16 Jul Sagging Jowls: Prevention, Treatment, & Exercises
Sagging jowls are nearly inevitable as we grow old. Our skin loses its main proteins and fat which causes the skin to age and sag. If you’re worried about sagging jowls, know that there are preventative measures you can take and treatments to restore your jawline.
What Are Sagging Jowls?
Jowls refer to the excess and sagging neck skin below your jawline and chin. Although sagging jowls do not present any medical risks, they can deplete your confidence and bring on feelings of self-consciousness and anxiety. Luckily, there are ways to prevent and treat sagging jowls so you don’t have to feel this way.
Factors of Sagging Jowls
As we age, the fat and skin proteins, elastin and collagen, are lost. The proteins and fat keep our skin looking voluminous and youthful, and without them, our skin tends to show signs of age and sag. While aging is the biggest factor, here are other factors to consider:
- Poor skincare
- Sunburn/not applying sunscreen
- Physical trauma/injury to the face
- Chronic stress
- Lack of antioxidants
- Extreme weight loss
- Hereditary
Prevention and Exercises
Taking care of your skin daily is paramount to having youthful skin in the future. Create a nightly skincare routine that fits with your skin and will help you stay consistent.
Apply sunscreen whenever you’re exposed to the sun. Overtime, sunburn can leave permanent damage on your skin and may cause the skin to sag.
There are facial exercises you can practice to fight off sagging jowls. These include:
- Grinning widely while slowly tilting your head up and down
- Placing your lower lip onto your top lip and tilt your head up and down
- Humming with your tongue pressed to the roof of your mouth
- Blowing up your cheeks as far as you can
Treatments For Sagging Jowls
Fillers: Fillers give you the fullness you’ve lost in your jaw and cheek area. When you get fillers, compounds are injected into your cheeks to give you a fuller look. When the cheeks are lifted, the skin around your jawline and corners of your mouth are also lifted. The appearance of fillers last about 2-4 years, but it depends on the structure of your face and the severity of your jowls.
Ultherapy: Ultherapy is the use of ultrasound therapy to re-stimulate collagen production in your skin. It penetrates the deep layers of your skin and gives your jawline a fuller and younger look. Your skin will get tighter as the months go on, but the best results are usually seen after three months.
Necklift: A necklift is a highly invasive surgery that cuts the side of the face and under the chin. From there, the surgeon repositions and sculpts fat and tissues in the jaw and cheek. Although this is the most effective treatment for sagging jowls, it comes with significant risks and possible scarring and infection.