“Jowls” is the word used to describe sagging skin on your face, generally below your jawline or cheeks. This skin loses elasticity with time and age, and may appear to droop or sag off of the face. Droopy jowls may be more obvious in individuals with thicker skin or a larger body fat percentage, and may be caused by a number of factors, including substantial weight loss and genetics, in addition to lifestyle choices and environmental factors.
While droopy jowls are more likely to occur as you age, since skin loses elasticity over time, there are a number of reasons you may develop droopy jowls.
Smoking can lead to the development of jowls, since nicotine can damage collagen and elastin. In addition, drastic weight loss can result in jowls, since your face — like many other areas of your body — may be left with loose, excess skin as a result of the loss of excess fat.
If you consistently make certain facial expressions, you may also develop jowls, as moving your face in certain ways can stretch out your skin.
Additionally, if you work at a computer or look at your phone very often, the skin around your neck may become loose. While loose neck skin is not traditionally considered a jowl, the development of loose or sagging skin around the neck as a result of computer or phone use is commonly called “tech neck.”
In some cases, jowls may naturally occur due to genetic factors. If you naturally have thinner skin, or if one or both of your parents have jowls, it is more likely that you will develop droopy jowls later in life. If genetics are a factor, you may also develop jowls during puberty, or in your teens.
Too much sun exposure can damage your skin’s collagen, which can lead to droopy jowls.
While in many cases droopy jowls may occur naturally as part of your body’s aging process, you may find them unsightly, as they affect your face’s overall profile and can create a tired appearance. Fixing or tightening droopy jowls can help restore a youthful, rejuvenated look to your face.
If you are comfortable having surgery to fix your droopy jowls, there are a number of solutions.
A neck lift, which is performed by tightening muscles around your jawline, removing any excess fat, and adjusting the skin around your neck to shape your jawline. This type of surgery involves an incision made in front of and behind your ear. You may also opt for a full facelift, which includes tightening the skin around your jawline as well as other areas of your face, such as your forehead and brows.
Liposuction, during which a surgeon will remove excess fat around your jaw and then tighten any excess, drooping skin, is another surgical option for the removal of droopy jowls.
In all of the above cases, surgery is performed under general anesthesia.
If you would prefer not to undergo an invasive surgical procedure to fix your droopy jowls, there are some non-surgical options, also offered by a plastic surgeon. One choice is opting for dermal fillers, which are hyaluronic acid injections that are injected into your neck and chin to fill in jowls, which makes them appear less saggy. In addition, some fillers may help stimulate collagen production, which will make your skin appear tighter.
Without undergoing a surgical or other cosmetic procedure, there are some steps you can take at home to help reduce the appearance of sagging jowls, or to prevent them from worsening. Some ways to help prevent sagging jowls from worsening include quitting smoking, reducing sun exposure, applying moisturizers and other anti-aging skincare products. In addition, you can apply makeup or adjust your wardrobe — by purchasing scarves or cowl-neck tops, for instance — to help you hide sagging jowls.
There are also some exercises you can try to help reduce the appearance of jowls.
To perform a chin exercise to lessen the appearance of sagging jowls, close your mouth, then jut your lower jaw outwards while raising your lower lip. Hold this position for a few seconds, and repeat the exercise about 20 times. Do this once or twice a day.
Move your neck back and forward, while keeping your head level. Your jaw should jut out as you move your neck forward.
Check out our before and after section here!
If you opt for a surgical procedure, the amount of money it costs to fix droopy jowls will depend on the procedure you choose. At SpaMedica, a neck lift starts at $16,999, while a facelift begins at $18,999.
From non-surgical dermal fillers to surgical solutions, the expert plastic surgeons at SpaMedica will work with you to determine the best fix for your droopy jowls. Dr. Bell is one of the country’s best cosmetic surgeons, with decades of experience in facial cosmetic surgery. Book your consultation with the clinic today.
A revolutionary technology that is designed to provide fat-dissolving results through a minimally invasive procedure.
A small incision under the chin will reduce sagging skin under your chin or localized fat deposits by removing fat and tightening the muscles.
A procedure that uses ultrasound-assisted energy to soften and gently loosen up the fat cells.
The fractional CO2 laser treats superficial and deep skin layers to rejuvenate, tighten and brighten the skin.
