Jowls: How To Get Rid of Jowls Naturally At Home

by John Tsenekos | June 28, 2024

As signs of skin aging begin to appear, some individuals seek more natural methods for maintaining their appearance and confidence. One common concern is the development of jowls, the sagging skin around the jawline, which often emerge as a result of decreased skin elasticity and muscle tone, which can subtly alter the contours of the face.

Understanding how to get rid of jowls naturally at home can empower you to take control of your appearance without resorting to invasive procedures like a facelift. This guide looks into effective, at-home strategies that can promote a firmer, more contoured jawline.

What Are Jowls?

Jowls refer to the sagging, loose skin that develops below the jawline, which often becomes more prominent with skin aging. This occurs as the skin loses its elasticity and the underlying facial muscles weaken, leading to a drooping appearance.

While skin aging is the strongest contributor to the formation of jowls, factors like your genetics, how much sun damage you’ve accumulated, and lifestyle choices like smoking or poor nutrition can all contribute.

An image of woman with jowls before and after red light therapy

What Causes Jowls?

Aging: As the skin ages, it naturally loses collagen and elastin, essential proteins that help maintain skin firmness and elasticity, respectively. This can lead to sagging, hence the formation of jowls.
Genetics: Genetic predisposition plays a significant role in the development of jowls. If close family members such as your mom or siblings have developed jowls with age, there is a higher likelihood of you developing them as well.
Sun Exposure: Prolonged exposure to UV rays can accelerate the breakdown of collagen and elastin in the skin, contributing to premature sagging and the appearance of jowls. Sun protection can help here, but the exposure itself over a period of time can still break down the structural components that help create face contour.
Lifestyle Choices: Factors such as smoking, poor diet, and lack of exercise can negatively impact skin health and appearance, leading to reduced elasticity and the formation of jowls.
Weight Fluctuations: Significant weight gain or loss can stretch the skin and affect its ability to bounce back after a big structural change, potentially resulting in sagging around the jawline.

At What Age Do Jowls Appear?

Jowls typically begin to appear in individuals during their 40s and 50s, although the exact age can vary based on genetic factors, lifestyle choices, and overall skin health. The gradual loss of collagen and elastin, combined with the weakening of facial muscles, contributes to the sagging skin around the jawline, and this typically does not occur until later in life.

However, some may notice the early signs of jowls in their late 30s, especially if they’ve experienced sun damage or were lifelong smokers.

Why Do I Suddenly Have Jowls?

While it may feel like your jowls have appeared overnight and out of nowhere, this type of skin change occurs gradually over time and won’t just suddenly develop.

That said, if in the past few weeks you’ve recently lost a lot of weight, have experienced a severe sunburn, have consistently had trouble sleeping, or have been under a lot of stress, your skin health could be impacted at a more intense, rapid rate. These types of stressors tend to take a toll on skin in the form of breakouts, slight sagging, and an overall tired, dull-looking complexion.

How To Prevent Jowls

Stay Hydrated

Adequate hydration is essential for maintaining skin elasticity and the appearance of a plump, healthy, nourished complexion. Drinking plenty of water ensures that the skin remains resilient against dryness, reducing the likelihood of sagging.

Perform Facial Exercises

Engaging in targeted facial exercises can strengthen the muscles around the jawline, helping to maintain a more defined and youthful appearance. Some available tools can help you target just the right muscles through specific chewing motions (we’ll touch on this in just a bit).

Avoid Smoking

Smoking accelerates the skin aging process by reducing blood flow, thinning and dehydrating skin, and breaking down structural components including collagen. Quitting smoking can significantly improve skin health, helping to both reduce the level of skin sagging in the future as well as keeping that sagging at bay until much later.

Get Enough Sleep

Quality sleep is crucial for skin repair and regeneration. Ensuring adequate rest can help you maintain skin elasticity and reduce your risk of developing jowls prematurely.

Use the Right Skincare Products

Incorporating skincare products that hydrate the skin, promote plumpness and firmness, and specifically target skin aging can help your skin look healthy and glowing for longer. Specifically, a peptide-rich serum can help plump, soothe, and nurture skin to keep it looking radiant and firm.

Maintain a Healthy Diet

Eating a balanced diet rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals helps support skin health from the inside out. Some nutrients that are key to skin health include vitamin C, vitamin E, collagen, and omega-3 fatty acids--think leafy greens, fish, and bone broth!

Protect Your Skin From The Sun

Regular use of sunscreen with at least 30 SPF can minimize (if not completely prevent) UV damage, which accelerates the breakdown of collagen and elastin, and is notorious for causing the development of fine lines and wrinkles. Protective clothing as simple as a sun hat or visor can also help.

At-Home Treatments For Sagging Jowls

At-home treatments for sagging jowls can include a combination of facial exercises, skincare routines, and lifestyle adjustments.

Regularly performing facial exercises can help tone and strengthen the muscles around the jawline, potentially reducing the appearance of sagging.
Incorporating skincare treatments specific to anti-aging can help promote healthier-looking skin that appears firm, plump, and glowing. Retinoids, peptides, and hyaluronic acid paired with at-home red light therapy are a particularly powerful pair!
While maintaining a healthy diet, staying hydrated, and protecting your skin from the sun damage are all crucial steps for prevention, they can also help even after jowls have started to develop. Starting to support your skin health as a whole can help reduce further sagging and may be able to restore some plumpness with rehydration and the right nutrients.

