Does Everyone Get A Double Chin As They Age?

There are many joys that come with aging, from thinning hair to apparent nose and ear growth. In case you’d like one more curiosity to obsess over, another facial development that might take place is the emergence of a double chin, which dermatologist Dr. Randa Khoury called “a common and often frustrating cosmetic complaint.”

But does everyone deal with this issue, regardless of genetics and beauty routines? We talked to Khoury and some prominent facial plastic surgeons to get answers.

A double chin, clinically known as submental fullness or fat, can take different forms, according to Dr. Corey Maas, a board-certified facial plastic surgeon and former president of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. “A double chin may present in several variations, which can be influenced by factors such as the degree of fat accumulation, the elasticity of the skin and the underlying muscle tone,” he said.

For some, a double chin only appears when “the neck is in a certain position or angle,” Maas explained. Meanwhile, those with “more substantial fat deposits and skin laxity” can have a double chin that is always present and worsens over time, he said.

The shape of a double chin can vary, too. Some people develop “a ‘hanging’ double chin, which is an unwanted hanging extension of the chin,” Maas said. Others develop a “true double chin,” in which skin and fat hang under the chin “and then pouch out in one or more additional lobes of excess fat and skin,” he explained.

Some people are genetically prone to storing fat in the chin area, Khoury said, noting that this is true “regardless of body composition” and even if people are otherwise slim.

If your “parent and grandparent had a double chin, even if they were in shape,” you will likely develop one too, said Dr. Eric Carniol, a double-board-certified facial plastic surgeon at Carniol Plastic Surgery.

“Weight gain, particularly if rapid,” may also cause a double chin, Khoury said. That’s because fat deposits under the chin can be “worse in patients that are or have been heavier,” Carniol noted.

Losing weight doesn’t always solve the problem, either. “For patients with weight loss, it can be that the fat previously stretched the tissues and they are just not contracting back,” Carniol explained.

External factors like sun exposure and smoking may lead to a double chin. “Sun exposure over time degrades collagen, making the skin more lax and loose,” Khoury said. “By practicing good sun protection, we protect the integrity of our skin texture to reduce the risk of sagging over time.”

Smoking may cause a double chin because it deprives the skin of oxygen, which “plays a huge role in making the skin lose elasticity,” Maas explained. People might have “a straight line of skin from chin to chest, or even a curvilinear line hanging down to the chest,” he noted.

The anatomical structure of your face can influence the appearance of your chin, especially over time. “The shape of the jaw, chin and neck significantly contributes to the appearance of a double chin,” Maas said. People “with a weaker or recessed chin are more likely to develop a double chin due to the underlying skeletal structure, even in the absence of excess fat,” he added.

The platysma muscle plays a role, too. This is “a wide, flat muscle that goes from the collarbones over the jawline,” Carniol said. He explained that “when we are young, that muscle helps hold up the neck” — but “it loosens from the deeper tissues and sags” as people age, contributing to the appearance of a double chin.

Finally, “as we age, [the proteins] collagen and elastin break down, causing the skin to appear looser and give the impression of sagging, hanging skin under the chin,” Khoury said.

And over time, the chin starts to “sag due to years of gravity on weakening soft tissue,” Carniol noted.

The development of a double chin largely comes down to “what Mother Nature has in store for us,” Khoury said.

However, lifestyle factors can play a role for some people. “The best offense is a good defense,” Khoury explained. Protecting your skin from the sun, staying hydrated and maintaining a healthy weight through diet and regular exercise can be effective for some people, she noted.

Although many over-the-counter treatments claim to treat a double chin, Carniol said that most don’t work. “Since the issue involves more than just the surface skin, many treatments that are offered over the counter are just not enough,” he said. “There are, unfortunately, a lot of gimmicks out there and people selling things that are just a waste of time.”

Some people recommend facial and neck exercises to prevent a double chin. Often, they claim that “maintaining those muscles can help reduce the appearance of sagging skin,” Khoury said. However, she explained that this is “controversial” because “there are no published studies validating the effect of skin-specific exercises.” Similarly, no published research demonstrates the effectiveness of over-the-counter devices that claim to tighten the relevant muscles.

For those who still want to do something about a double chin, “the good news is that safe and effective treatments address these issues that are low-risk and [have a] low recovery time,” Maas said.

Khoury recommended “injectables, laser therapy, liposuction and noninvasive body-tightening modalities like ultrasound, freezing and thermogenesis” because they can be “very effective.” Carniol said he uses radio frequency microneedling for some patients because it “is very effective at skin-tightening in the deeper layers” and “can be used to target fat.”

People should consult a dermatologist as soon as they notice something that bothers them, Khoury said, noting that “early intervention is best” for addressing a double chin. She said this is “generally lower-cost and lower-risk, and can help you maintain your preferred aesthetic over time without taking more drastic measures, such as surgery.”

Whether to embrace your changing face or seek help is your choice, but you should always consult a doctor.