I've existed in my plus-size body for 27 years now, and I've pretty much accepted it—except for my double chin. Maybe it's because I'm a beauty editor who's constantly looking at her face as I'm testing the latest glowy foundations and face serums (and taking a bajillion selfies to prove it). But the extra fat and puffy look of my chin is my cross to bear. And I've tried every single thing out there to fix it (trust me). The single only thing that's ever helped me get rid of my double chin was chin liposuction, specifically AirSculpt.
Before I detail my AirSculpt experience, you've gotta grasp why I decided just to go the route of liposuction, because it's definitely the most expensive, invasive, and—let's be real—intense option. I'll be the first person to shout about self-love and body confidence from the rooftops too. There is nothing wrong with having a lil fat under your chin—never, ever, ever—but I didn't love mine and constantly looked for treatments, which included:
- CoolSculpting: This works by freezing your fat cells until they die, but involved months of painful, swollen downtime.
- KyBella: A series of injections of a compound that kills fat cells, which was just as painful as it sounds and only gave me subtle results.
- Chin filler: My doctor injected a tiny bit of hyaluronic-acid filler into my tip of my chin, which added a little projection to slightly changed the shape of my chin, but couldn't disguise the fat.
- Gua sha and jade rolling: Facial massages with tools like gua sha and jade rollers can help encourage lymphatic drainage to temporarily slim your face, but it didn't lead to lasting results nor magically get rid of fat.
- Jaw filler: Similar to chin filler, a doctor injected filler into my jawline to add some definition and create a sharper appearance, but this didn't get rid of or hide my double chin.
- NuFace and microcurrent facials: Microcurrent works by emitting an electrical current into your muscles to "tone" them, giving my round face a more contoured, look, but didn't get rid of fat (seeing a pattern here?).
- Facial yoga: These facial movements are said to help exercise and tone your face, but because you can't target fat loss, this did absolutely nothing (lol, sry).
- Depuffing creams: These creams are filled with anti-inflammatories, like arnica, allantoin, caffeine, and aloe vera to help depuff your skin and calm down inflammation, but didn't disguise fat.
- Electrical muscle stimulation (EMS), like EmFace: Using electricity to mimic natural facial contractions and strengthen my muscles, this gave my face a noticeable lift for a few hours but didn't improve my double chin.
- Losing weight: Of course, this slimmed my face a bit, but it barely touched my double chin, which is genetic.
When all of the above couldn't give me a sharp, Bella Hadid-esque jawline, I knew the only way to get the results I yearned for was to go the most invasive route. And I'm here to announce: Yup, laser liposuction, specifically AirSculpt, got rid of my double chin. Finally.
Wait, what is AirSculpt?
AirSculpt is a form of liposuction to get rid of fat in a specific area of your body, but the entire process is quite a bit different. For starters, AirSculpt uses a needle-sized device that creates a teeny-tiny entryway (versus a scalpel that makes an incision that can take weeks to heal, as is the case with traditional lipo). Then, once the device is in your skin, its small, vibrating cannula gently breaks up the fat cells before sucking them out of your skin, "offering quicker recovery and less scarring compared to traditional liposuction," says board-certified plastic surgeon Jennifer Levine.
Here's how it works: Think of your fat cells like the size of a cookie crumb, says cosmetic surgeon and AirSculpt founder (nbd!) Aaron Rollins. "We numb the fat, and then we have a device that basically takes the cookie crumbs—or fat cells—off," he explains. The device moves back and forth, plucking about three cells off at a time instead of scraping, which is what happens with traditional liposuction. Plus, unlike traditional liposuction which usually requires general anesthesia, AirSculpt is done while you're awake, usually with some local numbing and some laughing gas.
A common complaint with chin liposuction is laxity—aka loose, saggy skin—under your chin once the fat is removed. I opted for AirSculpt+, which combines the O.G. AirSculpt procedure with Renuvion, a skin-tightening treatment that uses radiofrequency (RF) to help firm skin. A thin probe is inserted just under your skin after the AirSculpt treatment, delivering helium plasma and RF heat directly to your tissue. This can help counteract some of that potential excess skin.
Quick background: Dr. Rollins founded AirSculpt to give people a more comfortable experience with faster downtime, less scarring, and less pain. "We do things in a far more gentle way, and you're actually awake, which makes you a participant," he adds. Basically, this helps your provider get into every nook and cranny, and ensures you like your result in the end. While Dr. Rollins says the stomach is the most common area, the second most-common area is—you guessed it—the chin.
Why chin liposuction?
Chin liposuction is all over my For You Page rn. (I saw two Upper East Siders in Sephora in their chin-compression gear last week—obvi, I gave them both a lil nod of mutual respect. I guess we're all in a club now.) And I see why it's popular—it's the only way to permanently get rid of fat under your chin in a matter of minutes. "The fat cells removed during the procedure do not regenerate," explains Dr. Levine. In other words, your chin will look snatched for a long time, so long as you maintain your weight.
