Non-Invasive Chin Enhancements Are Booming—Here's What's Worth the Price Tag
The experts have spoken.
If the eyes are the windows to the soul, then the chin is the anchor that balances the face. While the cheeks, eyes, and lips often garner the most attention, it’s the under-the-radar chin that sets the framework for everything else. Aesthetically speaking, a weak chin can distract from the lower face, but one that’s too prominent can offset facial proportions in both your profile and overall facial structure. When the shape and projection of the chin are just right, everything falls perfectly into place.
The desire for a well-defined chin and a complementing jawline is nothing new. For years, implants were the go-to for restoring definition to weak chins, but the bevy of minimally invasive and nonsurgical procedures makes accentuating the chin as easy as a zap here or an injection there. Best of all, the latest options can create a tighter, more defined chin with minimal downtime.
Ahead, discover everything you need to know about the most effective chin-enhancing treatments that define, lift, and subtly elevate your profile.
Reduce Excess Fat to Eliminate a Double Chin
Whether the dreaded double chin is the result of aging, weight gain, or genetics, nurse Tara Adashev, APRN, says excess submental fat (the layer of fat under the chin) can make a once sharp chin appear round and obscure the jawline. Oftentimes, loose or crepey skin accompanies excess fat, creating an aged appearance.
Board-certified dermatologist Cheryl Karcher, MD, often relies on liposuction to instantly slim a double chin for better projection and definition. “It also enhances the jaw and makes the neckline appear longer,” she adds. The procedure can be done in-office under local anesthesia in 20 to 60 minutes with minimal downtime, especially since Dr. Karcher says chin lipo has little systemic impact on the rest of the body. To tighten the skin, chin liposuction can be combined with Renuvion, also known as J-plasma. The FDA-cleared device uses helium-based plasma and radiofrequency energy below the skin’s surface, causing the skin along the chin and jawline to contract for a tighter contour.
But not everyone wants or needs liposuction, which is where fat-dissolving and melting treatments come into play.
- Kybella: This is an FDA-approved injectable that contains deoxycholic acid, a naturally occurring substance that gradually destroys fat cells, causing them to burst so the body can eliminate them. Most people need between two and six sessions, spaced one month apart, to achieve permanent fat reduction. Intense swelling and bruising, a byproduct of fat destruction, that lasts about one week, is normal. Double board-certified facial plastic surgeon Benjamin Caughlin, MD, says it works well in people with an isolated fat pocket and good skin quality. “That ideal person is few and far between, and injectors misallocate Kybella to patients who are not good candidates, which is probably the number one issue with it.” While Kybella debulks the chin, the results are less predictable and dramatic than liposuction, which is why Dr. Karcher says the final contour can vary.
- CoolSculpting: This option also eliminates fat under the chin, though it’s less popular now due to the risk of paradoxical adipose hyperplasia (PAH), which can cause the treated area to become hard and enlarged. It uses a special applicator that employs suction to draw in the tissue while controlled cooling forces the fat cells to crystallize and die, resulting in increased chin definition.
- Radiofrequency: These treatments, often used with other technologies, also melt fat. A new option, Emface Submentum, uses synchronized radiofrequency to warm the tissues to stimulate collagen and elastin production, and HIFES (high-intensity facial electromagnetic stimulation) to improve muscle tone and support. Board-certified dermatologist and cosmetic surgeon Melanie Palm, MD, says it reshapes the lower face to reduce the look of a double chin while improving the transition from the chin to the neck. What differentiates Emface Submentum from other radiofrequency treatments is its ability to stimulate and strengthen the deep chin muscles. The 20-minute treatment, ideal for anyone with a double chin or a soft jawline with some laxity, uses a chinstrap applicator to target fat and improve contour, with no downtime, pain, swelling, bruising, or needles. “Most patients see a 30 percent reduction in volume and a reduction in the appearance of their double chin,” says board-certified plastic surgeon Yael Halaas, MD.
