You eat well.
You exercise.
You might even be lean everywhere else.
So why does that stubborn pocket under your chin refuse to budge?
If you’ve searched how to get rid of a double chin, you’ve likely fallen into a rabbit hole of hacks, tools, and “natural fixes.” Most promise visible results. Few explain why they work—or why they don’t.
This guide ranks the five most common ways to get rid of a double chin, from least effective to most effective, so you can choose the right option for your anatomy, budget, and timeline.
Rank #5: Facial exercises, face yoga & gua sha
What people try:
Jawline exercises, “mewing,” resistance tools, facial yoga routines, and gua sha stones.
Why people hope it works:
These methods feel proactive, cheap, and natural. Influencers often show dramatic “before and afters,” which creates strong expectations – often simply showing a change due to contracting mouth floor muscles.
What actually happens:
Facial exercises activate muscles like the platysma. Gua sha moves lymphatic fluid and temporarily reduces puffiness. Neither process affects fat cells.
Fat cells do not burn because you contract nearby muscles. They also do not disappear because fluid shifts.
Verdict: 1/5
These techniques may improve posture or reduce morning swelling. They cannot remove fat. Anyone looking for how to remove a double chin permanently will almost always feel disappointed relying on tools alone.
Natural methods are best for fluid retention, not fat.
Rank #4: Fat freezing (CoolSculpting)
What the treatment does:
CoolSculpting uses controlled cooling to target fat cells under the chin. The device chills the fat pad to a temperature that triggers fat cell death, while leaving skin and surrounding tissue intact.
Why people choose it:
It feels high-tech and non-invasive. There are no needles, no incisions, and no anaesthetic. Many people like the idea of “freezing fat away” rather than injecting or removing it surgically.
What actually happens biologically:
Fat cells are more sensitive to cold than skin cells. When exposed to sustained cooling, the fat cells undergo apoptosis (programmed cell death). Over the following weeks, your body gradually clears the damaged cells through normal metabolic processes.
The reality check:
CoolSculpting works best on small, soft, well-defined fat pockets. The chin often contains fibrous fat, uneven thickness, or mixed fat and skin laxity. That makes results inconsistent.
It uses fixed applicators that limit precision under the chin. Response varies, and subtle contouring proves difficult in smaller areas.
Volume reduction is also modest. Many patients need multiple cycles, and even then, the change can look subtle rather than transformative.
Common frustrations:
- Results take 2–3 months to appear
- Swelling, numbness, or firmness can last weeks
- Limited precision compared to injections
- Up to a 1 in 50 risk of paradoxical fat hyperplasia (treated fat grows in size)
Verdict: 3/5
CoolSculpting can reduce chin fat, but it lacks precision and predictability. If your double chin feels “squishy” and well defined, it may help, but with the risk of making the problem worse.
Best for larger areas.
Rank #3: Weight loss & caloric deficit
What people try:
Dieting, calorie tracking, fasting, or increased cardio to “lean out” the face.
Why it sometimes helps:
Losing overall body fat can reduce fat stores everywhere, including the chin.
The limitation:
You cannot spot-reduce fat. The body decides where it loses fat first and last. For many people, submental fat ranks last.
This area often responds poorly to weight loss because genetics and hormones control it. That’s why people frequently reach their goal weight and still see a double chin in photos.
Verdict: 3/5
Weight loss supports health and should not be dismissed. But when the fat pad is genetic, it rarely represents the best way to get rid of a double chin on its own.
Best for overall health, not spot reduction.
Rank #2: Fat dissolving
What they do:
Clinicians inject treatment to permanently destroy fat cells. The body then clears them naturally over several weeks.
Why this approach works so well:
- Targets fat directly
- Leaves skin intact
- Avoids surgery
- Allows precise sculpting
Unlike dieting or devices, injections eliminate fat cells. Unlike surgery, they do not require anaesthesia or long recovery.
What to expect:
Results from fat dissolving appear gradually as swelling resolves and the body metabolises fat. Once the fat cells are gone, they do not return. Multiple sessions are usually needed, spaced 4-6 weeks apart.
Verdict: 4/5
For suitable candidates with under chin fat, fat dissolving offers the best way to get rid of a double chin because it combines permanence, precision, and practicality.
Best for precise, moderate fat pockets, like under the chin.
Learn more about double chin fat dissolving.
Book your consultation now
Rank #1: Chin liposuction
What it involves:
A surgeon inserts a cannula and physically removes fat under anaesthesia.
Why it works:
Liposuction removes fat immediately and permanently. No waiting period. No gradual change.
The trade-offs:
- Surgical risk
- Compression garments
- Bruising and downtime
- Higher cost (often $8,000+)
Many patients find surgery disproportionate for a relatively small area.
Verdict:
5/5 for effectiveness
1/5 for convenience
Best for significant volume.
Surgery remains a guaranteed way to remove double chin fat. For mild to moderate fullness, however, it often exceeds what’s necessary.
Want to know more about double chin fat removal?
Learn more about double chin treatments in our complete double chin treatment guide.
Searching online for “double chin fat removal near me”?
Curious about whether you’re suitable for double chin fat injections? Explore our double chin treatment and start your journey.
