Dear Ask a Sensible Midwesterner,

Why do I have a double chin?

Aging on the East Coast

Dear Aging on the East Coast,

I sympathize. Every morning I see a bit more of my grandmother’s turkey waddle developing under my own chin. It’s not my favorite part of aging, although I do always try to remember what she had to say on the subject: “You look better now than you will!” And then I try to appreciate how awesome my 80-year-old self is going to think I look right this minute.

Several factors come into play in creating a double chin. First, genetics. Look around your blood relations. How do their chins look? Doubled up? There may not be much more to yours than that.

Second, age. Losing muscle tone and skin elasticity leads to sagging in all sorts of places, including chins.

Third, fat. Could it be that you’re eating too much pie? You can find people who will suggest you chew gum to exercise muscles around the double chin, but a plan of more exercise and less food is a better bet for healthful weight loss.

Or just do what generations have done before you: Invest in turtlenecks and colorful scarves.