Double chin lifting: Start by understanding the different types of ultrasound

In double chin lifting, ultrasound (HIFU) treatment is a non-surgical method that stimulates the SMAS and dermis of the deep skin layers with heat to regenerate collagen. It is used to pull up a sagging jawline without using a knife and without the burden of a recovery period. However, it is best to clear up one misunderstanding first. Ultrasound lifting is not a treatment that directly melts fat; its essence is lifting that tightens sagging tissues to restore elasticity.

Therefore, depending on whether the double chin is due to fat, sagging skin, or both, ultrasound may or may not be the right answer. Below, focusing on the types and principles of ultrasound lifting, we will look at how to approach a double chin one by one.

🔍 Why does a double chin form?

People often think of a double chin as only a 'problem of overweight people,' but that is actually not the case. Even with a slim body type, a double chin can form due to genetics, skeletal structure, aging, and posture.

The causes of a double chin are generally divided as follows.

• Fat type: When fat is accumulated under the chin

• Sagging type (loss of elasticity): When the skin and SMAS layer sag as one ages

• Muscle type: When the platysma muscle in front of the neck relaxes or forms a band

• Edema type: When it is severe in the morning and varies depending on condition, salt, and sleep

• Structural type: When the hyoid bone is positioned low, or due to skeletal factors such as a receding chin or retrognathia

In particular, the posture of looking down while looking at smartphones and computers for a long time hinders circulation around the neck and causes the platysma muscle to sag. This is one of the reasons why double chin concerns have increased these days.

One thing to watch out for. Structural factors such as enlarged salivary glands under the chin (submandibular glands) or a low hyoid bone cannot be resolved with cosmetic procedures. Salivary gland hypertrophy can actually make the procedure risky, so if it is ambiguous, it is safer to receive an ultrasound diagnosis first.

📌 Key Summary: A double chin is a complex problem involving fat, sagging, muscles, edema, and skeletal structure, so diagnosing the cause comes before choosing a procedure.

🌊 What is ultrasound (HIFU) lifting?

HIFU stands for High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound. The principle is to focus ultrasound energy like a dot at a specific skin depth, creating thermal coagulation at that point to induce collagen regeneration.

The key target is the SMAS layer. The SMAS (Superficial Musculoaponeurotic System) is a structure that determines the depth and persistence of the lifting effect, and originally, it was a part directly pulled in surgeries such as a facelift. HIFU is significant in that it stimulates this layer with heat without incision.

An important feature. The main mechanisms of HIFU are collagen stimulation and tissue lifting, and its mechanism of action is different from lipolysis procedures that directly destroy fat cells. Therefore, the expression 'melting double chin fat with ultrasound' is not accurate.

It is also good to know when the effect appears. The HIFU effect does not appear immediately after the procedure, but gradually over about 2 to 3 months, and the maintenance period is reported to be about 6 to 18 months on average. This is because it takes time for new collagen to fill up.

📌 Key Summary: HIFU is a lifting that regenerates collagen by stimulating the SMAS layer with heat, and the effect appears gradually over 2 to 3 months.

📊 Types and Characteristics of Ultrasound Lifting

Even within ultrasound lifting, there is not just one type. The nuance is slightly different depending on the energy delivery method, depth control range, and irradiation method. Depth control is especially important for areas where the skin is thin and sensitive, like the double chin.

Although the names differ by device, the key is ultimately how deeply and how precisely the energy is delivered. At Onlif, this part is seen as the core of the procedure.

There are also practical points that are good to check during the actual procedure. It is good to ask during the consultation about whether the equipment is genuine, whether a disposable tip (cartridge) is used, and the number of irradiations (shots). The number of shots is not necessarily better just because it is high, but is a value designed to match the skin condition.

Onlif's All-Tight Lifting is also on the flow of this ultrasound and energy-based lifting. Rather than changing the shape of the eyes, nose, and mouth, it is directed toward restoring the texture and balance of the jawline blurred by sagging.

📌 Key Summary: The difference in ultrasound lifting lies in energy depth control and precision, and for the thin under-chin area, depth setting and dedicated probes are important.

⚖️ How do ultrasound (HIFU) and radiofrequency (RF) differ?

When receiving lifting consultations, ultrasound and radiofrequency are often mentioned together. Although the general framework of stimulating collagen with heat is the same for both, the energy delivery principles and main targets are different.

Radiofrequency (RF) heats the dermis and subcutaneous fat layer on a surface level to induce collagen contraction and regeneration, and is used to manage both fat and elasticity. On the other hand, ultrasound has a strong force to pull up the deeper SMAS layer by targeting it with dots.

Therefore, rather than one side being unconditionally better, a realistic approach is to use ultrasound and radiofrequency separately or combine them according to skin thickness, sagging degree, and fat volume. This is also why Onlif deals with both ultrasound HIFU and radiofrequency RF.

📌 Key Summary: Ultrasound is strong for deep SMAS lifting, and radiofrequency is strong for improving elasticity and fat in the dermis and fat layers, so they are used separately depending on the condition.

🧩 What procedures are considered together when ultrasound alone is not enough?

A double chin often has more than one cause, so it is frequently not completely resolved by ultrasound alone. Even within non-surgical procedures from a dermatological perspective, how the combination is structured is important.

• Thread lift: Physically pulls sagging tissue with melting threads and induces collagen production. There is an immediate lifting feel, and even after the melting thread is absorbed, the surrounding collagen supports elasticity, with effects reported for an average of 6 to 18 months. Onlif's thread lifting falls under this.

• Botox: Effective only for platysma bands or muscular problems, and is limited on its own for a fat-type double chin.

