Turkey wattle? Turkey flab? Gobbler? Meat scarf?
Those are all terms for the dreaded double chin. And, they aren’t pretty!
Everyone hates the unsightly bulge. And, they’ll do just about anything to get rid of it. But, before you opt to sign up for invasive options like going under the knife or liposuction, maybe you’d like to try safer methods that can remove that unsightly fold of skin under your jaw.
The Dreaded Double Chin is a Harmless Roll of Skin
Before you start to feel like there’s a live boa around your neck that you need to lose, understand that the double chin is just skin with a layer of subcutaneous fat under it. Once the roll appears, it can be a bit difficult to get rid of since the skin has lost its elasticity. But the good news is that there are a bunch of solutions out there that can replace the lost layer of collagen and elastin under the skin that helps keep it firm and smooth.
The Roll Can Appear Because of Various Reasons
Several factors can cause the appearance of that roll under your chin. And, know that it is not necessary that only overweight people develop the dreaded double chins. Even people with normal weight levels can have the under-chin roll.
- Genetic Propensity: Look around your family members, and if they sport the meat scarf, you’ll have your answer. Genes play a major role in the development of the dreaded double chin. For instance, they dictate how your body distributes and stores fat reserves and the water retention levels. The dietary habits that the entire family follows can also contribute to this body flaw.
- Obesity: Being overweight means that your body stores fat all over and that includes the area under your chin. By losing the excess weight, you should be able to see the neck roll disappearing along with the inches on your butt, belly, thighs, arms, and even, back.
- Drastic Weight Loss: If you have been particularly obese and you lost the pounds quickly, chances are that the layer of collagen and elastin under your skin hasn’t been able to keep up with the disappearing fat. That’s when you notice the loose folds.
- Aging: As you age, the muscles under the jaw line tend to weaken and become lax leading to the appearance of the dreaded double chin.
- Bad Posture: Many people have the habit of sitting with their chin dropped and slumped in a chair. The result – a permanent fold under the chin that won’t go away.
Doing the Specific Exercises for Double Chin Removal Can Help
You can try various exercises that can stretch and strengthen the muscles under your chin like:
- Begin with a series of warm-up exercises that can loosen the neck and jaw muscles before you stretch them. Move your head to the left and then rotate it towards the sky, to the right, to your chest, and back up. Try this move, clockwise and counterclockwise a few times. Next, move your jaw forward, to the left and then right, holding for a few seconds each time.
- Place a 5 to 10-inch ball under your chin and press down on it in a smooth motion. Release gently and repeat 10 to 15 times.
- Open your mouth wide and stick the tongue out holding for about 10 seconds. Repeat 8 to 10 times.
- Sit in a straight-backed chair with the shoulders back but relaxed. Raise your head to the ceiling so that your chin is parallel to the floor. Pucker your lips to the position like you were shooting a plume of water to the ceiling. You’ll sense a contraction in the jaw and neck. Hold for as long as you can and repeat about 10 times.
- Stick your lower lip onto the upper lip and hold. Now, turn your face towards the ceiling and hold for a few seconds. You’ll feel your neck muscles tightening.
- Chewing sugarless gum can help you exercise your jaw muscles and keep your teeth healthy. You’ll also find that you can control the urge for snacking by chewing gum.
Other Solutions for the Double Chin
Exercising the loose muscles of that dreaded double chin is no doubt the best way to correct the problem. But, you can try some of these other methods also.
- Drink lots of water so your body retains less of fluids that can accumulate below the chin.
- Change your diet and add lots of fruits, vegetables, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats. Cut back on sugar and processed foods. Every pound you lose will also result in the double chin lessening.
- In addition to exercises for the face, include at least 45 minutes of moderate physical activity each day in your routine.
- Try massage therapy by using gentle upward strokes starting at the neck and ending below the chin. Use vitamin E oils for lubrication that also help firm up the skin.
- Consider getting skin-firming face packs for your chin.
Ultherapy – A Non-Invasive Safe Method
While you can use methods like liposuction and fat-dissolving injections like Deoxycholic acid, consider opting for Ultherapy instead. This modality uses the power of sound to gently stimulate the layer of collagen and elastin under the skin to regenerate. The aesthetician uses a wand to that emits low-frequency sound waves and holds it against your skin. You’ll only feel a tingling sensation and experience some amount of redness afterward. Within a few weeks after the 10 to 15-minute session, you’ll start to see a marked improvement in your appearance with the dreaded double chin seeming to vanish. Rest assured that Ultherapy treatments have absolutely no side-effects; they’re safe, non-invasive, and very effective.
Double chins and turkey wattles are no doubt unsightly. But, you need not opt for invasive measures when you can correct the problem using natural and much safer alternative methods.