Double chin: fat-dissolving injections, HIFU or cryolipolysis?
Prices as of 24.10.2026
What causes a double chin: 5 reasons
Often more than one at once.
Fat
A soft fold you can pinch, even at a normal weight.
Skin
With age the skin loosens and the jawline softens.
Bone structure
A small or receding chin, a low-set hyoid bone. Shows even when slim.
Posture
A forward head, for example over a phone, bunches the tissue.
Swelling
Salt, alcohol, poor sleep, allergies. Fuller in the morning.
Fat-dissolving injections vs HIFU vs cryolipolysis
Typical ranges; the specialist makes the plan.
| Lipolysis | HIFU | Cryolipolysis | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main effect | less fat | tighter skin | less fat |
| How | fat-dissolving injections | ultrasound, no needles | cold, no needles |
| Suits | moderate fat, elastic skin | mild to moderate laxity | soft fold that fits the applicator |
| Sessions | 2–4, 4–6 weeks apart | usually once a year | 1–2, 6–8 weeks apart |
| Results | 2–3 weeks, final 6–8 weeks | partly at once, peak 2–6 months | 3–6 weeks, final by 12 weeks |
| Lasts | fat cells don’t return; weight gain reduces it | 12–18 months on average | fat cells don’t return; weight gain reduces it |
Double chin lipolysis: how the course works
Consultation
The specialist assesses fat, skin and chin, then chooses Dr. Lipo Prime or Dr. Lipo V.
Treatment
Up to 30 minutes with a fine needle; numbing cream if needed.
Days 2–5
Marked swelling and tenderness, sometimes up to two weeks. Not right before an event.
After 4–6 weeks
The next session, if needed. Usually 2–4 in total.
6–8 weeks
The final result. Destroyed fat cells do not return.
Side effects: what is normal, what is rare
Common
- lipolysis: marked swelling, tenderness for 2–5 days
- bruising, numbness, firmness
- cryolipolysis: redness, numbness up to a week
- HIFU: redness for a few hours
Rare
- irritated nerve: a temporarily uneven smile
- temporary difficulty swallowing
- HIFU: blisters or burns
- cryolipolysis: lasting pain or fat growth
Tell the clinic
Contact the clinic at once
- severe or worsening pain
- fever, a hot red area
- trouble swallowing, a lopsided smile
No waiting for the next session
When none of these treatments will help
If the cause is neither fat nor mild laxity, the consultation says so openly.
- Marked laxity: skin hanging in a fold is for a plastic surgeon.
- Bone structure: filler sometimes improves the chin profile; jaw position is for a maxillofacial surgeon and orthodontist.
- A lump or growing swelling in the neck, trouble swallowing, hoarseness, tiredness, weight change: first your family doctor (GP) or an endocrinologist.
- Swelling that comes and goes: fat reduction will not remove it.
In more detail
How fat-dissolving injections work
A fat-dissolving product is injected into the fat through a fine needle; it breaks down fat cells, and the body gradually clears the released fat. For double chin lipolysis Melior Clinics uses Dr. Lipo Prime and Dr. Lipo V, chosen by the specialist.
The substance most studied under the chin is deoxycholic acid; there is less data on other products. In these studies swelling is often clearly visible. Destroyed fat cells do not return, but the remaining ones can grow with weight gain.
HIFU under the chin: when it fits
HIFU, high-intensity focused ultrasound, creates tiny heated points in the skin and the SMAS layer at a set depth, and the skin responds with new collagen. At Melior Clinics HIFU SMAS lifting is done with the HIPRO-V device; the double chin is a separate area.
A session takes 30–90 minutes and feels warm and prickly. It also affects fat under the chin, but with a lot of fat it does not replace lipolysis or cryolipolysis. It is not done in the same area within 4 weeks of filler or botulinum toxin injections.
Does cryolipolysis work for a double chin?
