7 Ways to Treat the Appearance of Jowls

As we age, our face and body change. It's a natural part of life and nothing that anyone should ever feel ashamed of. There are so many factors in aging that are simply out of our hands, like genetics, body composition, and heritage. 

With that said, just as there's no shame in the aging process, there's no shame in wanting to try anti-aging treatments. For many, one of the primary pain points of getting older is losing the contour and definition in the jawline and neck, leading to sagging of the skin otherwise known as jowls. 

In yesterday's blog, we already covered what jowls are and some of the main causes of jowls. You can read the full blog post on that here. But to briefly provide context, "jowls" most commonly refers to excess sagging or drooping skin that collects along the lower part of the face, just below the jawline and cheeks. 

Some of the main causes of jowls are decreased collagen and elastin in the skin, decreased hydration, and a loss of volume over time. Now that you know the main reasons for jowls, let's go over 7 dermatologist-backed ways to prevent and treat them. 

1. Pick skincare products with Hyaluronic Acid

One of the most essential ingredients for promoting skin elasticity is hyaluronic acid. Your body naturally produces hyaluronic acid, but its ability to do this naturally worsens over time. The hyaluronic acid your body produces traps in moisture, and its known for holding up to 1,000 times its weight in water.

Hyaluronic acid prevents the skin from drying and thinning by locking in moisture. Choose products—especially neck creams if you want to treat jowls specifically—formulated with hyaluronic acid to keep the skin properly hydrated and plump.

2. Approach Elasticity Loss From The Inside Out 

Addressing your anti-aging needs doesn't always have to come in the form of a cream or serum. In fact, you can do a lot from the inside out as well. One study found that participants who regularly consumed collagen supplements noticed significant improvements in skin elasticity. This is because collagen supplements help to restore the depleted collagen levels of your body, making it a simple yet effective way to give your body the collagen it needs to maintain its strength and firmness. 

3. Add Vitamin A or Retinol to your routine. 

Here we go with the Retinol again. Shocking, we know. But hey, we wouldn't constantly bring it up if it didn't work! 

Retinol is a form of vitamin A that stimulates collagen production and promotes cell turnover, thereby smoothing fine lines and wrinkles. We've done an entire blog on Retinol, the best types of Retinol for your skin, and why it works so well for anti-aging here, but in short, Retinol is going to help your skin maintain its firmness and shape, which is perfect for treating the appearance of jowls.  

4. Supplement with Collagen Peptides

Collagen peptides are a supplement that can help your body replace its lost collagen. Now, because the loss of collagen plays such a pivotal role in the appearance of jowls, collagen peptides are a safe, easy no-brainer you can add to your routine to help supplement your naturally decreasing collagen levels. 

5. Try Your Hand at Facial Yoga 

We know, the idea of facial yoga sounds a little funny. But trust us, it works! One study found that facial yoga may be affecting in improving the structural appearance of your face by strengthening the facial muscles. 

Jowls occur because our facial muscles naturally begin to atrophy and lose their ability to maintain their appearance. This makes facial yoga, one of the safest and most non-invasive ways to treat the appearance of jowls. 

6. Make Room for Microcurrent! 

Microcurrent works by sending gentle, low-level currents that penetrate deep beneath the skin's surface to the muscles. This mimics the body's own natural currents, gently re-energizing the skin, helping to tone, lift, and contour the face while reducing fine lines and wrinkles. This is why for sagging skin, microcurrent is usually much more effective than a topical cream or serum, because neither of those ever make contact with the muscles.

Jowls occur because the facial muscles naturally begin to go south over time. With microcurrent applied to the jawline, we're re-training our facial muscles by strengthening them to that they hold their shape and appearance. This leads to sharper jawline definition and a reduction in jowl appearance. It's like a workout for your face! 

If targeting jowls at the root cause is something you're looking for, then a microcurrent device might be the best route for you. 

7. Say it again! Sunscreen!

We know. You're probably thinking, "how many freaking times are these guys gonna bring up sunscreen?". Well, the truth is, we'll never stop. But for good reason! 😉

There's nothing your skin hates more than harmful UV rays, which damage and in some cases kill your skin cells if you're exposed to the sun for too long. Excess sun exposure leads to a dramatic increase in the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines, age spots, and even jowls, because of how much harm they cause to the skin. 

Ask any dermatologist about their thoughts on sunscreen, and they'll probably tell you that if you had to clear your drawers of all your anti-aging products except for one, to keep your sunscreen. This makes it our de-facto #1 recommendation to treat the appearance of jowls.