Double chin woes (with photos)

[DoubleChinWoes]

I'm completely depressed about my double chin and chubby face. Whatever I weigh, it doesn't change my face at all. I have no cheekbones and multiple chins.

My friends wedding photos came back today and every single photo of me is ruined by my chins and face. It makes me feel so low.

My side profile is awful, because I have a receding chin and no jaw. My dentist has commented on my jaw, saying I could get it broken and reset but I would need to have my jaw wired shut for weeks and eat through a straw. Hardly practical.

My BMI is within a healthy range (just) but my face just constantly looks awful because it's so chubby. the photos look like someone much heavier than me I think. I don't look like a healthy BMI when you just see my face.

I have had to delete Instagram and Facebook because I obsessively look at plastic surgery accounts and research people who had their profile changed with liposuction and chin implants or fillers. I'm generally anti surgery and wouldn't have the money anyway.

I try to convince myself it doesn't matter. I have good skin, people say I'm a laugh and nice, I have a husband who says I'm gorgeous and kids that appear to adore me (they are 1.5 and 3yrs old so don't know I'm ugly yet).

I have been working from home in a new job since the lockdown first happened so not met anyone in real life. I'm horribly anxious to meet people as I've tried to angle my camera to not show it so obviously.

It's getting worse as I get older (I'm 35) and soon, I'll have saggy skin there too and will end up looking like Kathy Burke. Who I love! She's amazing. But I don't want to look like her, which is probably horrible and vain.

If I can't afford fat freezing, lipo, filler or chin implants, and who knows if these would even help, and losing weight makes no difference my only hope is to start not caring I think.

What am I posting for? I have no idea. Is there something else that can be done? Or do I need to save money for procedures, or let my obsession go somehow?

If you recognise me, please don't tell me or mention it to me in RL. I'm horribly embarrassed.

[Note from MNHQ: we've agreed to remove the pics for the OP, a year or two down the line]

@Aztec283y I’ve had surgery so still have a short lower jaw. Always been a mouth breather so I do struggle a bit still with eating and I eat very slowly.

Everyone will be focused on your lovely smile.

I think you look perfectly lovely In Your photos. I don’t photograph well. I have a very unsymmetrical face and I feel like it is so very obvious in photos. I look much better in real life, or in a video. Rather than studying photographs of yourself I would take some
Videos of yourself, of the whole of you not close ups, and don’t scrutinise yourself. Look at the whole of you and try to see yourself as others see you. Your chin is just one small part of a lovely whole.

@66babe

I don't agree If you never mentioned the chin - I'd have looked at that pic and said what a genuinely happy natural pretty young lady Love the hair and make up colouring

Please don't do this to yourself
It's so not worth it , honestly ❤️

Me too. You're very pretty.

We all have something we feel insecure about,however you'd be surprised how many people don't notice something!

I have friends who have/had bad skin (my skin is good and I don't notice their 'bad' skin).

I have friends who worry about their white legs. I'm naturally olive/brown and would never notice if someone had really white legs.

And then I have my own hang ups of course (pigmentation/carrying extra weight) and I expect others don't notice that on me either.

You look lovely OP. All those Instagram/Love island ladies end up all looking exactly the same and forgettable.

When I am unhappy about some aspect of my appearance, I always think of Olivia Goldsmith.

You look lovely, OP. Radiantly lovely. As your husband says, gorgeous.

My first thought when I saw your photo was how very pretty you are.

A counsellor can help with your self esteem and confidence issues and I recommend you ask your DSis to stop saying you have a "wattle". I suspect that kind of (jealous?) nonsense is what has caused your self esteem issues in the first place.

We all have things we don't like about our looks. Honestly, your chin is not something that others will notice about you because the overall affect is that you are an attractive woman. It's only because you have a smaller lower jaw that causes this affect. Better than jutting chin!

Would never had noticed your chin if you hadn't said. You look beautiful

‘Wattle’ was an Ally McBeal thing, wasn’t it? One of the partners had a fetish

Anyway. OP, another impartial observer here to say you look so so lovely in your pictures, I’d love to have that vibrancy. I’d say don’t change anything. I’m not qualified to comment on the conversation around the jawline and operations, so I agree with getting a second opinion as suggested before.

Have you watched Skin Decision on Netflix? It’s good for understanding how corrective surgeons work. I’m not a fan of the buccal fat in my cheeks, and considered getting it removed. But I’ve read that you lose weight from your face in your 40s which can affect how this looks later on. This is the thing I’d be careful about, changing one thing in one place can affect how the rest of the face can look and can trigger a series of subsequent procedures.

Agree it's jaw related but you look beautiful and your teeth are perfect!

I have this op. It was also a late realisation to know what the cause is as well. I didn't even know what an overbite was! I've always said I would never get plastic surgery but this is something I consider different like when kids would get their ears pinned back which was common when I was younger (is this still a thing?!). It does sound quite a brutal procedure but I don't know why it's not done in teenage years like braces are encouraged. My teeth are mostly straight so I never had braces but in a lot of cases that is cosmetic and this is too, but with the potential to become a genuine dental problem for your teeth.

Sorry op I've made this all about me as I relate to the issue you're talking about. I would like to say however, that your photos are great. You look really pretty and kind and likeable. My negative comments stem from my own issues and not yours.

Just by way of an update: the last week I have started to feel less insecure about it, which is down to the overwhelming positive comments from people here. So really big thank you.

