A breakthrough needle-free treatment which experts claim can remove a double chin in just 20 minutes is being offered at a British cosmetic clinic.
The £1,000 procedure tightens and tones neck fat using a pad placed under the chin that emits high-intensity electromagnetic energy.
This means using pulses of energy to activate the nerves that control the muscles in the neck.
It causes spontaneous contractions, effectively acting as an exercise that tones the chin area and reduces skin laxity.
Some doctors claim to replicate the effects of 20,000 sit-ups in a 30-minute session.
Studies show the same painless technology is highly effective in reducing fat around the midriff and increasing muscle definition.
Before and after: Louise Tarbuck didn’t reveal her secrets but now she’s more confident
Now, doctors are using the device – called EMFACE Submentum – to combat double chins, which they claim has improved the lives of countless people in the UK.
One of the first places in the country to offer the procedure is Aesthetically You, a Liverpool skin clinic, which has already carried out the treatment on 50 patients.
Experts say the device could be transformative. ‘I have been using this technology for more than a decade now, and this device is the most effective version,’ said Dr Rita Rakus, a cosmetic surgeon in London.
‘For most patients who want to get rid of a double chin, I would recommend an invasive procedure. Very effective and no side effects.’
Studies suggest nearly four out of five people say they are self-conscious about neck fat, also known as submental fullness.
Thick skin problems are most common in overweight people. However, it also becomes more problematic as people age because the skin loses its elasticity.
Another option is liposuction, which is an invasive surgery that involves making an incision in the chin and removing the fat by suctioning it out through a surgical tube.
Patients also ask for a neck lift which involves tightening the skin under the chin. This is done by using a small clip, called a suture, which is attached to the edge of the neck muscle – the digastric muscle – to fasten it, pulling the skin of the chin closer to the neck.
However, the procedure is not without risks. Liposuction often causes bruising and swelling, as well as numbness in the skin. In some cases, patients experience severe side effects including bleeding and infection.
In addition, patients must also be given general anesthesia, which means they often stay in the hospital overnight.
But the new EMFACE procedure is faster, and carries fewer risks. In addition to electromagnetic energy, chin pads also use another type of energy — called synchronized radio frequency — that research suggests can also help fight sagging skin. Patients are advised to get four 20-minute sessions, seven to ten days apart.
The procedure usually costs £250 per session.
Michelle McLean, of Aesthetically You, says many patients notice positive changes after just one session, with the best results usually seen after 90 days. In a clinical trial, conducted by EMFACE, the technology was shown to reduce facial wrinkles by 27 percent in three months.
In 2018, the company launched the EMsculpt, which uses the same electrical energy technology to fight the stomach.
Studies have shown that EMsculpt can reduce the thickness of the fat layer covering the abdomen by 20 percent, or an average of 3.4mm. A similar US trial was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of EMFACE in reducing excess chin fat.
One of the patients who benefited was Louise Tarbuck, a florist from Liverpool who started treatment in March this year.
The procedure, called EMFACE sharpens and tones neck fat using a pad placed under the chin that emits high-intensity electromagnetic energy.
Louise, 45, spent years suffering from low self-esteem due to a double chin.
Her insecurities escalate to the point where she is afraid to go out or exercise because she is ashamed of her chin.
‘When I heard about EMFACE, I thought, ‘Yes, I’ll try – I can only try’, he says.
‘And to be honest, I was really surprised, even after the first session, it went really well and I just thought it would continue.’
She finished treatment in mid-April and now feels like a ‘really different’ woman. They say the procedure is painless and without side effects.
‘Nobody knows where I’ve been,’ he said. ‘But a few weeks later, someone said ‘Oh, your face is slimmer, you’ve lost weight.’
His wife has also seen him gain confidence.
When I take photos, I always put my hand under my chin to hide what’s there,” she said. ‘Not now, I just smile.’
