How To Lose Chin Fat: 7 Tips To Get Rid Of A Double Chin In 2025

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Reviewed by Ellie Busby, MS, RDN
how to lose chin fat
How to lose chin fat naturally and with surgical procedures. Photo: sruilk/Shutterstock

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Many people develop a double chin as they get older and their skin starts to lose elasticity and sag. A double chin (also called submental fat) is caused by excess fatty tissue that accumulates under the lower jaw. However, a double chin can also be caused by genetics or weight gain.

Many may wonder how to lose chin fat, but slimming down your jawline can be a challenge. Weight loss, exercises that target the facial muscles, and cosmetic and surgical procedures can all help with double chin removal. 

Read on to learn seven methods to lose your double chin.

How To Get Rid Of Fat Under Chin Naturally

  • Weight loss.
  • Chin workouts.
  • Jaw exercise tools.
  • Chewing gum.
  • Cryolipolysis.
  • Lipolysis.
  • Double chin surgery.

7 Ways To Get Rid Of A Double Chin

how to lose chin fat
There are many ways to get rid of a double chin. Photo: Aleksandr Rybalko/Shutterstock

Double chins are very common, but that doesn’t make them any easier to live with. Studies have found[1] that even a little excess chin fat can negatively impact how people feel about their appearance. It’s no surprise, therefore, that many people want to know how to get rid of a double chin. 

It can be difficult to slim down just one part of your body, but you can shed excess chin fat by losing weight and performing chin exercises. For people with stubborn double chins that just won’t shrink, there are also cosmetic and surgical procedures that can remove or reduce fat and loose skin around the jaw.

Weight Loss

Double chins are often associated with being overweight or obese, so the easiest way to reduce them is usually through weight loss. Regular exercise and a calorie deficit will deplete your body’s fat stores and reduce the amount of fatty tissue in all parts of your body. As you continue to lose weight, fat will start to melt away from previously bulky body parts including the chin.

The most effective way to lose body fat is with cardiovascular exercise.[2] Activities like running, swimming, dancing, and high-intensity interval training burn the most calories. 

When combined with a healthy diet, cardio can benefit your health in numerous ways[3] and may even help to shift stubborn chin fat.

Chin Workouts

Living a healthy lifestyle can help you shed excess fat, but there are also specific exercises you can do to slim down your chin. 

Chin exercises work by strengthening and toning the muscles in your neck and jaw. This may help to tighten the skin and deflate a puffy face, thereby reducing the appearance of a double chin.

If it’s your first time performing chin workouts, start with a simple neck stretch to avoid straining the muscles. To do this, gently rotate your head clockwise by tilting your chin forward and down, then up and back. Do this a few times before reversing the direction. 

To strengthen the neck muscles, lift your chin and tilt your head back until you are looking at the ceiling. You should do this with a straight back and relaxed shoulders. With your head tilted, purse your lips into a whistling shape to engage the muscles on either side of the neck.

Another way to activate muscles in the chin and neck is by performing jaw juts. Lift your chin towards the ceiling and push your lower jaw forward until you feel your chin muscles stretching. Hold this position for 10 seconds before relaxing your head back into its natural position. Repeat the exercise 10 times.

Jaw Exercise Tools

Jaw exercise tools are devices designed to engage and strengthen the jaw muscles. Using these tools can increase facial muscle thickness[4] and produce a more sculpted facial structure, helping reduce double chin appearance. 

There are lots of facial exercise tools to choose from, but most work by activating the mastication muscles, which you use for chewing.

Chewing Gum

Chewing gum alone won’t get rid of your double chin, but it might help tone your jaw muscles by keeping them active. Another benefit of chewing gum is that it can help with weight loss. 

Research has found that people who chewed gum after lunch were less likely to snack[5] on carbohydrate-heavy foods. Reducing your intake of carbs per day can help to cut your overall calories, helping promote weight loss and reduce chin fat.

Cryolipolysis

Cryolipolysis is a cosmetic procedure used to freeze fat cells and trim excess weight from specific body parts. This can be an effective way to remove fat from areas that are difficult to target with exercise, such as the neck and chin area.

