The aging process can be difficult for many of us to deal with. The first time you notice those fine lines or sagging skin can have you rushing for the beauty aisle in search of anti-aging products. Even though aging is a natural process that happens to everyone, we all wish we can keep a youthful look for longer. However, as we age, it becomes more difficult to control these signs of time passing.
One of the most frustrating things for many is developing sagging jowls which immediately makes you look older and gives the appearance of an undefined jawline. Keep reading to discover more about what causes sagging jowls and how to tighten up sagging jowls for a more youthful appearance.
What Causes Sagging Jowls?
There are a few different factors that can cause sagging jowls, but the ultimate cause is aging. As your skin starts to age it loses elasticity. This is because elastin and collagen production slows down as we get older. From your late 30s and early 40s you might start to notice that your skin isn’t as firm as it used to be.
Your skin also becomes thinner and drier as you get older, which makes it more likely to start sagging. As your skin thins, it becomes less resilient and it’s more difficult to maintain its form, which leads to sagging.
However, apart from aging, there are also other factors that can make you more or less likely to develop sagging jowls. Somes of these are factors beyond your control, whereas others can be improved.
Sun damage and smoking are two factors that can cause jowls to develop. These are also two factors that you can control. Along with these are also excessive use of alcohol, severe stress, an unhealthy diet, and poor hygiene.
However, there is also a genetic component to jowls. This means if you’re genetically predisposed to develop jowls, they’re more likely to appear as you get older. Unfortunately, genetics isn’t something you can control. Just like genetics, here are a few other factors that can cause jowls that can’t be controlled such as skin allergens, physical trauma or injury, and severe or chronic illness.
Skincare Treatments To Try For Sagging Jowls
While sagging jowls are a normal part of aging, there are a number of treatments you can use to reduce and improve the appearance of jowls. For some individuals, having pronounced or severe jowls can make them uncomfortable, cause anxiety, and lower self-esteem. You deserve to feel the best about yourself, so let’s take a look at how to lift sagging jowls.
Ranging from invasive surgeries to at-home treatments, you have numerous options to treat your sagging jowls and get back a defined jawline for a more youthful look.
Neck or Face Lift
If you’re interested in a surgical option to treat your jowls, a neck or face lift can be very effective. However, you should remember that any surgery carries risks along with required downtime to recover after the procedure. If you are considering getting a neck or face lift, make sure to consult with a trained and experienced plastic surgeon and weigh the facts before committing to ensure it’s the right treatment for you.
Liposuction
Another medical treatment option for jowls is a type of liposuction procedure. While the downtime after this treatment is much less than a neck or face lift, this is still an invasive option that has certain risks. Some of the risks include scarring and nerve damage. A qualified plastic surgeon will be able to discuss this option with you to see if it’s right for you.
Non-Invasive Treatments To Improve the Appearance of Sagging Jowls
There are numerous non-invasive treatments for jowls that have shown great improvement without you having to go under the knife. Here we list just a few non-invasive treatments you can consider for treating sagging jowls.
Laser Therapy
Laser therapy is a great way to boost collagen production in the skin. Since jowls can be caused by a lack of collagen and elastin, this treatment option can produce visible results. Not only can laser therapy be effective at reducing the appearance of jowls, but they also reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines and rejuvenate the skin, leaving you with overall younger looking skin.
When it comes to laser therapy, you might also want to consider laser resurfacing if you struggle with severely sagging jowls. Laser resurfacing is one of the most advanced non-invasive rejuvenating treatments available. During this procedure, a specially crafted beam of thermal energy is focused on the skin, injuring the first layer. The body then reacts with a natural healing process that creates new, tighter skin with more definition and less wrinkles.
Ultherapy
Ultherapy is a treatment that uses ultrasounds to stimulate the production of collagen deep within the tissue of the skin. This is a good long term treatment as the procedure penetrates deeply into the skin. Ultherapy only requires one session and there’s no downtime needed to recover after the treatment. Ultherapy produces a continual improvement to skin tightness, elasticity and firmness several months after treatment. In a recent study, 70% of participants still saw improvements to their skin, especially surrounding the neck and jawline, three months after the procedure.
Radiotherapy
Radiotherapy is a procedure that uses intense, radiating heat to stimulate the bundles of collagen and elastin under the skin. These treatments usually penetrate up to 2mm below the skin surface and cause the bundles to recoil which tightens the skin. This treatment also improves collagen and elastin production by tricking the body into thinking the connective tissue in the skin has been damaged.
Fillers and Botox
When it comes to treating sagging jowls, botox and fillers are a good alternative to surgery. Dermal fillers are injectables placed at strategic locations under the skin. The solution has been carefully formulated and once injected under the skin it helps to enhance facial features, plump up and fill saggins areas. Dermal fillers can be used to smooth, contour, and tone the jowls for a more defined jawline.
Botox is another injectable, but in this case it uses a neurotoxin, Botulinum toxin type A. This neurotoxin basically freezes the nerve signals to specific muscle groups and is used to reduce the appearance of wrinkles. When treating sagging jowls, botox can be administered to reduce the appearance of fine lines around the mouth, dimpling of wrinkles around the mouth, and smoothing out neck lines or cords. When applied to the lower face, patients notice a smoother appearance and less visible jowls.
At Home Treatment for Sagging Jowls
Before you consider expensive or surgical treatments, let’s look at some at home treatments for sagging jowls.
Exercise
By getting frequent exercise you not only keep your body healthy, but it can also reduce the appearance of sagging jowls. When you exercise you burn excess fat and maintain a healthy weight. Since weight fluctuations can contribute to the development of jowls, keeping moderately active can help maintain your skin health and prevent the signs of aging.
Face Yoga
Face yoga and facial exercises is another at home treatment for sagging jowls. Facial exercise requires that you hold certain facial expressions between five to 20 seconds and repeat them between eight to 12 times. Here are a few exercises you can try to help reduce the appearance of jowls.
- Blowing up your cheeks as far as possible
- Chewing motion with your head tilted slightly upwards
- Humming while pressing the tongue against the roof of the mouth
- Yawning widely, then closing your mouth slowly without letting the teeth touch
- Puckering your lips outwards in a duck-face expression using the fingers to draw the sides of the mouth downwards
- Grinning widely and then slowly tilting your head up and down
- Putting your lower lip over the top lip and tilting your head up
Good Skincare Routine
Having a good skincare routine in place, with high quality skincare products, can also help to limit the appearance of jowls. One of the factors that increases the appearance of sagging jowls is dry skin, so make sure that you use a high-quality moisturizer. Better yet, look for products that contain beneficial active ingredients that support collagen production such as vitamin A, retinoids, vitamin E and C, niacinamide, and plenty of antioxidants.
Also make sure that part of your skincare routine includes using a good quality sunscreen with a high SPF to protect your skin from UV rays. This is important whether you plan on going outside or not.
Healthy Lifestyle
By maintaining a healthy lifestyle you can also reduce the appearance of sagging jowls. Some tips for preventing the appearance of sagging skin through your lifestyle include:
- Staying hydrated
- Eating a healthy diet rich in antioxidants
- Not smoking
- Not consuming alcohol
- Getting enough sleep
- Sleeping on your back instead of side or stomach
Final Thoughts
Jowls can be a normal sign of aging, but that doesn’t mean we have to be thrilled about this sagging skin. Especially when there are many ways that we can treat sagging jowls and reduce the aging effect they have on our appearance. Before you jump straight for surgical solutions such as a face or neck lift, why not consider some of the non-invasive treatments such as laser therapy, Ultherapy or botox? Pair these treatments with some at-home solutions such as facial exercises and a healthy diet for the best results.
