Excess fat under your chin often called a double chin is something many adults notice as they age or after changes in weight. You might find that, no matter how much you exercise or watch your diet, this area can still appear fuller, affecting the way your face looks and how confident you feel. Genetics can play a role too, so sometimes it’s not just about lifestyle.
If you’ve been searching for a way to reduce this stubborn fat without going under the knife, you may have come across Smartlipo in London. This minimally invasive procedure uses laser-assisted lipolysis to target and remove fat while also tightening the skin, giving you a smoother, more defined jawline. The idea is that you can achieve noticeable improvement without the long downtime of traditional surgery.
In this article, I’ll walk you through exactly how Smartlipo works under your chin, what the procedure involves, what you can expect during recovery, and the realistic results you can look forward to. By the end, you’ll have a clear idea of whether this treatment could be the right option for you.
How Smartlipo Works Under Your Chin
If you’ve been struggling with that stubborn fullness under your chin, Smartlipo could be exactly what you’re looking for. This minimally invasive procedure uses laser-assisted lipolysis to target fat in precise areas while also tightening your skin. Under your chin, it works in three key ways to give you a smoother, more defined profile:
Melting Fat Cells: The laser gently liquefies excess fat so it can be removed in a controlled, precise way. This isn’t like traditional liposuction that can sometimes remove too much or too little fat Smartlipo lets your doctor sculpt the area carefully, focusing only on the parts that bother you the most. You’ll notice the difference in the shape of your jawline.
Tightening Your Skin: One of the biggest concerns with fat removal is loose skin afterwards. The good news is the heat from the laser stimulates collagen production, which naturally improves your skin’s elasticity. Over the weeks after the procedure, you may notice your skin becoming firmer and smoother, giving your jawline a more youthful contour.
Sculpting Your Jawline: By combining fat reduction with skin tightening, Smartlipo does more than just remove fat it reshapes your lower face. The result is a sharper, more defined jawline that complements your overall facial features.
This dual effect makes Smartlipo particularly effective for small, stubborn areas like the submental region (under your chin). So, if you’ve tried diet and exercise but still notice that “double chin,” this treatment can help target exactly where you want improvement. Many patients find that the procedure not only enhances their appearance but also boosts their confidence, making them feel more comfortable in photos, at work, or in social situations.
Who Is an Ideal Candidate for Smartlipo?
You might be wondering if Smartlipo is right for you. This procedure tends to work best for people who:
– Have mild to moderate submental fat: If you notice a small to moderate fullness under your chin that hasn’t responded to diet or exercise, Smartlipo can help target that specific area.
– Have good skin elasticity: Because the procedure relies on stimulating collagen to tighten your skin, having reasonably firm skin helps you achieve smoother, more natural-looking results.
– Are close to your ideal body weight: Smartlipo isn’t a weight-loss treatment. It’s best suited for those who are already at or near their ideal weight but want to refine their facial profile.
– Want a minimally invasive alternative to surgery: If you’re looking for a treatment that avoids large incisions, general anesthesia, and long recovery times, Smartlipo can be an appealing option.
However, Smartlipo may be less effective if you have significant sagging or extremely loose skin. In such cases, your doctor might recommend combining it with additional procedures like a neck lift to achieve the results you want.
Ultimately, the best way to know if you’re a good candidate is to have a consultation with a qualified professional. They can assess your chin, skin quality, and overall goals, then tailor a plan that’s right for you. If you choose to proceed, you can expect a treatment designed specifically to improve your appearance and help you feel more confident about your profile.
The Procedure: What to Expect
If you’re considering Smartlipo under your chin, you’ll be glad to know that the treatment is generally quick, minimally invasive, and designed with your comfort in mind. Here’s what a typical session looks like:
1. Preparation
Before the procedure begins, your treatment area will be carefully cleaned and marked to ensure precise targeting of the fat. You’ll receive a local anaesthetic, so you stay comfortable throughout. This means you’ll be awake, but you shouldn’t feel pain just a little pressure or movement.
2. Laser-Assisted Fat Removal
The doctor will make a very small incision and insert a tiny cannula containing a laser fiber under your skin. The laser gently melts the fat while also stimulating collagen production, which helps tighten your skin. Once the fat is liquefied, it’s gently suctioned out. Because the process is so targeted, it allows for precise sculpting of your jawline and under-chin area.
3. Duration
The procedure is usually quick, often taking between 30 and 60 minutes depending on the size of the area being treated. You can typically schedule it during a lunch break and return to your day with minimal downtime.
4. Sensation During Treatment
Most patients describe feeling warmth from the laser and mild pressure from the cannula. Thanks to the local anaesthetic, discomfort is generally minimal. Some people compare the sensation to a warm massage under the chin. You may feel slight tenderness afterwards, but this usually resolves within a few days.
