One of the most prominent changes you might notice as you age is sagging skin along your jawline (jowls). Although this is a completely natural part of the ageing process, many patients wish for tighter skin and a more defined facial profile. OLA Aesthetics offers advanced treatments designed to lift and contour the lower face while maintaining natural-looking results.
A Note From Dr Aleks
Our jawline plays a big role in defining our face — it's what gives structure, balance and that crisp, youthful look. It's understandable, then, that so many patients express concern when jowls begin to develop.
I believe in honest assessment and realistic expectations. While we cannot stop time, we can certainly work with it. We offer an array of jowl-targeting treatments that can bring out your best features in a way that feels authentic. My goal is never to make you look different, just to help you look like a beautiful version of yourself at any age.
Common Characteristics
- Sagging skin below the chin and jawline
- Loss of jawline definition
- Downward displacement of facial fat
- Blurring of the transition between face and neck
- Visible skin laxity when looking downward
Contributing Factors
- Chronological ageing
- Genetics
- Sun exposure
- Gravity
- Weight fluctuations
- Decreased collagen and elastin production
- Smoking
Understanding Jowls
Jowls develop due changes that occur in multiple tissue layers, from the surface of our skin down to our facial bones.
Our skin loses elasticity and becomes thinner as we age. The production of collagen and elastin – proteins that give it firmness and the ability to bounce back – gradually decreases.
Simultaneously, the fat pads that give our cheeks volume shift downward and diminish. These changes, combined with natural loss of bone density in our skull, leave our face with less structural support.
Gravity then exerts its continuous pull on all these weakened structures, causing our tissues to sink below the jawline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Mild jowling with good skin quality often responds well to nonsurgical skin tightening treatments, while more significant sagging may benefit from minimally invasive options. Patients with extensive skin laxity or those seeking long-term results might consider surgical approaches.
Significant weight loss might actually make jowls more noticeable. Your skin stretches when you gain weight. But when you lose it, your skin may not shrink back to its original size. On top of this, losing weight reduces the fat that formerly provided structural support in this area. The combination of reduced support and stretched skin creates prime conditions for jowl formation.
Jowls can begin forming as early as your 30s, though most people notice them becoming more visible in the 40s and 50s. Some individuals with strong jawlines and good skin elasticity may not develop noticeable jowls until even later.
Certain factors might make you more susceptible to earlier or more pronounced jowl formation:
- Your parents or grandparents had prominent jowls
- You have thin skin or lower collagen density
- You have less defined bone structure in your jaw and chin area
- You have experienced significant weight fluctuations
- You have spent a lot of time in the sun without adequate protection
- You smoke or used to smoke
- You sleep predominantly on your stomach or side
No one is exempt from ageing, but there are steps you can take to keep your skin healthy throughout your life. Consistent sun protection is perhaps the most important measure, as UV damage accelerates the breakdown of collagen and elastin fibres that keep skin firm. Eating well, staying hydrated, avoiding smoking and maintaining a stable, healthy weight are also good practices.
Request Your Private
Consultation at OLA Aesthetics
At OLA Aesthetics in West Perth, we believe in creating treatment plans that work progressively and sustainably with your face's natural structure and ageing process. Our approach to addressing jowls focuses on enhancing your natural beauty while respecting your unique facial anatomy.
Contact our team today to learn more about our medical and aesthetic services for rejuvenating your jawline.