Jowls: Causes, treatment and prevention 

The term “Jowls” is often used to describe sagging skin below your chin or jawline, which happens as you start to get older. Jowls may be less pronounced in people who have thicker skin, more fat, or more collagen in the area below the cheeks and chin. Some people may never develop jowls because of their genes, environmental factors, and lifestyle choices. 

What causes Jowls?

In our youth, our cheeks are full of ‘good fat’ which helps to hold up the face and jawline. However, as we age we lose this ‘good fat’ and the quality of our skin worsens as we lose collagen and elastin. This causes sagging in the skin and a sagging jawline, which can lead to jowls becoming prominent. This is generally the reason for people experiencing Jowls. But there are other causes…

• Sunlight – Spending too much time in the sun, under harmful UVA and UVB rays can cause serious skin damage, and lead to Jowls. The rays will break down the collagen and elastin in your skin a lot quicker, and therefore the skin becomes saggy. 
• Skin type and genetics – Unfortunately, some people are simply more prone to jowls than others. At some point, we will all lose elasticity in our skin, but some may have a certain skin type of facial structure that means they’re unlikely to develop jowls… which is mainly all down to genetics or just pure luck! 
• Environmental and lifestyle factors – Smoking can actually cause Jowls. Smoking damages your body’s natural collagen and elastin levels and also tights your blood vessels which result in less blood flow to the skin.  Weight loss is another cause. Gaining weight means stretching your skin. Losing weight may result in that same stretched skin sagging. 

How can I prevent this from happening?

You may develop jowls due to factors out of your control. But there are still actions and lifestyle choices you can make to lower your risk of having jowls in the future and help reduce early development.

• Stay hydrated! Your skin will thank you in the long run for a number of reasons 
• Wear sunscreen and stay protected in the sun 
• Have a good skincare routine – ensure your skin is always moisturized 
• Exercising regularly 
• Stop smoking – the chemicals really damage your skin

If I already have Jowls, how can I treat it?

There are a few routes you can go down to treat Jowls. One of the most popular options is dermal fillers, which is made up of hyaluronic acid. At Define Clinic, we can use dermal fillers to restore volume in the cheeks to help ‘lift’ the jawline up. A liquid facelift can be used to restore volume to the face and provide a natural result as well as reshaping the jaw and creating a more sculpted look. How long the effect of fillers lasts depends on the severity of the jowls, the structure of the face, the dosage of filler, and the number of injections given. Anti-Wrinkle Injections or HIFU can also be used to tighten sagging jowls around the jawline for a natural-looking lift, restoring lost volume to the skin.

We also offer a skin tightening treatment at our clinic called Exilis. Exilis uses radiofrequency to penetrate deep into the dermis and stimulate collagen production, and kill fat cells. Exilis has been proven both safe and effective and can be used to help treat jowls. It will help to aid in tightening the muscles, thus pulling the jowls upwards to reduce the appearance of sagging.

Our clinic is brimming with talented and skilled staff who’ve all been carefully hand-picked by internationally renowned cosmetic surgeon Dr Benji Dhillon. Dr Dhillon has meticulously combined industry expertise and superb facilities with his multi-skilled team to provide unparalleled service. If jowls are something you’re currently experiencing and want to do something about it, please don’t hesitate to get in contact with us!