The first step in learning how to get rid of a double chin is figuring out what’s causing yours. Each cause needs a different fix, and the wrong one can waste months.

There are four common causes: extra fat, loose skin, a small chin that sits further back, and posture, like looking down at your phone. A small chin is common in Asian faces. It gives the skin underneath less support, so a double chin can show up even in slim people.

Because the causes are so different, chin exercises often disappoint. They can tone your neck muscles and help your posture. But they can’t burn fat just from your chin, and they can’t change your bone structure.

Below is a quick way to work out your type. Then we’ll cover what helps at home and which treatments suit each cause.

What's Causing Your Double Chin? A Quick Self-Check

All you need is a mirror, good light and your own hand. This one-minute check tells you which advice in this guide is worth your time.

Many people have a mix of types. If that’s you, start with whichever one looks strongest.

1. Extra Fat Under the Chin

Quick check: Pinch the area under your chin. If you can grab a thick, squishy roll, fat is the main cause.

This type grows and shrinks with your weight. BMI compares your weight to your height. Asian bodies tend to carry more fat than Western bodies at the same BMI. That’s why Singapore counts a BMI of 23 or above as overweight, instead of the 25 used in many other countries. If your BMI is over 23, weight is likely a big part of your double chin.

Best fix: Lose overall body fat through healthy eating and regular exercise. Your chin usually slims down as the rest of your body does. If a stubborn pocket stays after you reach a healthy weight, fat-reduction treatments are the next step.

2. Loose or Sagging Skin

Quick check: Pinch again. This time there’s very little to grab, just a thin layer of skin. When you look down, it may fold into a loose crease.

You’ll usually notice a sagging chin from your 30s onward. Skin slowly loses collagen, the protein that keeps it firm and springy. Losing weight won’t help much here. In some cases, it can make loose skin look looser.

Best fix: Skin-firming treatments such as radiofrequency and microcurrent, which we explain in the treatments section below. Applying sunscreen to your neck every day also helps slow further sagging. If you’d like to look after the skin you have, our guide on how to prevent premature skin ageing has simple habits you can start today.

3. A Small or Weak Chin

Quick check: Stand side-on to a mirror with your head level. Picture a straight line dropping down from your lower lip. If your chin sits well behind that line, your jaw shape is playing a part.

This is common in Asian faces. When the chin is small, the skin underneath has less to stretch over, so it bunches into a fold. You can be slim and still have this type.

Best fix: Skin-firming treatments like radiofrequency and microcurrent can help the jawline and the skin underneath look smoother and more lifted, even though they don’t change the chin’s shape itself.

4. Poor Posture (Tech Neck)

Quick check: Sit up tall, roll your shoulders back and lift your phone to eye level. If your double chin mostly disappears, posture is the main cause.

Looking down at a screen for hours pushes your chin toward your chest and squeezes the skin and fat into a fold. Over time, the muscles that hold your head up can also tire and weaken.

Best fix: Keep your screen at eye level. Take short breaks from looking down, and practise chin tucks a few times a day. You’ll find the steps for chin tucks in the next section.

How to Get Rid of a Double Chin Naturally

If your self-check pointed to fat or posture, you can make real progress at home. Natural methods won’t fix loose skin or a small chin. They’re still worth doing, since most people have more than one cause.

How to Lose a Double Chin Caused by Fat

If fat is your main cause, overall weight loss is the answer. Fat under your chin comes off the same way it does anywhere else. As your weight drops, your face and neck usually slim down too.

You don’t need a strict diet. Small swaps you can stick to work better than big changes you can’t keep up. A few easy ones for everyday life in Singapore:

Order your kopi or teh “siew dai” (less sugar) or “kosong” (no sugar).
At the hawker centre, ask for less gravy and more vegetables.
When comparing similar packaged foods, pick the one with the Healthier Choice Symbol.
Drink plain water instead of sweet drinks.

Pair these with activity that gets you moving, like brisk walking, swimming or cycling. Try to move a little most days of the week.

Why You Can't Burn Fat From Just Your Chin

Many people believe that working one body part burns the fat sitting on top of it. This idea is called “spot reduction,” and research keeps showing it doesn’t work.

In one study, people did ab exercises five days a week for six weeks. By the end, they could do more sit-ups. Their belly fat barely changed. A larger review of many studies found the same pattern: training one area doesn’t remove fat from that area.

Your chin follows the same rule. Your body decides where it loses fat from, and you can’t pick the spot.

Double Chin Exercises That Help (and What They Can't Do)

Chin exercises won’t melt fat. What they can do is strengthen the muscles under your chin and neck and help you hold your head in a better position. That makes them most useful for the posture type, and a helpful extra for everyone else.

Chin tuck

Sit or stand up straight and look ahead.
Slide your head backwards, without tipping it up or down. It will look like you’re making a double chin on purpose.
Hold for 5 to 10 seconds, then relax.
Repeat 10 times, a few times a day.

Ceiling kiss

Sit up straight and tilt your head back to look at the ceiling.
Push your lips forward as if you’re kissing the ceiling. You should feel a stretch under your chin.
Hold for 5 to 10 seconds, then relax.
Repeat 10 to 15 times.

Tongue stretch

Look straight ahead and open your mouth wide.
Stick your tongue out as far as feels comfortable, until your chin and neck feel tight.
Hold for 10 seconds, then relax.
Repeat 10 times.

