Fat freezing, fat dissolving jabs, radio frequency, dermal filler, botulinum toxin, ultrasound... if you've tried any of the above aesthetic procedures to improve or shift that double chin with no great success, you might want to take a look at chin liposuction.

Wondering why you have a double chin? According to aesthetic clinic 111 Harley St, the primary cause is due to general body fat levels. They can also be caused due to genetically predisposed stubborn fat, a weak or receding chin, posture, and even ageing (excess skin and fat can sink to the bottom of the jaw, creating a more prominent jowl and chin).

While facial exercises have become popular, there is little evidence to show their effectiveness. Instead, many patients are opting to ‘stretch out’ the area with cleverly injected jaw and chin fillers, elongating or widening the area to 'draw out’ the appearance of a double chin.

Ideal for reducing unwanted fullness beneath the chin (submental), and creating more defined contours, chin liposuction is one of 111 Harley St's most popular procedures, as it consistently delivers impressive, immediate and permanent results.

Chin liposuction, or submental liposuction as its formally known, can whisk away a significant amount of excess fat beneath the chin to restore balance and create a sharper, more youthful silhouette without altering your natural appearance. While it may be a more invasive option than, say, ultrasound or radio frequency, compared to liposuction on other body areas there's minimal scarring, and results are natural and long-lasting.

Chin lipo is effective on the neck contours and definition of the jawline as well as the chin, and works using a small cannula—this instrument is hollow: one end has holes in it, and the other is attached to suction. Once it is placed within the skin, it uses vibration and either water or laser pressure to break apart the fat cells. As the fat cells are broken apart, they become liquified and are removed from the body using the suction action employed by the cannula.

III Harley St's award-winning surgeon Dr Yannis makes an incision just below each earlobe and this helps him to contour the face across the whole jawline, not just the chin. This offers a complete result, where the whole of the mandible bone is taken into consideration to help you achieve the ultimate definition.

So does it hurt? Chin lipo is performed under local anaesthesia—according to Dr Yannis, a lot of patients are initially apprehensive about having this surgery under local, as they are awake during the procedure, but local anaesthesia is used to numb the area. To further relax you, your eyes will be covered and music played, so the experience is as stress free as possible.

While the results are impressive, the downtime will need to be factored in. Immediately afterwards, you'll need to wear a chin compression garment for one-week post-op, and then after that for a few hours a day, or just to sleep in. Compression garments are worn to apply pressure to the skin to reduce swelling and help to reduce soreness, so they are ideal post-liposuction.

This is also not the time to be reaching for crunchy apples and crusty bread; you should try to eat soft foods and liquids; like soups, smoothies, purees, protein shakes—anything that does not promote too much movement of the jaw. Alongside excessive chewing being potentially painful for the first week post-chin lipo, the main reason a soft food diet is advised is to help accelerate your recovery—if your body has to digest hard foods, this essentially uses energy that could be spent on healing.