A groundbreaking needle-free treatment that experts claim can erase a double chin in just 20 minutes is now being offered in cosmetic clinics across the UK.
The £1,000 treatment refines and firms neck fat using a pad placed under the chin that delivers high-intensity electromagnetic energy.
This means that energy pulses are used to activate the nerves that control the muscles in the neck.
This causes it to contract spontaneously, which is an effective workout that firms the chin and reduces sagging skin.
Some clinicians claim that it mimics the effect of 20,000 sit-ups in one 30-minute session.
Studies show that the same painless technology is highly effective in reducing fat around the midriff and improving muscle definition.
BEFORE AND AFTER: Louise Tarbuck hasn’t revealed her secret, but now feels much more confident
Now clinicians are using the device, called EMFACE Submentum, to combat double chins in a move they claim could improve the lives of countless people in the UK.
One of the first places in the country to offer the procedure is Aesthetically You, a skin clinic in Liverpool, which has already performed the treatment on 50 patients.
Experts say the device could be transformative. “I’ve been using this technology for over a decade and this device is the most effective version yet,” says Dr. Rita Rakus, a cosmetic surgeon in London.
“For most patients who want to get rid of a double chin, I would recommend this over an invasive procedure. It is very effective and has little to no side effects.”
Research shows that nearly four out of five people are embarrassed by the fat on their neck, also known as submental fullness.
The problem of sagging skin is most common in overweight people. However, it also becomes a bigger problem as people age, as the skin loses its elasticity.
Other options include liposuction, a major surgery in which an incision is made in the chin and fat is suctioned out through a surgical tube.
Patients can also have a neck lift, which tightens the skin under the chin. This is done using small clips called sutures that are attached to the edges of the neck muscle – the digastric muscle – to shorten it, pulling the skin of the chin closer to the neck.
However, these procedures are not without risks. Liposuction often causes bruising and swelling, as well as numbness in the skin. In some cases, patients experience serious side effects, including bleeding and infection.
In addition, patients must be put under general anesthesia, which often means they must stay in the hospital overnight.
But the new EMFACE procedure is much faster and carries far fewer risks. In addition to electromagnetic energy, the chin pad also uses another type of energy called synchronized radiofrequency, which research suggests may also help combat sagging skin. Patients are advised to undergo four 20-minute sessions, spaced seven to 10 days apart.
The procedure normally costs £250 per session.
Michelle McLean of Aesthetically You says that many patients notice a positive change after 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 about 27 percent in three months.
In 2018, the company launched EMsculpt, which uses the same electrical energy technology to combat a tummy tuck.
Studies suggest that the EMsculpt can reduce the depth of the fat layer covering the stomach by up to 20 percent, or an average of 3.4 mm. A similar U.S. trial is underway to assess the effectiveness of the EMFACE in reducing excess chin fat.
One patient who has benefited is Louise Tarbuck, a florist from Liverpool, who started treatment in March this year.
The procedure, called EMFACE, refines and firms neck fat using a pad placed under the chin that delivers high-intensity electromagnetic energy
Louise, 45, struggled with a lack of self-confidence for years due to her double chin.
Her insecurity became so great that she was afraid to go outside or play sports because she was ashamed of her chin.
“When I heard about EMFACE I thought, ‘Well, I’m going to try it, I can’t resist,’” she says.
‘And honestly, after the first session I was completely overwhelmed. It was fantastic and I thought: I’m just going to keep going.’
She completed the treatment in mid-April and now feels like a “completely different” woman, saying the procedure was painless and without side effects.
“Nobody knew I’d been anywhere,” she says. “But a few weeks later, someone said, ‘Oh, your face is a lot slimmer, you’ve lost a lot of weight.’
Her husband has also noticed that she is becoming more and more self-confident.
“When I had my pictures taken, I would put my hand under my chin to hide what was showing,” she says. “Now I don’t do that anymore, I just smile.”
