The Best Double Chin Exercises

Double chins are the result of various issues--genetics, age and excess fat--but a common factor is the desire to remove it and the difficulty in doing so. Loose skin may take its toll on the face, but fat deposits under the skin cause the double chin. Overall weight loss is the direct route to lose a double chin; watch your diet and maintain regular exercise. There are also some simple facial exercises and tips that can be worked into daily life that can help firm up the muscles around the chin and jaw line.

Basic Tips

• There are things that you can do to combat a double chin, including exercising, watching your diet and even chewing sugarless gum. Keep your jaw muscles active. The chewing motion is one of the most effective exercises, along with an exaggerated opening motion that stretches the neck muscles.

  One main focus that helps combat a double chin is posture. Improved posture--sitting and standing straight with your head up--will improve your overall appearance and help strengthen your throat and neck muscles.

The Platysma

• The muscle that you want to exercise is the platysma, a superficial muscle that covers the chin all the way down to the clavicle. The platysma controls downward movement of the jaw and corners of the mouth. Exercise the platysma by pulling your lower lip over your bottom teeth and moving your jaw in a scooping motion, called the shovel. Though it looks silly, this exercise provides resistance and, regularly practiced, will strengthen the muscle and improve your appearance.

Double Chin Exercises

• There are several chin and face exercises that can be practiced regularly as part of your overall fitness routine. Try some of the following exercises to help combat your double chin:

  1. Stand straight, lift your chest and tilt your head back as far as possible while closing your mouth tightly until you feel your neck muscles stretch. Count to 10, then relax, repeating this about 10 times daily.

  2. Sit upright in an armless chair with your arms by your side, and tilt your head back as far as possible. Open and close your mouth several times, feeling the neck muscles stretch each time.

  3. Stand with your head at a natural angle, bring the lower lip and chin up as far as possible until you feel the neck muscles stretch, count to 10 and relax. Repeat this 10 times.

  4. Lift your chin and move your mouth in an exaggerated chewing motion. You should hear clicking as your jaws move and feel the muscles in your neck tightening.

  Create a twice-daily routine with these exercises. There are several more facial exercise routines available that build upon these basic exercises, with the main goal of strengthening and toning the neck muscles, helping to tighten the skin attached to them.