A double chin is not only fat. How submental fat and loss of firmness each contribute, and where 2.45GHz microwave treatment fits.
Written and reviewed by Dr. Lee Yumin, MeSOnBom Clinic
Hello. This is Dr. Lee Yumin of MeSOnBom Clinic.
In summer, with lighter clothing and more photographs, the jawline and the area under the chin catch the eye in a way they usually do not.
Most people seeing a double chin think first, "Have I put on weight?"
But a double chin is not simply a matter of weight gain.
The distribution of fat, declining skin firmness and several other factors act together.
Today I want to look at why a double chin forms, and in which cases Onda Lifting can be considered.
Weight gain can increase submental fat and make a double chin more prominent, but weight alone does not fully explain it.
Fat is distributed differently across the face and under the chin from person to person.
Some people are slim yet carry a distinct pad of fat under the chin; others have little submental fat, but as firmness declines the boundary between chin and neck blurs.
With age, too, skin firmness decreases and the supporting tissue changes, so the jawline can look less defined than before.
A double chin can therefore be grouped broadly into a type mainly influenced by fat, a type mainly influenced by skin laxity, and a type where the two appear together.
Rather than judging by how much facial fat there is, the first step is to understand why the jawline has become less defined.
Onda Lifting is a non-invasive treatment using 2.45GHz microwave energy, which allows localised submental fat and skin firmness to be considered together.
The Coolwaves® technology used in Onda delivers microwave energy into the tissue, generating heat.
In subcutaneous fat this thermal energy helps reduce localised fat, while in connective tissue it induces collagen remodelling and so assists skin tightening.
A contact cooling system is applied at the skin surface, designed to keep the surface temperature from rising excessively during treatment.
Research applying this principle has been reported.
In a study published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology in 2022, 48 subjects received 2.45GHz microwave treatment to the submental area, six sessions at two-week intervals.
Changes were observed in investigator-assessed measures of submental fat and skin laxity.
These results do not, however, appear identically in everyone.
The degree of actual change can differ with the amount of submental fat, skin thickness, elasticity, facial structure and the treatment conditions.
Having a double chin does not by itself make Onda Lifting right for everyone.
What matters most is first establishing whether the double chin is created by fat, by skin laxity, or by the two acting together.
Where there is a degree of submental fat accompanied by declining firmness, an approach that considers fat and firmness together can be one option.
Where facial fat is scant and laxity is the main cause, it is worth comparing lifting methods focused on firmness and sagging rather than fat reduction.
One further point: the face does not hold only the fat one would like to reduce — it also holds the volume needed to keep the facial contour natural.
Rather than aiming to reduce as much fat as possible, it is important to look at the distribution of fat across the whole face, skin firmness and the condition under the chin, and to approach selected areas selectively.
Rather than deciding first which device is better, identifying why your jawline has become less defined is the starting point for any lifting plan.
Q. Can a double chin remain even after dieting?
A. Losing weight does not mean fat leaves a particular area as much as one would like. Where fat accumulates and where it reduces differs from person to person, and if declining firmness is also present the jawline can still look blurred after weight loss.
Q. Can slim people have Onda Lifting?
A. Suitability is not judged on weight alone. Even a slim body can carry localised fat under the chin, so the actual amount of submental fat and the skin's firmness need to be assessed. Where facial fat is scant, the treatment area and intensity must be decided carefully so that necessary volume is not reduced.
Q. Does Onda Lifting only reduce fat?
A. No. Because thermal action is delivered to connective tissue as well as localised fat, skin tightening can be considered alongside. It can also be used where submental fat and declining firmness are both a concern.
It is easy to think that a double chin means one must lose weight first, but in reality submental fat, declining firmness and other factors act together.
Onda Lifting is therefore better approached not simply as a treatment to reduce a double chin, but by first establishing how much fat is present under the chin and what condition the skin's firmness is in.
Reducing a great deal of facial fat does not in itself create a natural contour.
Distinguishing the volume that should be kept from the areas that need refining, and approaching the cause of the double chin accordingly, is the core of a lifting plan.
If you are considering treatment, please decide after full consultation with a doctor about your present condition and the direction you want.
Written by Dr. Lee Yumin — MeSOnBom Clinic
Our medical team will advise you based on your skin condition.