5. Post-Procedure Care
After the session, you may be advised to wear a light compression garment under your chin to help with swelling and support skin tightening. Mild bruising or redness can appear but typically fades within a week or two.
Overall, the procedure is designed to be as smooth and comfortable as possible, giving you noticeable results without the long recovery time associated with traditional surgery. Many patients find it easy to fit into their schedules while still achieving a more defined and youthful-looking jawline.
Recovery and Aftercare
One of the benefits of Smartlipo under your chin is that recovery is relatively quick, especially when compared with traditional surgical liposuction. Here’s what you can expect in the days and weeks after your treatment:
Immediate Post-Treatment: Right after the procedure, you may notice mild swelling, redness, or bruising in the treated area. This is completely normal and usually settles within a few days. You might also feel a little tenderness under your chin, but this is generally mild and manageable with over-the-counter pain relief if needed.
First Week: During the first few days, it’s important to take it easy. Avoid strenuous exercise or heavy lifting, and follow any specific instructions your clinician provides. This helps your body heal smoothly and supports the best possible results.
Compression Garments: Your clinician may recommend wearing a chin strap or light compression garment for several days to a week. This helps reduce swelling, supports the skin as it tightens, and ensures your jawline maintains a smooth, contoured shape.
Visible Improvement: Many patients notice initial improvement within a week. However, full results typically develop over 4–6 weeks as your skin continues to tighten and swelling fully subsides. By this point, your jawline should look noticeably more defined, giving you the refreshed appearance you were hoping for.
Ongoing Care: Following your aftercare instructions is key to achieving the best results and minimizing any risk of complications. Simple steps, like staying hydrated, avoiding sun exposure on the treated area, and attending follow-up appointments, can make a big difference in your overall outcome.
Overall, the recovery process is straightforward and manageable, letting you enjoy your new, more defined profile without the extended downtime of traditional surgery. With proper care, you can get back to your daily routine quickly while seeing gradual, natural-looking improvements.
Benefits of Smartlipo Under Your Chin
If you’re considering ways to improve the appearance of your jawline, Smartlipo offers several advantages that make it stand out from traditional liposuction:
– Minimally Invasive: The procedure uses very small incisions, which means less scarring and minimal disruption to your daily life. You won’t need long hospital stays, and most people can get back to their normal routine quickly.
– Skin Tightening: Unlike standard liposuction, the laser in Smartlipo stimulates collagen production. This helps your skin tighten naturally, so your jawline looks smooth and firm rather than saggy after fat removal.
– Precision Targeting: Smartlipo allows your doctor to focus on specific areas of fat under your chin. This controlled approach ensures that only the areas you want to improve are treated, giving a refined, sculpted look.
– Quick Recovery: Because the procedure is minimally invasive, recovery is faster than traditional surgery. Most patients feel well enough to return to work or their usual activities within just a few days.
– Natural-Looking Results: The gradual fat removal and skin tightening combine to enhance your jawline subtly and naturally. You won’t see an overcorrected or artificial appearance just a more defined, balanced profile that complements your facial features.
With these benefits, Smartlipo can be a great option if you’ve been struggling with a double chin or stubborn fat under your jaw and want a solution that’s effective, safe, and convenient.
Potential Risks and Considerations
While Smartlipo is generally a safe and effective procedure, it’s important for you to understand the potential risks and limitations so you can make an informed decision:
Temporary Swelling, Redness, or Bruising: After the procedure, it’s common to experience some mild swelling, redness, or bruising around your chin. These usually settle within a few days to a week and are part of the normal healing process.
Minor Discomfort During Recovery: You may feel tenderness or a slight tightness under your chin as your skin adjusts and heals. Most people find this discomfort manageable with over-the-counter pain relief.
Slight Risk of Uneven Contour: Because Smartlipo targets specific fat pockets, there is a small chance that results could be slightly uneven if fat removal isn’t perfectly balanced. Choosing an experienced clinician helps reduce this risk and ensures a smooth, natural-looking outcome.
Limitations with Loose Skin: If your skin is very lax or sagging, Smartlipo alone may not provide the level of tightening you’re hoping for. In these cases, your clinician might suggest combining it with other treatments, such as a neck lift, to achieve the best results.
Professional Consultation is Key: The most important step is consulting with a qualified and experienced professional. They can assess your anatomy, evaluate your skin quality, and help determine whether Smartlipo is the right option for your aesthetic goals. This ensures that the procedure is safe, effective, and tailored to you.
By understanding these considerations, you can approach the treatment with realistic expectations and confidence, knowing that most patients experience excellent results with minimal downtime when the procedure is performed correctly.
