Jowls tend to show up slowly. One day the jawline looks sharp, and over time it just feels a little softer than it used to. Many people notice this change when they see themselves in profile or in photos taken from the side.
This is a very common part of facial aging. For most patients, addressing jowls isn’t about tightening everything back to where it once was — it’s about restoring balance so the lower face looks smoother and more supported.
Sagging skin along the lower face and jawline
Lower cheeks, jawline, below the chin
Smoother, more defined lower face
What Are Jowls?
Jowls refer to sagging or fullness that develops along the lower cheeks and jawline, typically near the corners of the mouth. The term describes drooping or sagging skin below the chin or jawline.
They form when the skin and underlying tissues lose support and begin to descend. Everyone experiences this to some degree over time, though how noticeable jowls become varies from person to person.
Jowls may be less visible in people with more volume or more collagen in the area below the cheeks and chin. If left unaddressed, jowls can worsen over time and affect both appearance and self-confidence.
Why Jowls Develop
Jowls develop due to a combination of structural changes, genetics, and lifestyle factors.
Aging As we age, the skin in the cheeks and jawline loses much of its collagen and elastin — the compounds that help keep our face in shape and allow skin to return to its original position after being stretched. Skin also becomes drier, thinner, and less resilient, making it more vulnerable to gravity.
Genetics Genetics plays a significant role in determining whether you develop jowls and how pronounced they become over time. It’s not uncommon to develop jowls as early as the teenage years or twenties in some individuals.
Volume loss As volume loss occurs in the midface, the skin above the jawline has less support, causing it to settle lower and create the appearance of jowls.
Environmental and lifestyle factors:
How Jowls Can Affect Appearance
Jowls can change how the lower face looks, even at rest.
Patients often say jowls make their face appear:
These concerns are very common. Addressing jowls is usually about improving facial balance rather than focusing on one isolated area.
How to Prevent Jowls
Prevention is always the recommended approach. As every skin type is different, consulting with a professional provider helps you learn about your skin condition and the most effective preventative treatments for you.
Sun protection Daily sunscreen and sun avoidance help prevent the collagen breakdown that contributes to skin laxity along the jawline.
Healthy lifestyle habits
Preventative treatments Starting skin-strengthening treatments before significant sagging develops can help slow the process. Treatments like BBL and regular facials support skin health and collagen production over time.
What to Expect During a Consultation
A consultation at Lazaderm is designed to be thoughtful and individualized.
During your visit, your provider will:
You’ll have time to ask questions and decide what feels right for you.
Setting Realistic Expectations
Non-surgical treatments for jowls offer improvement, not permanent change.
What to understand:
The goal is a smoother, more defined lower face that still looks like you.
The most effective treatment approach depends on what’s contributing most to the appearance of jowls — whether that’s volume loss, skin laxity, or submental fat. A consultation allows your provider to evaluate your specific concerns and recommend appropriate options.
The best time to start thinking about signs of aging is before they appear.
Forever Young BBL is an innovative technology that can help prevent and reverse signs of aging skin. It’s one of the best investments you can make for long-term skin health.
How it works: BBL (BroadBand Light) stimulates the skin at a cellular level. A study from Stanford University proved that Forever Young BBL can restore gene expression of aged skin and promote younger-looking skin over time.
Who it’s for: Men and women with any skin type (except skin type 6) can benefit from Forever Young BBL as an anti-aging preventative treatment. The number of treatments varies from patient to patient based on individual goals.
HydraFacial helps maintain skin health and can be part of a jowl prevention strategy.
How it works: This treatment cleanses and peels dead skin cells to uncover fresh, healthy skin. It nourishes and hydrates while increasing skin firmness.
Enhanced results: We recommend combining HydraFacial with Microdermabrasion or Dermaplaning to enhance results and support overall skin quality.
Dermal fillers are a temporary treatment that can help reduce the appearance of jowls by restoring volume and support.
How it works: Rather than filling the jowl itself, providers typically focus on restoring support in the lower jaw and lower cheeks to enhance overall facial harmony. Fillers plump the skin and provide structural support that lifts and rebalances the lower face naturally.
Products used:
Best for: Fillers are typically more effective for jowl treatment in patients aged 30-50. Patients over 50 may benefit from combining fillers with additional procedures.
If submental fat (fat below the chin) is contributing to the appearance of jowls, Kybella may be recommended.
How it works: Kybella injections effectively dissolve excess fat under the chin. The procedure is minimally invasive and FDA-approved.
Best for: Patients whose jowl appearance is partly due to fullness under the chin rather than just skin laxity. Your provider will determine if Kybella is appropriate during your consultation.
PDO Thread Lift is an excellent non-surgical alternative for treating sagging jowls. You can tighten drooping skin in the chin and jawline area without undergoing surgery.
How it works: Very fine PDO (polydioxanone) threads are inserted into the top layers of skin along the jawline. The threads gently pull the sagging skin upward and enhance jawline definition.
Long-term benefits: Over time, the threads dissolve and stimulate the body’s natural collagen production. This means results continue to improve even after the threads are gone.
Results: Results can last up to 24 months post-treatment, making PDO Thread Lift one of the longer-lasting non-surgical options for jowls.
Chemical peels are an affordable skin resurfacing technique that can improve the appearance of sagging skin in the face and neck area.
How it works: The treatment uses a chemical solution to remove damaged outer layers of skin, revealing a smoother, less wrinkled layer underneath.
Best for:
Chemical peels work well as part of a comprehensive treatment plan rather than a standalone solution for significant jowling.
Treatments that improve skin firmness and stimulate collagen production can help address the skin laxity component of jowls.
Vivace RF Microneedling — Combines microneedling with radiofrequency energy to tighten skin and stimulate collagen along the jawline.
Benefits:
These treatments are often recommended alongside volume restoration for comprehensive improvement.
If jowls are something you’ve been noticing, a consultation can help you better understand your options. At Lazaderm, consultations focus on education, safety, and helping you feel comfortable with your decisions.
