Jowls

What are Jowls?

Jowls are the name given to the loose skin and fat that accumulates on the lower part of the face, causing the jawline to soften and sag. Droopy jowls create heaviness to the lower face and disruption to the line of the jaw.

A youthful face typically has a taut jawline and pronounced jowls are a sign of ageing:

  • A younger face is oval in shape with a smooth tight jawline and full, high cheeks due to the fullness of the fatty layer under the skin.
  • As we age, the upper cheeks become flatter where the underlying fat is lost. The displaced skin and fat settles lower down over the jawline, giving rise to jowls. This spoils the smooth contour of the jawline and results in a much squarer and ‘heavier’ appearance.

Can I treat my droopy jowls? And what can I treat them with?

A number of options are available to treat the appearance of droopy jowls, both surgical and non-surgical. Non-surgical treatments include dermal fillers to restore volume into the cheeks, which lifts the face, lessens the naso-labial folds and helps to lift the tissues which have been displaced downwards. Dermal fillers into the pre-jowl sulcus, in front of the jowls, can also help give a smoother line to the jaw. In addition, Botox along the jaw line and in the muscles that pull down the cheek can alleviate the appearance of a jowl. The aim of the treatment is to lift the mid-face and reduce the droopiness of the lower face.

This procedure is very well tolerated and is successful at improving the smooth, youthful appearance of the jaw line.