Nonsurgical double chin treatment in Medellín

You may see it called double chin treatment, double chin removal without surgery or nonsurgical chin lipo, and in Spanish, papada sin cirugía. It isn't a single procedure: it's a set of aesthetic medicine options, chosen based on what's behind your double chin. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), it can come from genetics, excess fat or loose skin. At noon Clinic in Medellín, the options are cryolipolysis (in Spanish) for fat, and HIFU or radiofrequency for mild sagging. The surgical option is chin liposuction.

None of the three involves incisions or time off work. With cryolipolysis, according to the FDA, an applicator uses suction to draw in the fat you can pinch and cools it; your body clears it, usually within two to three months. In the United States, the FDA has cleared at least one cryolipolysis device for fat under the chin and one HIFU device for loose tissue in that area. HIFU and radiofrequency heat deep layers of the skin: they work on firmness, not fat. Chin liposuction is surgery, in an operating room, with 5 to 7 days off work.

These options aren't a good fit if:

• You have a lot of loose skin: according to the AAD, tightening may not help, and the ASPS says cryolipolysis may not be right for you.
• You want to lose weight: the FDA notes that nonsurgical body contouring doesn't treat obesity.
• You're pregnant, or you're breastfeeding and considering cryolipolysis.
• You have cold urticaria, cryoglobulinemia, Raynaud's or another cold sensitivity condition, or poor circulation in the area: the FDA advises against cryolipolysis.
• You have a pacemaker or another active implant, or metal in the area: HIFU and radiofrequency aren't used in that case.

Every procedure has risks. For cryolipolysis, the FDA lists, among others:

• Redness, bruising, swelling, pain or skin discoloration, which usually fade on their own.
• Numbness that can last several weeks, nodules or freeze burns, which can be severe.
• Under the chin, a temporary feeling of fullness at the back of the throat; under the jawline, nerve damage that temporarily changes the position of the lip or tongue.
• Rarely, the fat grows instead of shrinking; it doesn't resolve on its own and may need surgery.

With HIFU and radiofrequency, the AAD says the most common effects are temporary redness and swelling.

For your consultation, bring a list of what you take, including supplements, and tell your doctor if you're pregnant or breastfeeding, if you have implants and what you've had done on your neck or chin. You go back to your routine right away; the area may be red, swollen, tender or numb for a few days. With cryolipolysis, the AAD says you may notice changes as early as 3 weeks. With HIFU, the effect builds over 2 to 3 months. Radiofrequency usually takes 4 to 8 sessions. If you notice blisters, a burn or the area getting bigger, message us.

If we see at your consultation that what you need goes beyond what these options can do, we'll tell you:

• A lot of fat, or you'd rather remove it in a single surgery: chin liposuction, with Dr. Fernando Ruiz, a plastic surgeon.
• Significant loose skin on the neck: a neck lift. According to the ASPS, nonsurgical tightening doesn't match the improvement in sagging that surgery achieves.
• A chin with little projection, which makes a double chin more noticeable: hyaluronic acid fillers or chin surgery.
• Losing weight: medical weight management.