Let’s Take a Closer Look at Submental Muscles and Submental Muscle Tightening for a Double Chin

Hello, I’m Dr. Jo Hyun-woo, director of IP Cheok Plastic Surgery.

Today, I’d like to talk about submental muscle tightening for the double chin, which has been mentioned a lot recently.

I have talked about this in several columns and on YouTube.

When performing chin surgery, if the bony volume is reduced, or if a chin setback procedure or a surgery that shortens the length of the chin is done,

I have explained that a side effect can be the development of a double chin.

If it is not severe, it may be barely noticeable,

but for people who already have a little bit of fat, the length of the chin bone may be reduced after surgery, yet the appearance may become less attractive because of a double chin.

Contour surgery 3 types (left) before surgery (right) after surgery

In such cases, I explain that improvement can often be seen with double chin liposuction, Ellastiqueum, or dissolvable thread lifting.

Let me show you an actual patient example.

Double chin correction (left) before surgery (right) after surgery

As you can see, there are cases where sufficient correction is possible like this.

However, in addition to these methods, a surgery that has recently been performed often is called “double chin muscle tightening.”

Double chin muscle tightening is a lifting method that binds and fixes the loosened muscle layer around the double chin area.

Typical causes of a double chin include a receding chin, multiple combined causes, and various factors such as the salivary glands and tissues around the double chin area.

If you think about the causes of a double chin, the solution for cases caused by excess fat and for a double chin that has lost elasticity and does not go away even with dieting is “platysma correction.”

This is the muscle located right under the chin.

The area under the chin is supported by a muscle called the platysma, which connects from below the chin to the neck. As this muscle weakens, the skin under the chin gradually sags, and empty space forms beneath the sagging skin, creating an environment where fat can accumulate more easily.

If chin fat does not go away no matter how much you exercise or control your diet, the cause may lie somewhere other than fat,

and in most cases, improvement can be made through double chin muscle tightening. It is an appropriate surgical method for people whose skin under the chin has stretched, people whose facial line looks uneven due to a loose double chin, people who want a slim chin line through a non-surgical approach, and people who have skin sagging after facial contouring or orthognathic surgery.

Some people worry about scars after surgery, but the scar is made with an incision of about 1 cm under the chin, where it is as hidden as possible, and with consistent scar care it usually fades gradually after a certain period of time following surgery, so it has the advantage of being not noticeable.

If you undergo double chin muscle tightening, you may worry that it could be dangerous because it is around the neck.

However, there is no need for major concern, as all blood vessels and nerves are located inside the platysma.

That said, it can be risky if the surgery is performed without surgical experience or if it is done based on intuition rather than theory.

Possible side effects after surgery are similar to those of double chin liposuction. These include unevenness, dents, and asymmetry.

That is why you should receive the procedure from a specialist with abundant know-how and experience in surgery in order to see definite improvement.

To remove a double chin, there are various methods such as liposuction, lifting, and laser treatment, and the most effective surgical method can differ depending on the individual.

If you are considering double chin muscle tightening, please be sure to get an accurate diagnosis from a specialist with extensive experience and know-how, and then proceed with the method that is right for you.

Thank you.