How to Get Rid of Jowls
It’s the wake-up call nobody wants. One day you’re browsing through the vacation pictures, or taking a good look at that new hairstyle in the mirror, and it hits you: you’ve got jowls! Those droopy little pooches of skin and fat that sag down from your once-firm jawline add years to your look.
Even young people can develop jowls, but they’re more prevalent as we get older. With aging, muscles weaken and the connections between skin and underlying tissue loosen, resulting in sag. Fat deposits under the skin compound the effect.
It’s not easy to get rid of jowls. To some extent, genetics will determine their development and their course. But you have several options in the battle, should you choose to engage:
Exercise
Facial muscles, small and subtle as they are, can benefit from exercise just as much as other muscles in your body. A toned muscle underneath greatly improves the look of the skin covering it. Facial exercise may not completely get rid of jowls, but it will improve their look and is a prime weapon if done before sagging develops. Even better, facial exercise is free and easy. Numerous suggestions for isometric facial exercises can be found online. In addition, keeping overall body fat low with proper diet and exercise will prevent extra fat deposits from settling on your face.
Dermal Fillers
Dermal fillers are cosmetic products injected by a trained technician into the skin. Most of these are based on collagen or hyaluronic acid, which are natural elements of skin. This might be called a camouflage technique. Rather than actually getting rid of jowls, fillers work to “plump out” or smooth the look of sags or wrinkles. Some people report high satisfaction with the improvement in their look after filler injections. This is a temporary fix, with most filler effects lasting from three months to several years.
Plastic Surgery
A face lift is the big gun when it comes to getting rid of jowls. Plastic surgery can achieve extensive reshaping of neckline and jaw. Less invasive procedures are also available for a subtler “tacking up” of sagging areas. Your plastic surgeon can recommend the best option for your particular anatomy.
As always, your mileage may vary. Your jowls are your own, and your solution will be your own. If all else fails, there’s always the option of learning to love the little buggers as signs of character, maturity, and self-acceptance!
