Some skincare concerns are easier than others to address and get a handle on. If you have acne, there are a number of salicylic acid products and even devices like blue light therapy that can kill the bacteria that causes pimples and blackheads. Dark spots, or melasma, on the skin can be treated with a variety of lasers. Skin redness is an issue that can be calmed and contained with a V-beam laser and specific products.
But sagging skin like jowls is a whole other story, and as Dermatologist Dr. Shereene Idriss says in her informative video, are the “bane” of her existence.
It’s difficult to treat sagging skin and fine lines (and it’s much easier to prevent these with daily sunscreen application). But nothing is impossible in the world of skincare. Here are Dr. Idriss’ best tips on how to get rid of sagging jowls.
Facial Massages
Before we continue, let’s get something straight and be realistic: a facial massage each day will help move lymphatic fluid that may be building up and causing the bottom of your face to look heavier, but it will NOT get rid of sagging jowls. And there’s no need to spend money on a jade roller, either. You can use a cold spoon to pull the skin upward and give yourself a soothing massage each morning.
If you have a little more money in your budget, a microcurrent device like NuFace can help make your skin look temporarily tighter. But it must be used regularly — once you stop, the effect ends.
Do NOT Get Buccal Fat Removal
Before Dr. Idriss continues with suggestions about in-office treatments that can help address jowls, she warns against a trendy procedure that she says can be aging: buccal fat removal. Unless you are in your fifties or sixties and feel like the padding of fat in your lower cheeks is preventing you from looking your best, there is no good reason to remove buccal fat and it can actually make jowls look worse over time. The face naturally loses volume with age — don’t help it along by removing buccal fat in your twenties or thirties to show off more “sculpted” cheekbones.
Take a Multi-Focal Approach
When you visit a dermatologist, your sagging jowl treatment should differ depending on your needs, and often it will take a multi-focal approach to address this part of your face.
Let’s say you have volume loss. Fillers can help, but you should NOT be filling in the problematic area itself; rather, filling in the areas around it to give an optical illusion of a lift. But remember: filler can’t provide THAT much lift. Find a provider with a keen eye who can use filler skillfully and in a way that doesn’t make your skin look puffy.
Not all fillers are created equally, either. Some are denser and better to use in areas like the jawline to recreate the contour of your jawline.
Stimulate Your Own Collagen
Sculptra is a great procedure if you are losing volume in your face and it is sagging. And procedures with ultrasound like Ultherapy that DO NOT melt fat can address skin laxity. It’s crucial to visit a skilled dermatologist who knows how to use these devices so that they are not going too deep, which can melt fat.
As for threads, Dr. Idriss says she is not the biggest fan. Although they can firm up your skin temporarily, you are inducing scar tissue in your face each time you do them.
And, lastly, the facelift. Dr. Idriss admits that even in the hands of the most skilled plastic surgeons who provide the most beautiful facelift results, the jowls are often the first thing to come back. And that’s why it’s so important to be realistic about what can and can’t be done when it comes to this area of the face. Yes, you can do things both at home and in-office to treat this area, but there can also be limitations to what can be achieved.