- In a similar vein, minimally invasive radiofrequency-assisted options like FaceTite and AccuTite improve significant skin laxity while reducing fat. FaceTite uses tiny entry points to melt fat and stimulate collagen, for “a level of tightening that’s closer to a surgical result,” says double board-certified dermatologist and cosmetic surgeon Ariel Ostad, MD. When extreme precision is necessary, he prefers AccuTite. “It delivers thermal energy internally, allowing for pinpoint accuracy and significant tightening.” Bruising and swelling for the first two weeks are normal after both treatments, and the improved shape can be seen after three to six months.
Tighten Loose Skin for a Snatched-Looking Chin
For deep tightening and profound collagen remodeling, doctors turn to radiofrequency microneedling treatments such as Morpheus8, Secret Pro, Potenza RF, and Sylfirm X. Although each differs slightly, they all use tiny needles to create micro-injuries while heating various layers of the skin to stimulate collagen production. “Microneedling with radiofrequency enhances tissue remodeling to address laxity and surface texture to refine the contours along the chin over time,” Dr. Karcher says.
Focused ultrasound treatments like Ultherapy and Sofwave upgrade the chin by remodeling collagen in the mid- to deep skin layers, resulting in a tightening effect with minimal surface damage. “Ultherapy is ideal for mild sagging, especially after weight loss, because it reaches the same layers targeted during a facelift,” Adashev says. “By tightening these layers, we can lift and recontour the chin and jawline.” Ultherapy works well on its own, but when combined with filler, Adashev explains it results in a lifted chin, tighter skin, and better definition, as new collagen forms over two to three months.
Specialized lasers, like Endolift, use a tiny probe underneath the skin’s surface to send a laser fiber straight to the source, stimulating collagen production for a shrink-wrap effect while also targeting stubborn fatty pockets. While the stand-alone procedure doesn’t provide instant results, about three to four months later you’ll notice a little less fat in the area and tighter-looking skin around the chin and jawline.
While not an energy-based skin-tightener, polydioxanone (PDO) threads temporarily lift a sagging chin and increase skin firmness. Dissolvable sutures are inserted under the chin and secured into place to pull up loose skin. “PDO threads are my treatment of choice when someone has mild to moderate skin laxity but wants immediate lifting and gradual collagen stimulation, particularly in the jowl and pre-jowl areas adjacent to the chin,” Adashev says. As the threads dissolve, the collagen provides a subtle tightening effect, enhancing chin definition.
Build Structure and Improve Projection
Dermal fillers are a reliable choice for reinstating structure, especially for someone with a recessed chin, asymmetry, or age-related volume loss, Dr. Ostad says. But chin filler involves more than injecting product and calling it a day. “We have to consider the chin’s ratios to the lip and nose, facial thirds and fifths, and overall symmetry,” says Dr. Caughlin.
High G-prime hyaluronic acid fillers, which are firmer and maintain their shape, improve a recessed chin, smooth shadows and hollows, and enhance projection when injected along the bone and then molded into place. “Adding volume can lengthen or project the chin forward so the face appears more proportionate with a clean transition from the chin to the jaw to the neck,” Dr. Karcher says. This once-off-label approach is now FDA-approved thanks to fillers like Juvederm Voluma and Restylane Lyft, which have indications for augmenting the chin, for results that last 12 to 18 months.
For a seamless transition, Adashev addresses the area flanking the chin (the pre-jowl sulcus) so the chin doesn’t look isolated or overly prominent. “This balances facial proportions and defines the angles,” she says. Filler can also be injected into the underside of the chin, a technique known as “chin shadows.” Adashev says these injections focus on creating depth and dimension through shadowing to feminize the chin.
Injectable biostimulators, such as Sculptra and Radiesse, stimulate collagen production in and around the chin to improve definition. “They don’t just fill,” Dr. Karcher says, “but as collagen builds, skin firmness and support improve, which can help when there’s laxity, but not massive sagging.” She pairs them with energy-based treatments for optimal tightening and support.
