Jowls refer to the sagging skin that develops below the jawline and cheeks as the face loses its natural support and elasticity with age. This skin gradually loses its ability to stay lifted and taut, and may appear to droop or sag from the lower face, affecting the overall profile and creating a tired or aged appearance. Sagging jowls may be more noticeable in individuals with thicker skin or a higher body fat percentage, and can be caused by a combination of aging, genetics, lifestyle choices, and environmental factors.
What Causes Sagging Jowls?
Aging and Loss of Elasticity: The most common cause of sagging jowls is the natural aging process. As we age, the skin produces progressively less collagen and elastin, reducing its ability to maintain firmness and resist the downward pull of gravity. Over time, the fat pads and soft tissue of the lower face shift downward, and the skin that once held them in place loses the elasticity needed to follow, resulting in the characteristic droop of jowls along the jawline.
Smoking: Nicotine damages collagen and elastin in the skin, accelerating the breakdown of the structural proteins responsible for keeping the lower face firm and defined. Smoking is one of the more significant lifestyle contributors to premature jowl development.
Weight Loss: Significant or rapid weight loss can leave the skin of the lower face with insufficient underlying volume to remain taut, resulting in loose and sagging skin along the jawline.
Repeated Facial Expressions: Consistently making certain facial expressions over many years can contribute to the stretching and loosening of the skin around the lower face and jaw.
Screen Habits: Frequently looking down at a phone or computer screen causes the skin around the neck and lower jaw to fold repeatedly, which over time can contribute to loosening of the skin in this area, sometimes referred to as tech neck.
Genetics: A genetic predisposition to thinner skin or earlier collagen loss can mean that jowls develop at a younger age than average. If one or both parents developed jowls earlier in life, it is more likely that you will too.
Sun Exposure: Prolonged and cumulative UV exposure damages collagen in the skin, contributing to the loss of firmness and elasticity in the lower face over time.
At-Home Steps to Slow Sagging Jowls
While clinical treatments offer the most meaningful improvement for established jowls, certain habits can help slow their progression and prevent them from worsening:
- Quitting smoking to preserve collagen and skin elasticity
- Reducing sun exposure and wearing sunscreen consistently to protect the skin's structural proteins
- Applying moisturizers and evidence-supported anti-aging skincare products including retinoids
- Being mindful of screen posture and raising devices to eye level to reduce repeated downward folding of the neck and jaw skin
Facial and Neck Exercises
Some patients find that targeted exercises help maintain muscle tone in the lower face and jaw area. A simple chin exercise involves closing the mouth, jutting the lower jaw forward, and raising the lower lip, holding for a few seconds and repeating approximately twenty times once or twice daily. A neck exercise involving moving the neck forward and back while keeping the head level can also help engage and tone the muscles in this area over time. Results from exercises are subtle and work best as a preventive measure rather than a treatment for established jowls.
Non-Surgical Sagging Jowl Treatments at SpaMedica
Dermal Fillers: Dermal fillers containing hyaluronic acid can be strategically injected into the jawline and chin area to restore lost volume, fill in the jowl area, and improve the overall definition and contour of the lower face. Some fillers also stimulate collagen production over time, contributing to progressive improvement in skin firmness beyond the immediate volumizing effect. Results are immediate and typically last a year or more depending on the product used.
Fotona SP Dynamis Max: The Fotona SP Dynamis Max is a dual-wavelength laser platform that uses Er:YAG and Nd:YAG energy to tighten and remodel the skin along the jawline and lower face. Its ability to stimulate deep collagen production while simultaneously addressing surface skin quality makes it a highly effective non-surgical option for improving the appearance of sagging jowls, with results developing progressively over the weeks and months following treatment.
Fractional CO2 Laser: Fractional CO2 laser treatment stimulates collagen production and promotes meaningful skin tightening in the lower face and jawline area. It is particularly well suited to patients whose jowls are accompanied by broader concerns about skin quality, texture, and laxity, and delivers progressive improvement as new collagen matures in the weeks following each session.
Solutions
Dermal Fillers
Dermal fillers containing hyaluronic acid can be strategically injected into the jawline and chin area to restore lost volume, fill in the jowl area, and improve the overall definition and contour of the lower face.
Fotona SP Dynamis Max
The Fotona SP Dynamis Max is a dual-wavelength laser platform that uses Er:YAG and Nd:YAG energy to tighten and remodel the skin along the jawline and lower face.
Fractional CO2 Laser
Fractional CO2 laser treatment stimulates collagen production and promotes meaningful skin tightening in the lower face and jawline area. It is particularly well suited to patients whose jowls are accompanied by broader concerns about skin quality, texture, and laxity, and delivers progressive improvement as new collagen matures in the weeks following each session.