An image of a woman treating jowls with red light therapy

Facial Exercises For Jowls

Face exercises and face yoga for jowls involve a series of targeted exercises designed to tone and strengthen the facial muscles, particularly around the jawline. Techniques such as the jawline stretch, cheek lift, and chin tuck specifically focus on engaging and lifting the muscles around the jawline, helping to reduce the appearance of sagging by increasing definition and contour.

Jawline Stretch

Tilt the head back and look towards the ceiling. Push the lower jaw forward until a stretch is felt under the chin. Hold for a few seconds and repeat several times per day to help strengthen the jawline muscles.

Cheek Lifts

Smile as wide as possible while keeping the lips closed. Lift the cheeks towards the eyes and hold for a few seconds. Repeat this exercise to help tone the cheek and jawline muscles.

Neck Roll

Gently roll the neck in a circular motion, first clockwise and then counterclockwise. This exercise helps to stretch and strengthen the muscles around the jaw and neck. If you feel tightness at any particular angle, go extra slowly, and give that spot a little more time to stretch out for maximum effect.

Chin Tucks

Sit or stand with your back straight (standing against a wall or sitting with a backed chair can help). Tuck the chin towards the chest without rounding the shoulders. Hold for a few seconds and repeat to improve muscle tone in the neck and jawline.

Lip Pull

Lift the lower lip as high as possible by pushing the lower jaw out. Hold for a few seconds and release. This exercise targets the muscles around the chin and jawline.

Fish Face

Suck in the cheeks and lips to make a fish face. Hold for a few seconds and then relax. This exercise helps to tone the muscles in the cheeks and jawline.

Tongue Stretch

Stick out the tongue as far as possible and try to touch the nose. Hold for a few seconds and repeat. This can help to target the under-jaw area behind the chin that can contribute to the appearance of a double-chin.

Pouting Stretch

Pout the lips as if to kiss, then pull them back into a wide smile. Hold each position for a few seconds. This exercise works the muscles around the mouth and jawline and can help enhance facial volume.

Collarbone Backup

Sit with the back straight, and place your fingers on your collarbone. Tilt the head back slightly and press your tongue to the roof of the mouth. Hold for a few seconds and repeat to strengthen the neck and jawline muscles.

Jaw Release

Close the mouth and move the jaw as if chewing. Then, open the mouth wide and press the tongue to the bottom of the mouth. Hold for a few seconds and repeat to improve muscle tone in the jaw and neck.

Jowls Surgery Options and Cost

Surgical options that skincare providers may recommend for addressing jowls typically include procedures such as facelifts, neck lifts, liposuction, and Botox® for jowls. Always ensure you take the time to consult with a dermatologist, licensed esthetician, or plastic surgeon if considering these options; each patient brings with them a different background, medical history, and eligibility for surgery.

A facelift involves tightening the skin and underlying muscles to create a more youthful contour, while a neck lift focuses on removing excess skin and fat from the neck and jawline area. Liposuction can be used to remove localized fat deposits that contribute to sagging jowls.

The cost of these procedures varies widely based on where the surgery is being done, but on average, facelift surgery can range from $7,000 to $15,000 USD, neck lift surgery costs around $5,000 to $10,000 USD, and liposuction from $2,000 to $5,000 USD.

Can Red Light Therapy Tighten Skin?

Red light therapy is known for its ability to improve the appearance of aging skin by reducing the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines, and promoting a radiant, glowing complexion.

Solawave’s Wrinkle Retreat Light Therapy Face Mask is a non-invasive treatment that uses red light (630 nm) delivered via LED to penetrate the skin and stimulate collagen production, paired with near-infrared light (830 nm) to rejuvenate skin for a radiant glow.

This treatment can help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and support a firmer, healthier-looking complexion. While individual results may vary, many find that regular sessions of red light therapy can contribute to a noticeable improvement.

Choosing the Right Jowls Treatment

The right approach when it comes to reducing the appearance of jowls really depends on individual preferences and the severity of the sagging, with options ranging from at-home treatments to surgical interventions like facelifts.

Non-invasive options such as facial exercises, the right skincare products, and red light therapy can be effective for those looking to make improvements over time from the comfort of their home.

For more pronounced sagging or for those looking for more immediate results, minimally invasive treatments like dermal fillers or laser therapy may be more in line with desired outcomes.

Finally, there are surgical procedures, including facelifts and neck lifts, that may provide the most dramatic and long-lasting change, but with significantly higher costs and recovery time.

At any stage, consulting with a licensed esthetician or dermatologist can be a helpful step in determining what may be the most appropriate treatment based on your desired goals.

Conclusion

Trying to get rid of jowls naturally at home is a feasible and empowering approach for those seeking to enhance their facial contours without invasive procedures. By incorporating targeted facial exercises, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and utilizing effective skincare products and treatment devices, individuals can achieve noticeable improvements in skin firmness and elasticity.

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