• Fat-dissolving injection: A method that stimulates the fat cell membrane, but since ingredients and concentrations can differ by clinic in Korea, checking what ingredients are used is necessary. For reference, Deoxycholic acid (Kybella) is the first injectable treatment approved by the US FDA in 2015 for the indication of submental fat improvement, with a maximum of 6 sessions and an interval of at least 1 month between sessions recommended.

One principle that is often missed here. If you only remove fat in a state where skin elasticity is lacking, the skin may sag further, making the sagging more prominent. Therefore, if you plan to reduce fat, it is safe to consider lifting together.

For reference, surgical methods such as liposuction or neck lift also exist. It can be fundamental when sagging is severe, but as the recovery period and burden are large, Onlif recommends improving through non-surgical skin procedures first, rather than incision surgery. It is recommended to refer to whether to undergo surgery as information only.

📌 Key Summary: Combine thread lifting, Botox, and fat approaches with ultrasound according to the cause, but if elasticity is lacking, combining lifting is the rule.

📐 Standards Good to Know Before the Procedure

Knowing one objective standard also makes consultation easier. The preferred range of the cervicomental angle (chin-neck angle), which is evaluated as a clear jawline, is roughly around 90 to 105 degrees. It is used as an indicator to estimate the degree of improvement before and after the procedure.

Another thing. Under-chin fat is not selectively lost through exercise or massage. The so-called 'spot reduction' of selecting and removing fat from a specific area has no scientific basis. Overall weight management and procedures should be viewed separately.

Lastly, a realistic story. No lifting is permanent. Aging progresses even after the procedure, so rather than trying to finish it in one go, it is more comfortable to make plans on the premise of maintenance management and retreatment.

📌 Key Summary: A chin-neck angle of 90 to 105 degrees is the aesthetic standard, partial fat reduction is impossible, and lifting is premised on maintenance and management.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Does ultrasound lifting reduce double chin fat?

The main purpose of HIFU is lifting to pull up sagging tissue by stimulating collagen, and its principle is different from procedures that directly destroy fat. If it is a double chin with a lot of fat, lifting alone has limits, so an approach tailored to the cause is necessary.

When does the HIFU effect start to appear?

Rather than immediate changes right after the procedure, it appears gradually over about 2 to 3 months as collagen regenerates. The maintenance period is reported to be about 6 to 18 months on average, with individual differences.

Between ultrasound and radiofrequency, which is better for a double chin?

Ultrasound has a strength in deep SMAS layer lifting, and radiofrequency in improving elasticity and fat of the dermis and fat layers. Since it varies depending on skin thickness, sagging degree, and fat volume, it is realistic to choose after diagnosis or combine them.

I am on the slim side but have a double chin. Why is that?

A double chin is not just a problem of obesity. It can occur even in slim body types due to genetics, skeletal structure (low hyoid bone, receding chin), loss of elasticity due to aging, and head-down posture. The approach varies depending on the cause.

The area under my chin looks swollen, could it be a salivary gland problem?

Yes. Submandibular gland hypertrophy can be confused with a double chin. In this case, general cosmetic procedures may have no effect or may even be dangerous, so it is safe to distinguish it by receiving an ultrasound diagnosis first.

Would it be better to lose weight before getting the procedure?

If weight changes are large, it is easier to predict the results if you set a treatment plan after losing some weight. The exact order varies depending on the fat volume and skin elasticity state, so it is good to decide together during the consultation.

Double Chin Lifting, Things to Check Before Choosing a Clinic

Even for the same procedure, the results and recovery process differ depending on where, by whom, and how it is performed. Asking the items below directly during the consultation will help you make a decision.

• Is it a place that performs that procedure frequently? — The procedures focused on differ by clinic. Check if it is a place that regularly carries out double chin lifting.

• Can the products and equipment used be verified? — Ask if you can check the product name and whether it is genuine (whether it is an import-approved product and whether there is an unboxing verification process) during the consultation.

• Do they explain the composition of the cost? — Rather than just hearing the total amount, you can make a judgment only after hearing the explanation of what product is used, how much, and on what range.

• Do they design looking at the whole face? — Even for the same procedure, the location and amount to be applied vary depending on face shape, skin condition, and left-right asymmetry.

• Do they explain adverse reactions and the recovery process first? — It is easier to make a judgment at a place that informs you of possible adverse reactions and coping methods together, rather than a consultation that only talks about expected changes.

• Is there a follow-up check path after the procedure? — Check if the progress check timing, how to contact when there is an anomaly, and return visit criteria are established.

Onlif Clinic does double chin lifting like this

• We divide responsibilities — With the thought that one doctor does not handle all procedures, Onlif divides doctors in charge by field for treatment.

• We verify products and equipment together in the consultation — We guide you through the products used and the unboxing verification process during the consultation.

• Costs are guided along with the composition after diagnosis — Since the part, volume, and scope differ for each person, we explain together what costs how much.

• We design looking at the overall balance of the face — We look at the face with three axes: texture, balance, and signals of youth, and make plans in the direction of tidying up parts that cover the natural impression rather than changing the shape.

• We tell you about adverse reactions and the recovery process first — Along with changes that can be expected, we guide you through individual differences, possible adverse reactions, and coping methods before the procedure.

• We look at the progress after the procedure together — If verification is needed during the recovery period, we guide you through return visits and contact paths.

If you are considering double chin lifting, it is better to first check what is possible and what is difficult in your current state. Accurate diagnosis and treatment plans can only be determined through face-to-face medical treatment. Check through a consultation at Onlif Clinic in Gangnam.