Expected Results and Longevity
If you’re considering Smartlipo under your chin, you’re probably wondering when you’ll see results and how long they last. Here’s what you can typically expect:
1. Immediate Results: After the procedure, you may notice a subtle improvement once the initial swelling starts to go down. While it’s not dramatic right away, it’s a sign that your jawline is beginning to take shape.
2. Optimal Results: Most patients see their full contouring results within 4–6 weeks. During this time, your skin continues to tighten, and any remaining swelling gradually resolves, revealing a smoother, more defined profile.
3. Longevity of Results: The fat cells that are removed during Smartlipo are gone permanently. However, it’s important to remember that natural aging and any future weight gain can affect the long-term appearance of your chin and jawline. Smartlipo isn’t a substitute for maintaining a healthy lifestyle, but it does give you a strong starting point for a more sculpted look.
4. Maintaining Your Results: To get the most out of your treatment, staying active, eating a balanced diet, and managing your weight are key. By doing so, you can enjoy a long-lasting, defined jawline and boost your confidence in your appearance.
Overall, Smartlipo offers results that are noticeable, natural-looking, and durable especially when paired with healthy habits and realistic expectations. It’s a treatment designed to help you feel more confident in your profile while requiring minimal downtime.
Tips for Maximising Your Smartlipo Results
Once you’ve had Smartlipo under your chin, there are several steps you can take to get the best results and keep your jawline looking defined:
– Follow Aftercare Instructions: Your clinician will give you specific guidance on wearing compression garments, caring for the treated area, and activity restrictions. Sticking to these instructions helps your skin heal smoothly and supports optimal contouring.
– Stay Hydrated: Drinking plenty of water is essential for healing and maintaining skin elasticity. Proper hydration helps your body recover more quickly and ensures your skin remains firm and supple.
– Maintain a Stable Weight: Because Smartlipo permanently removes fat cells, you won’t regain fat in the treated area but new fat can still accumulate if your weight fluctuates significantly. Keeping your weight stable helps maintain your results for the long term.
– Adopt a Healthy Lifestyle: Eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly not only supports overall wellness but also helps you preserve the contour you’ve achieved. Simple habits like incorporating protein, fruits, and vegetables, along with regular physical activity, can make a big difference.
– Attend Follow-Up Visits: Regular check-ins with your clinician allow them to monitor your recovery, address any concerns, and ensure that your results develop as expected. These visits are a good opportunity to ask questions and get personalised advice.
By taking these steps, you can maximise the benefits of Smartlipo and enjoy a smoother, more defined jawline that complements your facial features and boosts your confidence.
Comparing Smartlipo to Other Submental Treatments
Smartlipo uses laser-assisted lipolysis to target fat under the chin while also promoting skin tightening. Recovery is usually quick, and most patients can resume normal activities as they feel comfortable, making it suitable for those with a small double chin who want mild to moderate fat removal with some skin firming.
Traditional Liposuction is a surgical method for removing larger fat deposits. Recovery varies, but most people return to normal activities within a timeframe that feels comfortable, and it is most effective for moderate to severe submental fat. While it provides more dramatic fat removal, it is more invasive and requires a longer healing period.
Kybella is an injectable treatment that dissolves fat pockets. Recovery is generally short, and patients can resume activities as they feel ready. It works best for small, stubborn fat under the chin. While results are generally mild, it offers a non-surgical option for those unwilling to undergo a procedure.
CoolSculpting uses cryolipolysis to freeze and reduce fat. Minimal recovery is needed, and patients can continue daily activities at their own pace. Unlike Smartlipo, it does not tighten skin. This treatment is best for mild fat reduction and suits patients who have the patience to wait for results over several weeks.
FAQs:
1. How does Smartlipo differ from traditional liposuction under the chin?
Smartlipo is a minimally invasive procedure that uses laser-assisted lipolysis to both remove fat and stimulate collagen production, which helps tighten the skin. Traditional liposuction, on the other hand, relies solely on physically suctioning out fat through larger incisions and typically does not improve skin elasticity. This means that Smartlipo not only targets the fat more precisely but also helps prevent sagging, resulting in a smoother, more defined jawline with less downtime compared to conventional surgery.
2. Is Smartlipo under the chin painful?
Most patients report that Smartlipo is very tolerable. The area is numbed with a local anaesthetic, so you may feel pressure, gentle movement, or warmth from the laser, but not significant pain. After the procedure, mild tenderness or swelling is common, but this usually resolves within a few days. Many people compare the sensation to a warm massage under the chin rather than a painful surgical procedure.
3. How long does the Smartlipo procedure take?
A Smartlipo session under the chin is relatively quick, typically lasting between 30 and 60 minutes depending on the amount of fat being treated. The small size of the treatment area and the precision of the laser make it a fast procedure that can often be scheduled around your day, allowing you to return to your normal routine shortly afterward.
