Can a thread lift fix a double chin?

If your double chin is caused by sagging tissue along the jawline and upper neck, a thread lift may be considered to lift that tissue and tidy the line under your chin. If fat built up under the chin is the main cause, some fullness can remain even after lifting, so your doctor will talk with you about ways to reduce fat. This article covers when a thread lift is considered for a double chin caused by sagging.

What a sagging-type double chin looks like

Fullness under the chin usually comes from a mix of three things.

• Fat built up under the chin
• Stretched skin
• Cheek and jowl tissue that has dropped below the jawline

An anatomy study found a membrane that anchors the skin under the chin down toward the bone, and concluded that this membrane creates the crease that outlines a double chin.

(Evidence: layer-by-layer dissection study of 72 cadavers, 2018)

The sagging type is when the third factor, descended tissue, plays the biggest role.

Signs that point to the sagging type

These are things you can gauge in a mirror. An accurate assessment happens at your appointment.

• Pulling the cheek in front of your ear up and back with your fingertips also tidies the area under your chin.
• You have jowls as well, and your jawline looks broken partway along.
• When you pinch under your chin, you feel thin, loose skin more than thick fat.
• Losing weight hasn't changed the shape under your chin much.
• It stands out more in profile with your head tilted slightly down than from the front.

If many of these apply, a thread lift is worth considering. Threads lift tissue along the jawline up and outward and hold it in place.

Signs that point to the fat type

• When you grab under your chin, you can hold thick fat between your fingers.
• It gets bigger when you gain weight and smaller when you lose it.
• Lifting your cheeks leaves the fullness under your chin unchanged.
• The area under your chin has been full since you were young.

In this case, your doctor will discuss ways to reduce fat under the chin. In large clinical trials, an injection designed for under-chin fat reduced fat more than a placebo.

(Evidence: phase 3 trials comparing groups of 258 people each, 2016)

If you have both, your doctor will set the order for which part to treat for fat and which part to lift. Rather than deciding in advance which method is better, the plan is matched to what's actually creating the fullness under your chin.

What to know after a thread lift

• Swelling, bruising and tightness can last a few days.
• Bending or turning your head a lot may feel uncomfortable for a while.
• Rarely, skin dimpling can occur or the end of a thread can be felt.
• How much change you see and how long it lasts vary from person to person.

(Evidence: comprehensive US review of thread-lift literature, 2019)

What to bring to your consultation

A double chin can look bigger or smaller depending on the camera angle. Photos that show how you usually look make it easier to tell the sagging type from the fat type.

• Everyday photos taken from the angle that bothers you
• Any weight changes over the past one to two years
• Records of any treatments or injections to reduce under-chin fat
• Upcoming events, like photo shoots or special occasions, that need recovery time