Priorities
Double chin
Fullness under the chin that often stays put, even after weight loss.
Treatments from $799
The short version
A double chin is fullness under the chin that’s most noticeable in profile. It’s usually a fat pad, and it often runs in families, showing up in some people as early as their 20s and persisting in others after weight loss. Fat pads don’t respond much to dieting.
A pinch test helps tell the difference. If it’s soft and you can lift it, that’s fat. If it’s loose skin that doesn’t fill your fingers, that’s a different concern with its own treatment options.
Why it happens
Why a double chin can stay put
Fullness under the chin usually comes down to a fat pad, loose skin or a bit of both. Genetics play a big part, which is why some people have it at any weight, and why it often lingers after weight loss.
Genes shape the jaw and neck
Some people inherit a softer jawline or a fuller pad under the chin, even at a healthy weight.
Weight shows up here too
When you gain weight, the chin and neck often gain some too, and this area can be the last to slim down.
Skin loosens with age
As the skin loses elasticity, it can drape under the chin and create a double chin without much fat at all.
Sources: Cleveland Clinic, double chin
Your options
How we'd approach it
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Step 1We'd start with
Kybella
From $799
About KybellaIf you can pinch a soft pad and the skin over it snaps back, we typically recommend Kybella. It's deoxycholic acid, approved by the FDA for moderate to severe fullness under the chin, and it's injected in a grid by our nurse practitioner. Plan on two to four sessions at least a month apart, with one to two weeks of swelling after each.
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Step 2If you need a little more
Morpheus8 for the skin over it
From $799
About Morpheus8 for the skin over itIf the fat goes but the skin over it stays loose, Morpheus8 on the neck can tighten it from underneath once the Kybella swelling has fully cleared.
Side by side
Your options side by side
Fat and loose skin each have their own treatment. Here's how they compare.
We'd start with
Kybella
From $799
- Best for
- A soft fat pad you can pinch, with skin that snaps back
- Appointment
- 15 to 30 minutes
- Downtime
- Swelling for 1 to 2 weeks, numbness for weeks
- First results
- 4 to 6 weeks after each session
- Sessions
- 2 to 4, at least a month apart, some need up to 6
If you need a little more
Morpheus8 on the neck
From $799
- Best for
- Loose skin over the area, once any Kybella swelling has cleared
- Appointment
- 60 to 90 minutes, numbing included
- Downtime
- 2 to 5 days of redness and pinpoint scabs
- First results
- Some tightening in the first few weeks
- Sessions
- 1 to 3, spaced 4 to 8 weeks apart
Medical weight loss
From $699
- Best for
- When weight is the bigger goal, after a medical evaluation
- Appointment
- 30-minute consult, then short weekly or monthly check-ins
- Downtime
- None, but nausea is common early in each dose step
- First results
- Appetite change within days, weight within the first month
- Sessions
- Weekly injections, ongoing, with dose steps every 4 weeks or longer
Prices are starting prices from our menu. Your provider will confirm the plan and total cost at your consult. Individual results vary.
What to expect
What to expect after Kybella
Swelling peaks in the first few days and settles over about two weeks. The change shows four to six weeks after each session, and builds over the series.
Days 0 to 3
Bullfrog swelling
Significant swelling, redness, bruising, and numbness. This is expected.
Days 4 to 14
Swelling settles
Swelling settles, while numbness and firmness stay a while.
Weeks 4 to 6
First reduction
You’ll see the first visible reduction. Time for your next session, if planned.
Long term
Cells don’t return
Full result shows 4 to 12 weeks after the last session. Treated cells don’t return, though weight gain can enlarge the rest.
Timeline for Kybella, from our treatment page. Individual results vary.
Our reasoning
How we decide
We’ll take a profile photo, do a quick pinch test, and then look at your neck with your head tilted back. That tells us how much is fat, how much is skin, and whether there are muscle bands, which nothing on our menu treats.
A discrete pad with decent skin is a good fit for Kybella. In its trials, 70 percent of people had at least a one-grade improvement after up to six treatments, versus 18.6 percent on placebo, per the Kybella prescribing information. The label also notes that swelling lasted past 30 days for 20 percent of people and numbness for 42 percent, so it’s best booked when you have a few weeks without major events.
If you have fat plus loosening skin, we’ll start with Kybella, then move on to Morpheus8 or Forma on the neck. If it’s only loose skin, Kybella isn’t needed. Individual results vary.
People also ask whether semaglutide or tirzepatide would help. We do offer medical weight loss here, and if weight is your larger goal, we can discuss it at your consult. Keep in mind that a GLP-1 lowers total body weight and doesn’t target the chin specifically.
Your questions, answered
Will losing weight get rid of my double chin?
Sometimes, but often not, because some people carry chin fat at any weight. If you've lost weight and it's still there, you may be a good Kybella candidate. If you have a lot of weight to lose, we'd suggest focusing on that first and then reassessing together, because loose skin after weight loss changes the plan.
How long is the swelling after Kybella?
Swelling is greatest for the first three days and settles over two weeks, with numbness and firmness that can linger for weeks. That's expected, but it's worth planning around, so avoid booking it in the weeks before an event or photos.
Do you offer CoolSculpting for the chin?
We don't. There's no CoolSculpting or other body-contouring device at Arlington Heights. For a double chin, Kybella is what we offer, and we put together a Kybella vs CoolSculpting comparison to explain why.
Why do I have a double chin when I'm not overweight?
Genetics are often the reason. Some people inherit a fuller fat pad under the chin or a softer jawline, and it can show at any weight. Because that fat doesn't respond much to dieting, a targeted treatment like Kybella can help.
Is the result from Kybella permanent?
Kybella destroys the fat cells it reaches, and those cells don't grow back, so the result is long-lasting. Significant weight gain can still add fat to the area, so a steady weight helps keep it. Individual results vary.
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