4. When will I see results after Smartlipo?
Some initial improvement may be noticeable as soon as swelling begins to subside, usually within a week. However, the full contouring effect typically develops over four to six weeks as the skin continues to tighten and any remaining swelling dissipates. By this point, you should see a clearly defined jawline with smoother, firmer skin under the chin.
5. How long do the results of Smartlipo last?
The fat cells removed during Smartlipo are gone permanently, so the results are long-lasting. However, natural ageing, lifestyle factors, and weight gain can affect the appearance of your chin over time. Maintaining a stable weight, eating a balanced diet, and staying active are important for preserving your newly sculpted profile. Smartlipo provides a durable foundation, but it works best when combined with healthy habits.
6. Who is an ideal candidate for Smartlipo under the chin?
Smartlipo is most effective for individuals with mild to moderate submental fat who have reasonably good skin elasticity. It is designed for those near their ideal body weight who want to refine their jawline without undergoing invasive surgery. People with very loose or sagging skin may require additional procedures, such as a neck lift, to achieve the best results. A consultation with a qualified professional is essential to determine whether Smartlipo is suitable for your goals.
7. What is the recovery process like after Smartlipo?
Recovery is generally quick and manageable. Most patients experience mild swelling, redness, or bruising in the treated area, which usually subsides within a week or two. A light compression garment may be recommended to help support the skin and reduce swelling. Unlike traditional surgery, there is minimal downtime, allowing you to return to work or normal activities within a few days. Following your clinician’s aftercare instructions is crucial for optimal results.
8. Are there any risks or complications associated with Smartlipo?
Smartlipo is considered safe when performed by an experienced professional, but as with any procedure, there are potential risks. Temporary swelling, bruising, and minor discomfort are common. There is a slight chance of uneven contouring if fat removal is not perfectly balanced, which is why choosing a skilled practitioner is important. Individuals with extremely loose or sagging skin may not achieve the desired tightening effect with Smartlipo alone, and additional treatments could be needed.
9. How does Smartlipo compare to non-surgical options like Kybella or CoolSculpting?
Kybella uses injections to dissolve fat cells under the chin, but the results tend to be more subtle and may require multiple sessions. CoolSculpting freezes fat cells but does not tighten the skin, which can leave a slightly loose appearance. Smartlipo combines fat removal with skin tightening, offering both precision and a smoother contour, making it particularly effective for small, stubborn areas like the submental region.
10. Can Smartlipo improve my confidence as well as my appearance?
Many patients report that the benefits of Smartlipo extend beyond physical appearance. By targeting a double chin and refining the jawline, it can enhance facial balance and give a more youthful profile, which often boosts self-confidence. Feeling comfortable with your appearance in photos, at work, or in social settings can contribute to overall wellbeing, making Smartlipo not just a cosmetic procedure but also a confidence-enhancing treatment.
Final Thoughts: Achieving a Sculpted Jawline with Smartlipo
Smartlipo in London offers an effective, minimally invasive solution for reducing fat under the chin, tightening skin, and enhancing the jawline. Results are natural-looking and gradually improve over several weeks as swelling subsides and collagen production is stimulated.
While Smartlipo has a strong safety profile, achieving the best results requires realistic expectations, careful aftercare, and guidance from an experienced professional. At the London Medical & Aesthetic Clinic, Dr Ayham Al-Ayoubi leads Smartlipo treatments, ensuring each procedure is tailored to the patient’s unique anatomy and aesthetic goals.
If you’re considering Smartlipo in London, you can contact us at the London Medical & Aesthetic Clinic to discuss your goals with Dr Ayham Al-Ayoubi. This approach allows you to regain confidence and enjoy a smoother, more sculpted jawline with results that look natural and last over time.
References:
1. McBean, JC & Katz, BE 2011, ‘Laser Lipolysis: An Update’, Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, vol. 4, no. 9, pp. 34–40. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3140909/
2. Collawn, SS 2011, ‘Smartlipo MPX™ sculpting of the body and face’, Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, vol. 13, no. 4, pp. 172–175. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21718186/
3. De Paola, DQ 2017, ‘Pitfalls of Laser Liposuction’, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery – Global Open, vol. 5, no. 9, e1370. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5636389/
4. Laser-Assisted Lipolysis Versus Surgical Fat Removal. MDPI — compares laser-assisted lipolysis (LAL) and traditional liposuction, with relevance to skin tightening and small-area applications. MDPI
5. Manzano-Finol, A., 2025. Laser-assisted lipolysis: a promising alternative to traditional liposuction. Aesthetic Surgery Journal, 45(5), pp.567–574. Available at: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00266-025-05056-8