Cryolipolysis has been found to significantly reduce submental fat[6] and improve the appearance of double chins without surgery. 

During cryolipolysis treatment, a device is used to apply intense cold to the skin. This doesn’t damage the skin, but it destroys fat cells beneath the surface and reduces the volume of fatty tissue in the area. 

Lipolysis

Lipolysis is another cosmetic procedure that destroys and removes excess fat tissue from specific body parts. In lipolysis, deoxycholic acid[7] is injected under the skin where it kills fat cells. The number of injections and treatment sessions varies depending on the size and severity of the issue.

Lipolysis using deoxycholic acid can significantly reduce the amount of fat tissue[8] under the chin. For people who want to know how to lose chin fat fast, this procedure may be the quickest way to slim down their chin and neck area.

Double Chin Surgery

Some people may need double chin surgery to completely remove submental fat and loose skin from their chin and neck. The type of double chin treatment you need will depend on your specific facial structure, but the most common options are liposuction, facelift, and neck lift surgery.

Liposuction is a procedure used to physically suction fat from under the skin. A small incision is made in the skin, and a tube removes the fatty tissue beneath.

The face and neck lift procedures are more invasive than liposuction and are usually performed under anesthetic. During these surgeries, the doctor will remove excess skin from the chin and neck area to achieve a more sculpted appearance. These procedures may be suggested for people whose double chin is caused by saggy skin, possibly as a result of weight loss.[9]

Causes Of A Double Chin

how to lose chin fat
Double chins are caused by weight gain, genetics, and aging. Photo: New Africa/Shutterstock

A double chin is most commonly caused by weight gain, as excess fat deposits under the jaw can make the neck area look puffy. However, your facial structure is largely determined by genetics,[10] and some people may be predisposed to have more face fat and a double chin.

Another leading cause of double chin is aging. As we get older, our skin becomes thinner and less elastic,[11] which leads to wrinkling and sagging. Loose skin around the chin and neck area can droop and create the appearance of a double chin, even in those who are a healthy weight.

Tips For Retaining A Slim Chin

Healthy eating is just as important as exercise when it comes to maintaining a healthy weight and a slim chin. Avoiding processed foods in favor of fruits, veggies, and other whole foods is typically the most effective way[12] to stay slim and prevent a double chin.

Hydration is also very important, as adequate water intake may help to improve the elasticity of skin[13] and prevent sagging. Certain supplements can also help with weight loss and improve the appearance and quality of the skin.

Lots of people develop a double chin as they get older, mainly due to the natural aging process. Sun damage is a leading cause of skin aging,[14] so you may be able to keep your neck and chin skin taut by applying sunscreen daily. 

Supplementing marine collagen[15] has also been shown to improve skin elasticity, especially in sun-exposed areas.

Conclusion

It can be very difficult to lose fat under the chin, as it is hard to target this part of the body with exercise. Many people ask how to get rid of double chin without surgery and, fortunately, most can reduce submental fat with double chin exercises and weight loss. 

However, the fastest and most effective way to lose chin and face fat is often using cosmetic and surgical procedures. Cryolipolysis and lipolysis are two non-invasive cosmetic procedures used to destroy fat cells and reduce fatty tissue under the lower jaw. For people whose double chin is caused by excess or sagging skin, a face or neck lift may be the most suitable option.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is having a double chin something to worry about?

Double chins are very common and nothing to worry about. A double chin may be caused by weight gain, genetics, or skin aging.

How long does it take to get rid of a double chin?

This depends on how much chin fat you have and the method you use to lose it. Diet and exercise can reduce a double chin in months or years, whereas cosmetic and surgical treatments may reduce a double chin overnight.

Can you fix a double chin with exercise?

Many people have a double chin because they are overweight. In these cases, diet and exercise may be all it takes to fix a double chin.

How to get rid of chin fat overnight?

The only way to quickly reduce chin fat is with cosmetic and surgical procedures such as cyrolipolysis, lipolysis, liposuction, facelift, or neck lift surgery.

+ 15 Sources

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kate is an experienced science writer with a Bachelor's degree in Biology and a background in medical research. Her mission is to help scientists and healthcare providers communicate the value of their findings, products and services… See More