Go gently. Overworking your jaw can strain the joint and cause pain, so stop if any move hurts.

What about chewing gum? It won’t give you a sharper jawline. Research shows it mainly works your tongue and cheek muscles.

How Long Until You See a Difference?

Posture changes show up fastest, often the moment you sit differently. Fat loss takes longer. Depending on how much weight you need to lose, it can take a few months before your double chin looks smaller.

If you reach a healthy weight and the fullness stays, another cause is likely at work. That’s usually when a professional treatment makes more sense.

Non-Invasive Double Chin Treatments in Singapore: What Each One Does

Still wondering how to remove a double chin after trying the home steps? The answer is to match the treatment to your type. Here’s what each one does, who it suits and what to expect.

Radiofrequency and Microcurrent Skin Tightening

Best for: a sagging double chin and a soft jawline

Radiofrequency (RF) gently warms the deeper layers of your skin. That warmth encourages your skin to make new collagen, so it slowly becomes firmer. Microcurrent sends a very mild electrical current through the skin to work the small muscles underneath. This gives your jawline a more lifted look.

Both are non-invasive, with no needles or cuts. They aren’t designed to remove fat, so they suit people with loose skin best.

Changes build slowly as your skin makes new collagen, so judge your results over a few months, not after one visit. In one study of a high-powered RF device used once on the lower face and upper neck, 73% of people showed less sagging six months later. Gentler RF treatments work similarly but usually require a series of sessions. Regular top-ups help too, because skin keeps ageing.

If this sounds like your type, our Neck & Jaw Lifting treatment at Skin Creations is a gentle place to start. We use microcurrent and radiofrequency together in one session, then finish with collagen-infused lifting serums. There are no needles, and most clients head straight back to work or errands afterwards.

To keep caring for the area between visits, our Face & Neck Lifting Serum slips easily into your night routine.

HIFU for a Saggy Jawline and Neck

Best for: moderate sagging along the jaw and neck

HIFU stands for high-intensity focused ultrasound. It heats small points beneath the skin to help tighten and lift sagging areas. Your skin may feel tighter soon after a session, but visible changes show up gradually.

In Singapore, HIFU usually starts from about S$500 a session and often reaches S$2,000 or more for the face and neck, depending on the device and the clinic.

Fat Freezing (Cryolipolysis or CoolSculpting)

Best for: a stubborn pocket of fat that stays after weight loss

Fat freezing is one of the most studied options for removing double-chin fat without surgery. A cup-shaped applicator draws in the fatty area under your chin and cools it. The cold damages the fat cells, and your body clears them away over the next couple of months.

In the US study that cleared fat freezing for the chin, the fat layer shrank by an average of 2 mm. That’s a modest but visible change, and 83% of people were happy with the result. Many people need just one session for the chin. Numbness or tingling can follow. In one small study, it lasted for 12 weeks.

Conclusion

The best way to get rid of a double chin is rarely one big fix. It’s usually one daily habit, like better screen posture or steady weight loss, paired with one targeted treatment for whatever is left.

To see whether it’s working, take a side-on photo in the same light once a month. Photos show real change in a way the mirror can’t.

If your double chin has been bothering you in photos, you’re far from alone. You also don’t have to figure out the right fix on your own. At Skin Creations, we build every plan around your type instead of a one-size-fits-all routine.

Not sure which type you are? Book a consultation and skin analysis at our Centrepoint Mall clinic on Orchard Road. We’ll look at your chin, jaw and neck with you, talk through what’s behind your double chin, and let you know whether our Neck & Jaw Lifting is a good match.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will a double chin come back after treatment?

Fat cells destroyed by fat freezing don’t grow back. The fat cells that remain can still grow if you gain weight, so keeping a steady weight helps protect your results. Skin-tightening treatments like radiofrequency and microcurrent work differently. Your skin keeps ageing after treatment, so regular top-ups help keep the lift.

Does mewing get rid of a double chin?

Mewing means resting your whole tongue flat against the roof of your mouth. It's very popular online, but no strong research shows it changes an adult's jaw shape or removes chin fat. Holding your tongue up and your chin level can make your jawline look sharper in the moment, mainly because it improves your head posture. The American Association of Orthodontists also warns that pressing hard with your tongue over long periods can affect your teeth and bite.

Can Botox help with a double chin?

Botulinum toxin, often known by the brand name Botox, can be injected along the jawline and into the bands of the neck to help define the area. It works by relaxing muscles, not by removing fat. That means it won't shrink a fatty double chin. In Singapore, these injections can only be given at licensed medical clinics.

Can gua sha, face rollers or firming creams get rid of a double chin?

They can't remove fat or change the shape of your chin. A gentle massage with gua sha or a roller may make the area look a little less puffy for a short time. Creams and serums are best used to keep your skin hydrated and cared for alongside other steps.

Is a double chin a sign of a health problem?

On its own, a double chin is usually just a cosmetic concern. When it comes from carrying extra weight, that weight can raise your risk of high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and heart disease. If you're unsure, a general health check is a sensible place to start.

How can I tell if it's a double chin or something else?

A double chin feels soft, looks even on both sides and changes slowly over months or years. A new lump, swelling on one side, pain, or fullness that appears within days or weeks is different. Get it checked at a polyclinic or family clinic instead of treating it as a double chin.

How to Get Rid of a Double Chin: What Actually Works (and What Doesn’t)