A heavy-looking area under the chin calls for different answers depending on what is causing it. Whether the volume comes from fat, from skin that has begun to sag, or from both, the fitting choice among liposuction, InMode, and Ultherapy changes accordingly. This article compares how the three work, along with their trade-offs, so you can see which approach suits which situation.
Three backgrounds behind a double chin
A double chin generally traces back to one of three things: an inherited facial structure with a short chin, fat accumulated in the lower face, and the loss of firmness that blurs the jawline with age. Two chins can look alike and still start from different places, so working out where the volume under your chin comes from is the first step in choosing a treatment. When there is a substantial amount of fat, liposuction comes into view; when there is a modest amount of fat alongside reduced firmness, InMode or Ultherapy is the direction to consider.
Liposuction: decisive, but not without a trade-off
Liposuction physically removes fat from the chin area, so the fat reduction itself is a clear outcome. That said, taking out fat alone can leave the remaining skin to contract and create new sagging, and tissue damage during surgery or unevenly removed fat can leave the contour irregular. Some people end up looking into a lifting treatment because of the laxity that follows the procedure, which is why it is hard to recommend to anyone who does not have much fat to remove in the first place.
InMode: suited to a fat-driven double chin
InMode draws the skin in with negative pressure and delivers radiofrequency energy to break down fat cells in the treated area; of its two handpieces, the FX (MiniFX) mode is the one mainly used to reduce volume under the chin. It has a real strength in reducing volume, but the suction-based mechanism often leaves bruising at the treated site, and its ability to draw up loose skin is comparatively limited. It therefore fits people whose skin firmness is still intact and whose fat is the visible issue, and the results tend to hold for a relatively shorter period.
Ultherapy: addressing fat and sagging together
Ultherapy delivers ultrasound thermal energy down to the dermis and the SMAS layer, aiming at fat reduction and tightening at the same time. Because the SMAS layer can be located on screen while the energy is delivered, treatment can be adapted to tissue depths that differ from person to person, and concentrating heat at a specific depth also works to reduce fat cells. Unlike approaches focused on fat removal alone, it places less burden on the skin in terms of laxity, which is why it is the option considered first for a double chin where fat and sagging appear together. It costs more than InMode, but tends to require fewer sessions and hold its result longer.
How SKINIQUE Clinic approaches Ultherapy for the double chin
At SKINIQUE Clinic, treatment is not decided on the basis of a consultation-room explanation alone. The doctor who will perform the procedure examines the face and skin condition first, and then judges whether to proceed. For a double-chin Ultherapy session, a steroid-free fat-dissolving injection is combined with it — the idea being to address the fat under the chin first so that the tightening effect can be built on top of it. The energy is then delivered with genuine tips while the SMAS layer is checked in real time using the Deep See function.
Tip selection is not uniform either. A 3.0 depth tip is usually used for the double chin, but a 4.0 tip may be used alongside it depending on the amount of fat and the thickness of the skin. Because the degree of sagging, firmness, and fat volume differ from person to person, even the pressure applied to the tip is adjusted to the individual condition, and once the session is finished an authenticity sticker is issued for the number of shots used.
Why confirming a genuine tip matters
Ultherapy is a treatment whose result depends heavily on the skill of the person performing it. On top of that, a reconditioned tip raises the risk of burns and can reduce the effect, so wherever you have the treatment, it is worth confirming that genuine tips are being used. Individual consultation, verification of genuine materials, and careful technique are the criteria that should guide the choice of a clinic. Detailed costs can be found in the pricing guide.
Wrapping Up
The heart of choosing a double-chin treatment is telling apart which is the main cause: fat or sagging. Where there is a great deal of fat, liposuction; where firmness is good and fat is the issue, InMode; where fat and sagging overlap, Ultherapy becomes the first option to consider — and responses vary from person to person. If you are wondering which approach fits your own jawline, feel free to ask through a chat consultation about the treatment for your face.
This article was written by Dr. Park Tae-hyung, Chief Director. He is the chief director of SKINIQUE Clinic and serves as an academic director of the Korean Society for Laser Dermatology and Trichology. First published July 23, 2021 · Last reviewed August 24, 2026
This article is general medical information, and skin condition and response to treatment can vary from person to person. Whether to undergo treatment, and by which method, should be decided through an in-person consultation.