For me, the minimal downtime was the biggest advantage of AirSculpt, though. I was told I could carry on back to work in two days, with minimal bruising and swelling to show for it. "Downtime for AirSculpt is reportedly shorter than traditional liposuction because it involves smaller incisions," says Dr. Levine. (But keep reading for a full rundown on my experience, ofc.)
I know what you're thinking: Is AirSculpt better than lipo? Not necessarily for everyone, but it was definitely the much better pick for me. FWIW, traditional liposuction can be more precise, especially for your face, says Dr. Levine. But in my case, I knew I'd be treating the entirety of my chin and jawline with AirSculpt, so this wasn't an issue. "Both procedures are effective for fat reduction; however, traditional liposuction provides greater control, which is vital for achieving desired facial contours," says Dr. Levine.
FYI, though, "more fat may be removed with traditional liposuction," Dr. Levine explains. This wasn't a problem for me; for the sake of your stomach I won't insert the pic of my removed fat, but trust me, it was extremely satisfying. However, important thing to note: You actually can go in for seconds with AirSculpt (lol). So if you want to split up your procedure into two to get more fat removed, talk about it with your doc.
How much does AirSculpt cost?
The cost of AirSculpt totally depends on the area you're treating, your location, how much fat is removed, and more. To give you an idea, though, chin AirSculpt begins at around $6,000 (but could go up to $10,000 or more based on the above factors, as well as if you do AirSculpt+, which is around $2,500 to $3,500 extra).
FWIW, the average cost of a traditional chin liposuction in 2022 was $4,449, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. However, keep in mind that this number doesn't include anesthesia, operating room facilities, or other related expenses like travel and medications. In general, the cost of AirSculpt is pretty competitive to regular lipo, and they offer payment plans and options. Yup, it's expensive, so I had some sticker shock when I saw the quote from AirSculpt. But FYI, I received this procedure at a reduced cost as a beauty editor to write this review. Now, lemme get all into my procedure:
My Experience With AirSculpt:
Before the appointment:
Before I even made my appointment, I went in for a consultation with board-certified plastic surgeon Adam Schaffner, MD, where he identified if I was a candidate and what kind of result I could expect. Pretty much anyone who's gotten a good bill of health from their doctor who has unwanted fat they'd like to remove can get AirSculpt, but it's not necessarily a weight-loss tool if you're hoping to lose more than, say, 30 or so pounds.
I made my appointment a few weeks later, and all I had to do the day of the appointment was show up. Legit... I did a workout class and got a blowout before, lol.
During AirSculpt:
Once I arrived at the office, I filled out a handful of forms and was taken back to the pre-op room and told to change into a gown and disposable surgery undergarments. A nurse (who was so lovely and made me feel so comfortable) took my vitals, my weight, and then did a urine pregnancy test, all while going over the run of show for the afternoon and what I should expect.
We did a round of pre-op images before I finally met with Dr. Schaffner again. He asked me what I was hoping to change and the look I was going for, then began marking me up for surgery. I looked very cute (see below), and this is when shit started to feel real. I hung out in the room for a while and took a prescribed Xanax to help calm my nerves a lil bit and an antibiotic to help prevent any potential infections.
After scrolling on my phone for 30 or so minutes, I was wheeled into the operating room where the nurse began setting everything up. She pulled back my hair and laid me down, then had me turn on a playlist to jam out to during surgery. (Remember: With AirSculpt, you're awake the whole time, so I legit just vibed to some old-school Jonas Brothers throughout the procedure.) The doctor also numbed my chin a little bit with a local anesthetic, which just felt like a tiny prick. Then, we got to ~werk~.
QQ: How painful is AirSculpt?
While I was getting the actual procedure, AirSculpt wasn't painful at all. Dr. Schaffner gave me some laughing gas, which made me feel a bit fuzzy, although I was still totally awake. Honestly, the vibes were off the charts as Dr. Schaffner sucked the fat outta my chin. I just felt pressure against my skin, but nothing else.
Dr. Schaffner explained the entire process during the procedure (a benefit to being awake the whole time). He was constantly checking in to see if I felt anything, asking if I needed more numbing or laughing gas. Once he finished removing the fat (about 30 minutes total), he inserted the RF wand under my skin to help tighten and firm. This felt slightly warm, but otherwise painless and only took an extra 20 minutes or so.
While he was doing his thing, I couldn't see what was happening, which was totally fine with me as watching a machine go to town under my skin doesn't sound like my idea of a good time. But I did get to immediately sit up once we were finished (about 50 minutes total) and peek at all the fat that was taken out of my chin. Good riddance, fat. I will not miss you.