Tweak Uneven Skin Texture
Sometimes, the quality and texture of the skin on the chin can make it look ill-defined. Hyperactive muscles pull on the skin, causing a pebbled or dimpled look, but a few units of a neuromodulator, like Botox or Dysport, can smooth things out. Depending on the toxin used, the smoothing effect can last about three months. Plus, Adashev says a little Botox in the neck and lower face is a great way to lift and tighten the entire area while giving even more definition. Added to a laser-based treatment, or any of the minimally invasive options discussed here, and you'll be well on your way to having the chic (and jawline) or your dreams.
Meet the Experts
Tara Adashev, APRN, is a skilled advanced practice registered nurse and Head Nurse and Injectables Specialist at Neinstein Plastic Surgery in New York City. She grew up in the tri-state area and earned her nursing degree from Moravian College before beginning her career as an operating room nurse at St. Luke’s University Hospital. Tara has played a key role in both surgical support and aesthetic care, working closely with surgeons and providing personalized injectable treatments, laser therapies, and post-operative care with a holistic approach.
Dr. Cheryl Karcher, M.D., is a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City, specializing in cosmetic and aesthetic dermatology at Center Aesthetic in Union Square, where she is a co-owner. Known for her expertise in aesthetic medicine, body contouring, nutrition, and dermatology, Dr. Karcher offers advanced treatments such as EZ gel, nanofat transfer for hair restoration, lasers for vessels, pigment, and resurfacing, hi-definition liposculpture, and many other combinations of modalities and technologies to enhance and balance one's look.Her approach is highly personalized, creating unique treatment plans to help each patient achieve their individual goals.
Benjamin Caighlin, M.D., is a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon with expertise in buccal fat pad contouring and facial and jawline sculpting. He is the director of facial plastic surgery, facial trauma, and scar management at Stroger Cook County for the Head and Neck Surgery Department and is involved in the training of head and neck surgery residents for Northwestern Memorial Hospital and the University of Illinois Medical Center. He recently started a scar management program with the Department of Dermatology at Cook County to help treat post traumatic scars and scars from reconstructive cancer surgeries. Dr. Caughlin has been published in multiple medical journals.
Melanie D. Palm, M.D., is a board-certified dermatologist and fellowship-trained dermatologic cosmetic surgeon. Her dedication to education is a testament to her passion for healthy skin and happy patients. Dr. Palm has authored over 25 medical articles and five book chapters on various subjects on dermatology and cosmetic surgery. A national and international cosmetic dermatology expert, she has lectured on four continents on the safety and innovation of laser technologies, injectables, liposculpture, and vein treatments. She has been featured on numerous TV and radio news programs and is often sought as a dermatology expert for magazines and newspapers.
Dr. Yael Halaas, MD, FACS, is recognized as one of New York’s leading facial plastic surgeons and hair restoration specialists. A graduate of Columbia University and Cornell University Medical College, Dr. Halaas is double board-certified in the most selective field by the American Board of Otolaryngology and the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. She is a key opinion leader, international speaker for major aesthetic brands, and a clinical investigator for cutting-edge aesthetic treatments, including multiple FDA trials. Dr. Halaas has been featured in various national and online media outlets, including Vogue, The New York Times, Telemundo, and Good Morning America, speaking in both English and Spanish.
Dr. Ariel Ostad is triple board-certified in dermatology, Mohs micrographic skin cancer surgery, and facial cosmetic surgery. His advanced skills and techniques have led to many honors, including being listed as a Top Doctor by Castle Connolly and Real Self, and a New York Super Doctors. He is the Associate Clinical Professor at New York University Department of Dermatology and is a three-time recipient of NYU’s Surgical Attending of the Year. Dr. Ostad co-authored the book Practical Management of Skin Cancer and a textbook entitled Management of Skin Cancer. He is a former contributing editor of the Journal of Dermatologic Surgery and is currently an Associate Editor of the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology. Additionally, he has authored and co-authored many articles in various scientific publications.