I have emailed the dentist who has passed my details onto a specialist and I will talk to them about the pros/cons, including doing nothing and whether I'll need this operation in time anyway. I don't seem to snore or have trouble breathing at the moment, which someone asked earlier on. The dentist has said it's a process which takes years so knowing more about what it is and entails will help me make an informed choice.

I've looked into BDD and it does appear I have some of the traits and I've contacted my EAP at work to see if I can get some advice about it too. The specialist may have seen this and be able to recommend some support too potentially.

This thread has had an overwhelming positive impact on me. When I've become down or started to spiral into self loathing, these comments come back to me and put it in perspective.

It's really sad that you're feeling so insecure about yourself, as all I see when I look at your pictures is a lovely face with pretty eyes, lovely skin, and a beautiful smile with perfect teeth.

I really don't see anything wrong with you.
We all have parts of ourselves that we wish we could change, but it's what makes us unique and 'us', and I guarantee that we are the only ones who really notice.

I hope that you are starting to feel a bit better about yourself after reading so many lovely comments.
You really are very attractive looking and I hope you can see that for yourself one day. x

You are a gorgeous! First I saw that as your beautiful smile and lovely eyes for certain. I did notice a receding chin line as you mentioned it. I have got a child who is undergoing treatment for a similair issue so tend to pick up on it now if I see it since I know a bit about it. I think you are wise to look at the options for treatment - it’s not only an aesthetic issue.

I'm glad it's helped you @DoubleChinWoes I think getting advice for BDD is a great idea. Your op was a sad read you are way too harsh on yourself. You are a genuinely pretty person and the pp who have said you look warm struck a note. That's what I meant by likeable.

I have similar, its like I have no neck from the side..... But it is what it is. And obsessing over it is pointless.

Oh my gosh what a radiant smile!! You’re beautiful, honestly what lovely photos! It has made me think how differently we see ourselves - honestly you look radiant and lovely. You have a really youthful look, people pay a lot of money to look like that! Lovely skin and great features (have just been late night shopping for skin cream so probably being too intense, but would love collagen rich skin like yours you lucky thing!!)

I'd tell you if I could see what you're talking about. I honestly can't. You're very pretty and positively beautiful in those pictures.

I don't know how you can change the way you feel, though.

You have a lovely face , very attractive and beautiful features , it’s easy to concentrate on one feature and obsess over it but most people rarely have all perfect features of focus on the good stuff of which there are a lot . I’ve never liked my nose but I realise I wouldn’t look like myself if I was to do anything to it .

Also my son had quite a severe overbite and is currently getting orthodontic treatment so it’s possible if you want to do it but please don’t waste your life waiting to live it when you are perfect , you have a beautiful look many would envy .

Well from your post I was expecting Quasi Modo not the beautiful young woman in the photos - and you are beautiful!
But, having had a similar fixation on a feature of my own I know that you are not in a place at the moment to accept that as fact.
I am a stranger on the internet and while I don't go out of my way to be nasty, I don't know you from Adam and have no reason to lie to you.
The problem is that no matter how many people tell you what a lovely, friendly face you have, you have your own narrative going on and your perception of your lower face informs everything. Didn't get the promotion - it's my chin, people looking at me - it's my chin etc.
I don't mean any disrespect, it's just that I agonised, reduced my life, had hypnotherapy and wound up in a very bad place because of my perception of my issue. That's not to say that I didn't have an issue, people did make some horrible comments and I replayed them in my mind on a loop.
What changed for me was complicated..... firstly having a child gave me more confidence but also the intense focus on my appearance took a back seat. Age also made me think fook you and fuck it - a bit! 😁
But sadly, the greatest leveller has been physical ill health. I didn't appreciate what I had and I can't change that now but I hope with all my heart that you can get to a brighter mindset in a much easier way.
One thing that would upset me, was people who obviously loved me refusing to admit my "flaw" was real, refusing to believe that some rude horrors would have the audacity to say these things to my face. That just made me feel alone.
So, yes I can see that you don't have an uber chiseled jaw line and I accept your evaluation that it's not what you want. You are still very attractive and lovely with the softness.
But if it's really something you just cannot get over - change it!
That's the beauty of living at this point in time, there are options!
You don't have the money today, but start saving! Sacrifice all treats - take away coffee, new clothes, magazines; ask for birthday and Christmas prezzies to be for your fund etc IF YOU REALLY WANT TO! At some point you will have enough and I think a small amount of lipo will help you get the look you want. Maybe a bit of filler to strengthen your chin. Obviously the saving up will give you a chance to really, really think about it, research doctors, etc.
Maybe you'll decide not to go ahead but that is entirely up to you!
I wish you every happiness!

you have a similar face shape to Saoirse Monica Jackson

Before I read your original post I looked at the photos of you, and all I thought was - what a beautiful lady with a lovely smile.

Whatever you want to do about your chin, please know that you look beautiful! Most people will not notice things that you see as a perceived 'defect' but I completely understand how you feel.

Just read your update I am glad you are feeling a bit more positive and that you're looking into options with your dentist as well as maybe seeing some BDD in yourself too.

I only read through this thread today and have to say the photo of you totally does not fit the description in your original post. You totally look like wholesome and naturally very pretty, and totally healthy. You have gorgeous lush thick hair, beautiful big eyes and lovely clear skin.
I think we all see our weaker points under a microscope and are more positive features get hidden behind it! I use to fixate on my nose now, I barely think about it and really it's no where as bad as I ever thought it was!