allow the glycerin to be absorbed into your skin.
- Wash it off thoroughly using cool water.
This remedy should be repeated 3 times a week for the best results.
10. Diet
One of the major causes of excess fat under your chin is poor, fatty diet. Fatty foods and red meats contribute a lot to weight gain.
In your diet, avoid foods with trans fatty acids, saturated fat, sugar and cholesterol. The best foods for fat and weight loss would be:
- Include lean meats in your diet, e.g. turkey, chicken and fish.
- Use monounsaturatedfats from sources such as olive oil, nuts and oily fish.
- Avoid refined foods and carbohydrates such as white bread. Instead, eat whole grains.
- Fruits and vegetables also help in fast weight and fat loss.
Treatments
Other than the natural ways used to remove a double chin, other methods such as surgery, botox injections, machine exercises and laser treatments can be used.
Zap is one of the FDA approved devices for removing fat around the chin. Here are other methods:
Skin tightening creams
Compared to the cost of surgery, skin tightening creams are cheap. They are also good for those who do not want to go for invasive surgical removal of excess fat in the neck area and the chin. Creams are best used where there is a small double chin.
There is no cream that can melt fat away. Therefore, creams are used to give quick results, but mostly temporary.
The active ingredients in most double chin creams contain peptides. These can penetrate the skin and tighten muscle tissue and eliminating the double or triple chin.
Examples of creams in the market for this include Slim-Chin cream and Dermasilk Double Chin Firming Serum.
Botox injections
The before and after pictures of botox injections are promising. According to The Washington Post, botox injections contain “synthetically derived deoxycholic acid, which the body produces naturally to help absorb fats.”
Botox injections destroy fat cells below the chin without affecting the cells of the surrounding tissues. The cost of botox is estimated to be between $1500 and $2000 with about 50 injections required to reduce the two chins completely.
Liposuction and laser surgery
Laser surgery and liposuction are direct and noninvasive or less invasive methods of removing excess fat under the chin. Laser surgery, also called laser lipolysis is used where there is need to remove excess fat and tighten muscles.
Liposuction may involve surgical incisions followed by removal of the fat below the chin to reduce the appearance of a double chin.
This procedure is done under a local anesthetic and at the cosmetic surgeon’s office. The cost of surgery is $4000 upwards.
Kybella and Coolsculting are new FDA-approved ways of removing neck and chin fat, leaving you with a tight skin (without jowls and chin fat).
Other options include machines for exercises. Machines help tone the neck and chin area and can also help remove saggy neck lines.
Getting quick results
Like any other kind of fat on the body, chin fat can be difficult to lose. Weight loss exercises are the best way to lose fat under the chin permanently.
Some people are not overweight or are skinny, yet they have fat chins. A double chin after weight loss means you did not work out your entire body to lose weight all over the body. Jowls and fat under the chin after pregnancy is due to general weight gain.
So, can you lose a double chin in a day (1 day), 5 days or even in 30 days? Fat loss can take some time. How long it takes will depend on the person and the effort or method used. Here are easy ways to reduce a double chin fast (overnight or instantly).
Using makeup e.g. bronzer
Makeup can help you enhance certain parts of your face and draw attention away from the chubby areas such as the chin. Use colors and bronzers to play up your eyes and cheeks. Defining your jawline is, actually, the best way to hide a double chin fast with makeup.
- Clean your face to remove any dirt and sweat.
- Choose a foundation one shade darker than your skin tone and apply on your face.
- Apply a bronzer of the same shade to the chin and neck area. This will help you highlight the jawline and conceal the jowls and double chin.
- Apply a darker shade of foundation on the areas you are hiding.
- Apply a lighter shade of foundation on the areas you want to highlight, taking away attention from the areas with fat.
- Apply a light-colored lipstick.
Hide in photos, use apps e.g. Photoshop
If you are looking to hide it without losing weight or exercise, you can do it with an app or photoshop, Gimp, lightroom or other photo-editing programs.
Apps such as Slim & Skinny can give your photos slimming effects that hide a double chin fast and instantly.
In photoshop CS5 and CS6, there are “dozens of brushes, menus and controls that let you modify your image. Tucked away in a menu is Photoshop’s new Content Aware Fill tool…it can select something in an image and make it vanish. Photoshop then fills in the missing area with content from the surrounding area automatically.” [Chron.com]
Other programs too, such as Gimp have their ways of removing unwanted features of your face in your photos. These methods can only hide it.
Working out and checking your diet is the most natural and recommended way of fat loss around the face.
