As we age, jowls start to appear beneath our jawline. These loose and fleshy areas of skin are not present in our youth but tend to sneak up on us over the years.

As we age, our skin loses its firmness, making it prone to sagging. Gravity and the weight of the face contribute to this downward pull, especially if there is excess fat. Similar slackening occurs in the skin of the neck, causing fat to accumulate under the jawline and bulge forward due to weakened skin. While this process is entirely natural, it can affect our appearance.

Losing weight can have an impact on different areas of your face, but predicting the results can be challenging. As we age, the fat pads in the lower face tend to shift downwards, creating an accumulation beneath the chin. This means that weight loss may be more noticeable in the mid-face, where a bit of fat helps enhance facial contours and prevent a gaunt appearance. The visibility of weight loss in the jowls area may vary, and even if weight loss is uniform, the skin’s elasticity plays a crucial role in tightening under the chin. In some cases, excessive weight loss can result in loose, sagging skin where the jowls used to be.

If your skin retains its elasticity and the fat pads haven’t significantly sagged, losing weight can lead to positive changes in your appearance. It’s important to remember that the impact of weight loss on different facial areas can vary based on individual factors.

There are several treatments available for improving skin quality and tightening loose skin. Let’s explore some of them:

Injectable moisture treatments: These treatments focus on hydrating the skin from within. While they may not be the first choice for tightening loose skin, they promote “bioremodelling” of the skin. In other words, they encourage the skin to regenerate itself and produce more collagen and elastin. This can result in stronger, smoother, and slightly tighter skin.

Focussed ultrasound treatment: This treatment delivers pulses of energy to the deeper layers of the skin, stimulating the production of new collagen. The ultrasound waves penetrate beneath the surface, aiding in the growth of collagen from within.

Radiofrequency treatment: By heating up the skin to a temperature above 40°C, radiofrequency treatment causes controlled damage to the subdermal layers. This process triggers collagen remodelling, resulting in a tightening effect. The skin then responds by producing more collagen, which helps strengthen, smooth, and firm up the skin. Consistency with a course of treatments is key for optimal results.

To effectively address sagging jowls, it’s crucial to identify the specific nature of the sagging and consult with a professional to determine the most suitable treatment for you. Get your face assessed and find the best procedure that caters to your needs.

To redefine the jawline, wrinkle-relaxing injections, such as toxins, can be used strategically. These injections are not just aimed at smoothing wrinkles, but also at relaxing the muscles that contribute to the sagging of the lower jaw and the appearance of jowls. By precisely injecting toxins into these specific muscles, they are released, helping to redefine the jawline. It’s important to note that toxins alone may not completely reshape the jawline, but they can certainly provide assistance. So, if you’re looking to achieve a more sculpted jawline, considering toxins injections as part of your treatment plan could be beneficial.

Many people achieve impressive results with dedicated time and effort devoted to facial exercises. You can learn these exercises either through personalised instruction with a teacher or by watching videos. It’s worth noting that some of these exercises target muscles we may not realise can be moved, such as the platysma muscle beneath the chin, which helps tighten sagging jowls.

Achieving a contoured jawline can be done with a bit of practice. Take your foundation or bronzer and, using a small brush, buff it on just below the edge of your jaw and under your chin. It’s important to note that while this technique may look great in pictures or when facing people head-on, it may not have the same effect from the side. In fact, you might end up with a noticeable stripe of bronzer smudged under your jawline. Additionally, avoid using this method if you’re wearing a shirt or coat with a collar, as the careful application can easily rub off.