After AirSculpt:
After the procedure was over, my nurse put on my compression gear (which the office provided) and made me look v cute before my bestie took me home in an Uber. I lay in bed watching The Last of Us, taking intermittent naps for the next day or so—so it was v chill. Whenever the pain would creep up, I'd take an Advil and feel fine again. Tbh, the most uncomfortable portion was wearing the compression garment, which I was instructed to wear for 48 hours straight after surgery. It was just a lil itchy and irritating, and all I wanted was to take it off ASAP.
When I did finally take it off and shower and brush my hair, though, I felt pretty much fine. (Although I did wear the compression garment to sleep and sporadically for a few hours a day every day for two weeks, as recommended by Dr. Schaffner.) Swelling and bruising are pretty standard; I had a little bit of bruising, but most of all, still had remnants of the marker the doctor used, which I scrubbed off with some alcohol.
Dr. Levine recommends sticking with your surgeon's specific instructions, like wearing your compression garment, getting lotsa rest and hydration, and avoiding physical activity for a period of time. I definitely drank as much water as I could that first week and tried to lay low. I had the surgery on a Saturday and was back to work-from-home Monday, in the office Tuesday, and at an event meeting Selena Gomez on Wednesday. All in a week's work, I say! The only thing I couldn't do right away was work out (Dr. Schaffner said to wait two weeks while my chin healed).
What definitely helped me was lymphatic drainage massage. This is key to a good result with AirSculpt or any liposuction treatment, as it helps remove any fluid retention to bring down swelling. The office instructed me to gently massage my lower face every single day after the third-day post-op by loading up a a dropper-full of face oil all over my chin, neck, and jaw, then slowly making short strokes toward my ear, then down toward my collar bone (here's a quick demo). I also employed the help of the Solwave red-light wand to both help massage as well as give me some added red-light therapy to possibly help further reduce some inflammation.
My post-chin lipo toolkit:
This is loaded with arnica and centella asiatica to help calm my skin and reduce redness, while the cold roll-on applicator helps constrict blood vessels to majorly bring down my swelling.
Solawave 4-in-1 Radiant Renewal Skincare Wand
Not only does this gently massage the heck outta my face to help reduce puffiness and encourage lymphatic drainage, but it also provides my skin with a tiny bit of red-light therapy to aid in calming down inflammation.
A mix of arnica, bromelain, and dragon's blood (not what it sounds like—it's the resin from the croton lechleri tree!) make this a super potent serum for bringing down inflammation and soothing your skin. I patted it on my lower face twice daily a week before my procedure and for three weeks after. I barely noticed any bruising past the first couple of days post-op, and I credit this.
Youth to the People Superberry Hydrate & Glow Oil
This lightweight oil is fab for providing a slick, glide-y oil to massage my entire face while moisturizing with jojoba, acai, and prickly pear oils.
AirSculpt before and after:
What you all came for: my official before and after! I can tell a major difference in my lower face, specifically just under my chin, where it's just a little bit slimmer. Do I have a jawline that cut glass? No, but I love that I still look like myself—just a more confident, brighter version. And I still have all the volume in my cheeks that I love and will appreciate one day (or so everyone tells me).
In my experience, AirSculpt+ definitely tightened the skin under my chin and jawline. I have absolutely no loose or sagging skin where the procedure was done a year later. I noticed swelling for the first three-ish months, but that went down by my sixth-month check-in. There is an itsy-bitsy, practically microscopic scar directly under my chin that you can't see (but I can slightly feel when I touch), but that's it—no other indicators that I had anything done, which I <3 love <3.
Final thoughts: Do I recommend chin liposuction?
If you, like me, are sick of putting every measly method to the test to conceal your double chin with no avail, you might be a good candidate for chin liposuction. I, obviously, only tested AirSculpt+ myself, but had incredible results and have recommended it to multiple people in my personal life who are looking for a similar effect.
However, it can be prohibitively pricey (we're talking upwards of $10,000, depending on your surgeon, location, how much fat is removed, and more) and is definitely far more invasive than anything else I've ever tried. For me, though, it was worth it—and has made me feel eons better taking photos, which I legit do every single day for my job.
Also, important to note: My double chin will sadly always be there a tad. Whenever I eat salty French fries or sweet gummy bears, my chin puffs up and makes my face look rounder. And ya know what, I've just grown to deal with it. I feel so much more confident with my post-AirSculpt, heart-shaped face that I can deal with some puffiness here and there. After all, I'll be clamoring for all this youthful chub in 15 or so years.
Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan, where she covers skincare, makeup, hair, nails, and more across digital and print. She can generally be found in bright eyeshadow furiously typing her latest feature or hemming and hawing about a new product you "have to try." Prior to Cosmopolitan, she wrote and edited beauty content as an Editor at The Everygirl for four years. Follow her on Instagram for makeup selfies and a new hair 'do every few months.
