Gravity is constantly working against your jawline – and many of us are all too aware of it. So much so, that the demand for cosmetic treatments and surgeries targeting the lower face has skyrocketed in recent years, with many looking to lift, tighten and sculpt the area prone to sagging and sagging.
Despite being in high demand now, cosmetic treatments for the jaw line are not actually new and were called for in the 1950s when it was suggested that Marilyn Monroe had surgery to deal with what has been described as ‘mild flatness’ on her chin. Fast forward to more recent times, and according to the Aesthetic Society, chin augmentation accounted for 29% of all cosmetic procedures in the United States in 2021.
Today, there are a huge number of treatments available aimed at tightening and lifting the jawline for a more defined appearance. “There has been an exponential increase in demand for skin tightening procedures for the lower face, jawline and neck in recent years in our Cosmetic Suite,” comments Professor Caitriona Ryan, Institute of Dermatologists Ireland. Why do we all crave a proportional jaw line?
“I put some of this down to the dramatic increase in video call usage since the Covid pandemic, when the unforgiving nature of Zoom, Teams or Facetime video calls sent people slack-jawed.”
Studies have also shown that the jaw line becomes more of a problem as we age. It is also said that having a ‘jumpy’ jawline is key when it comes to looking youthful, however, this area tends to show aging first and can be particularly difficult to keep looking youthful without intervention. “With the onset of perimenopause, there is a rapid decline in collagen production, with a 30% reduction in the skin’s collagen content in the first five years of menopause,” explains Caitriona.
“After that, the decline is more gradual, with a loss of skin collagen of about 2% each year. This decline in collagen and the structural component of the skin leads to sagging skin and wrinkles that can be very noticeable around the eyes, the jaw, calves and This is exacerbated by the shrinkage of the facial skeleton with loss of bone density in the cheek and jaw bones and loss of subcutaneous fat and displacement of the fat pads, leading to facial descent.
So what can we do to keep this area as grabby as possible? Future facial contouring is predicted to take a multidisciplinary, personalized approach, but for now, there are still many techniques to try – albeit with varying success rates.
“Facial yoga can help tone certain muscles that will lift the jawline, but it doesn’t prevent the loss of collagen and volume depletion that occurs with aging,” cautioned Caitriona. “The best jowl tightening treatments are those that dramatically increase collagen production in the skin. My absolute favorite is the combination of Secret Pro CO2 fractionated laser and Radiofrequency Microneedling treatment. CO2 significantly increases collagen production while radiofrequency microneedling stimulates deep dermal collagen production Ultherapy ultrasound can also help tighten the lower face and neck through collagen production produces a youthful sharp jawline Strategically placed cheek fillers can also help plump the cheeks and jawline to provide structural support and lift sagging jowls and jawline.
NeoStrata Rebound Sculpting Cream (€79.95, available at your local pharmacy and neostrata. ietarget=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer”>) penetrates the skin’s surface, targeting five key components of the skin’s matrix, including collagen, hyaluronic acid and elastin to visibly lift and sculpt the skin. This moisturizer targets the appearance of skin depleted of collagen and elastin for a refreshed, renewed appearance. IMAGE Max Stem Cell Contour Gel Creme (€142.50, available from theskinnerd.com and imageskicare.ie) contains Acetyl tetrapeptide-2, a specialized peptide that supports collagen and elastin fibers in the skin, resulting in a plumping effect, along with sweet iris and orchid stem cells to improve tone and elasticity. Apply to clean skin morning and night. Massage into the cheeks, jawline and under the chin in an upward motion for firmer skin. It’s also important, as always, to remember to protect yourself from harmful UV rays.
The most important skin care products are sunscreens to reduce the breakdown of collagen and elastin and retinoids to increase collagen production.
Face tools can also be useful for sculpting benefits. Use a facial tool like Gua Sha as part of a daily massage routine and work in an upward motion to aid lymphatic drainage, deflation and drainage of excess fluid to improve facial contour.
There are tons of tips and treatments touted on social media that promise to add definition to the jawline, but of course, not all of them are really effective. Mewing is one such technique that has gone viral on social media in the last year and has been met with mixed opinions. Mewing is where you place the tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth (instead of letting it rest on the bottom of your mouth like many of us do).
This has been suggested to help strengthen and reshape the jawline, but experts warn that there is a lack of scientific data to support this theory.
