The term “jowls” is used to describe sagging, loose skin below the jawline. Most people develop sagging jowls with age, however, a number of other factors can also contribute to having jowls.
Facial sagging - As we age, it is natural for us to experience some sagging of the skin around the chin/jawline. Sagging Jowls make it look like the jawline has dropped and the face has started to lose definition.
Turkey neck - People who have sagging jowls may have crepey, wrinkled skin, sometimes known as "turkey neck," or they may have an additional layer of skin that hangs below their jaw, more like a double chin.
There are many factors that can contribute to sagging jowls overtime:
Loss of Collagen & Elastin: Your cheekbones and the area below your jawline experience significant collagen and elastin loss over time. The cheek skin around your mouth loses its firmness and tightness — gravity then pulls the skin down until it sags and reaches the area on either side of your lips and chin.
Genetics: Additionally, whether or not you have jowls and how apparent they get over time might be influenced by your DNA. You are more likely to get jowls if one or both of your parents do. Early in life, you could begin to see jowls if you naturally have thin skin or little collagen and elastin in your skin. It's possible to start getting jowls in your teens or early 20s.
Environmental Factors: Other causes of jowls either come from your environment or result from your lifestyle choices. These include:
- Weight loss: Skin stretches to cover greater body mass when you gain weight. It's possible for the stretched skin to sag if you lose weight.
- Smoking: Collagen and elastin production can be harmed by nicotine and other substances in cigarettes. Additionally, smoking can restricts the flow of blood and keep your skin from receiving enough vitamins, such as A, to keep it healthy.
- Sun exposure: The collagen in your skin can be harmed by too much exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays from sunshine. Your skin may start to sag earlier as a result.
- Using computers or phones: Long-term use of a computer or prolonged use of a smartphone might cause the skin around your neck to become less elastic. "Tech neck" has been used to describe these jowls.
There are essentially two types of treatments for sagging jowls. Dermal fillers and thread lifts are options for adding structure and definition. Alternatively, rejuvenation procedures like microneedling, laser resurfacing, and skin peels, will enhance your skin and give you a firmer overall appearance.
Dermal fillers - In order to define facial features and fill in sagging skin, dermal fillers work by injecting a medically produced hyaluronic acid solution under the skin using a small needle. They can help define your features by softly toning, contouring, and smoothing the jowls.
Thread Lifts - A rejuvenating procedure that tightens sagging skin for a more youthful appearance by lifting it with specialised surgical threads. Polylactic acid, a naturally occurring chemical, is used to make threads. To smooth out deep lines and wrinkles and restore facial volume, the threads progressively encourage collagen formation.
Skin Peels - Exfoliate the skin deeply by utilising the strength of naturally occurring acids and active substances. Fresher, brighter, firmer skin can be seen because of the treatment's stimulation of new cell growth and collagen formation.
Laser Resurfacing - One of the most cutting-edge skin rejuvenation procedures is laser resurfacing. It employs a specially designed thermal radiation beam that "injures" the old skin, triggering a wound-healing reaction from the body to produce new, tighter skin with smaller pores and fewer wrinkles and imperfections.
Microneedling - Similar to laser resurfacing, microneedling encourages the skin's natural healing process. For firmer, more youthful-looking skin, tiny microneedles puncture the skin's surface to stimulate cell renewal and collagen formation.
The appearance of jowls can be naturally helped by taking these small preventive measures:
- Protect your skin against damage from the sun by applying an SPF daily
- Don’t smoke
- Use anti-ageing skincare products to stimulate the natural collagen production within the skin.
- Adopt a healthy lifestyle and a well-balanced diet
For more advice about professional skin treatments designed to target sagging jowls, contact one of our nurse clinicians today.
All of our clients first come in for a consultation. The consultation is there to talk you through your options, give you a patch test and check for any medical issues. The consultation costs £50 but this comes off the price of the treatment package that you go with. At your consultation, one of our nurse clinicians will talk you through options and get you booked in for your first treatment.
