WHAT ARE JOWLS?
With the ageing process, jawlines can soften and the skin loses its elasticity. This decrease in elasticity can lead to sagging and droopiness. When the skin sags under the chin and in the neck area, it’s known as jowls.
Some people develop more prominent and visible jowls than others, due to genes, lifestyle habits or a combination of the two. A primary cause of jowls is the loss of collagen and elastin from the skin. Collagen and elastin are the proteins that help to keep skin firm, supple and elastic. As production of these proteins slows down, skin becomes looser and loses its firmness. That, combined with gravity, can lead to drooping in the jawline and beneath the chin.
Lifestyle choices and habits can also determine how much skin sagging a person will develop in the lower part of the face. Habits like smoking or spending excessive amounts of time in the sun can speed up the breakdown of collagen, leading to more sagging. Certain physical habits, such as constantly bending from the neck to look at a phone screen or leaning forward all day staring at a computer monitor, might also contribute to the formation of jowls.
DOES EVERYONE GET JOWLS?
Although sagging and drooping in the neck and lower portion of the face is part of the aging process, it’s also possible for some people not to develop very prominent jowls. The thickness of your skin, how much collagen your body produces naturally, and how much fat you have in the neck and lower portion of your face can all influence how visible skin sagging and droopiness is.
Sometimes, people notice that they develop jowls after losing a significant amount of weight, as the skin isn’t able to snap back into place. Your genes can also influence whether or not you end up with significant sagging around the jawline and neck. If your parents have jowls, there is a high chance that you will develop them as well.
WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT JOWLS
If you are concerned about a softening jawline or sagging in the neck area, you have a few options. Your options primarily depend on how severe the problem is.
If you’re just beginning to notice a bit of sagging, dermal fillers and mono-filament threads are a great course of action. In cases where the jowls are more advanced and very visible, a mixture of treatments such as, fat-dissolving, PDO Threads and a ‘liquid facelift’ would be an ideal route to go down. PDO threads help to tighten sagging skin around the lower part of the face and in the neck area and the other treatments would decrease volume of the jowl and sculpt the contours of your face.
CAN YOU PREVENT JOWLS?
While you might not be able to fully stop jowls from forming, there are things you can do to try and prevent them. Not smoking and avoiding too much sun exposure are probably two of the best things you can do to minimise the appearance of jowls. If you use a smartphone or computer regularly, pay attention to the angle of your neck as you use your device. Instead of bending the neck forward, try keeping your face upright, holding the screen directly in front of you.
If you’re concerned about sagging skin in the neck and other areas of your face or have concerns about other signs of aging, such as wrinkles, a board-certified facial plastic surgeon can help you understand which treatment options are available and what you can do to look as youthful as possible, for as long as possible.
Dr Kiran Kandola is a consultant anaesthetist and specialises in injectables in facial procedures, including thread lifts, liquid facelifts and facial contouring. To learn more about jowls and what you can do about them watch the video below or contact us on our website, Instagram or Facebook pages.
Comments