An applicator draws the fat fold in with vacuum and cools it to between +4 and −9 °C; the fat cells break down, the skin is not damaged. The Melior Clinics cryolipolysis page lists the chin among its small areas.
In a systematic review (8 studies, 206 patients), fat under the chin became 2.8 mm thinner on average, with mild, temporary side effects. The fold must fit the applicator, which the specialist checks; if it is very thin or firm, lipolysis usually suits better.
Fat, loose skin or swelling: how to tell
Fat is a thick, soft fold you can pinch. Swelling is worse in the morning and after salty food, alcohol or poor sleep. Thin skin that sags when you look down points to laxity; a flat chin–neck angle even in a slim person points to bone structure.
Often there is more than one cause, and the plan combines two methods. The specialist assesses the cause at the consultation.
Aftercare
For 24 hours after lipolysis or HIFU, hard exercise and sauna are avoided; after lipolysis also hot baths, sunbeds and strong sun, and on the day itself no massage, pressure or make-up on the injection sites.
After HIFU, SPF 50 is used in the sun for 7 days, with no other aesthetic treatments in the area. After cryolipolysis, plenty of water.
Who should not have them
None of the three is done in pregnancy, while breastfeeding or with skin inflammation in the area. Lipolysis is also not done with liver disease, immune disorders or allergy to the ingredients; HIFU not with metal implants in the area (for example in the jaw) or serious heart or neurological conditions; cryolipolysis not with strong cold sensitivity (such as Raynaud’s syndrome), serious chronic illness or after recent surgery.
Medicines prescribed by your own doctor, including blood thinners, are mentioned at the consultation but not stopped without their advice.
Frequently asked questions
Double chin treatment without surgery: what works?
It depends on the cause. For fat, lipolysis or cryolipolysis; for mild skin laxity, HIFU; for both, a combination. Results develop over 6–12 weeks, or 2–6 months after HIFU. With marked laxity or a receding chin, none of these methods is enough.
Injections or cryolipolysis: which suits me?
Cryolipolysis suits a soft fold that fits the applicator and usually needs 1–2 sessions with mild downtime. Injections do not depend on the applicator, but need 2–4 sessions and cause more swelling. The specialist chooses after assessing the fat and skin.
How much does double chin treatment cost in Tallinn?
At Melior Clinics, double chin lipolysis costs from €80 per session, HIFU for the double chin area €150 and cryolipolysis from €125 per area (price list of 24.10.2026). The total depends on how many sessions are needed.
How long does swelling last after lipolysis?
Usually 2–5 days. Studies show that swelling under the chin can be clearly visible and last up to two weeks in some people, so the treatment is not planned right before an important event.
Are the results permanent?
Fat cells destroyed by lipolysis or cryolipolysis do not come back, but the remaining ones can grow if you gain weight. The HIFU effect lasts 12–18 months on average because the skin keeps ageing.
Does HIFU get rid of a double chin?
Mainly when the cause is mild skin laxity. HIFU tightens the skin and affects a small amount of fat; with a lot of fat it does not replace lipolysis or cryolipolysis, but the methods are often combined.
Double chin lipolysis in Tallinn
Read next
- American Academy of Dermatology. Non-invasive fat removal: What can you expect?
- DermNet. Deoxycholic acid in the treatment of submental fat
- Do K, Ghani N, Lloyd N, et al. Cryolipolysis for Submental Fat Reduction: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Facial Plast Surg. 2025;41(5):650–663 (PubMed)
- Friedmann DP, Bourgeois GP, Chan HHL, Zedlitz AC, Butterwick KJ. Complications from microfocused transcutaneous ultrasound: Case series and review of the literature. Lasers Surg Med. 2018;50(1):13–19 (PubMed)
This article is general information and does not replace a consultation. Whether a treatment suits you is decided by a specialist at the consultation. Melior Clinics (Star Company OÜ), Liivalaia 53, Tallinn · Estonian Health Board licence L04198.
