Best Facial Exercises to Get Rid of Sagging Jowls

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Best Facial Exercises to Get Rid of Sagging Jowls
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If you have sagging jowls and are looking for the best natural ways to get rid of them, then read on. In this post, we explore what sagging jowls are, what causes them, and how you can achieve youthful and firmer skin.

What Are Jowls?

Jowls is a term used to describe the sagging or excess skin below your chin, jawline, or around your neck. Jowls affect the majority of people as we age, and our skin becomes less elastic. 

Jowls do not suddenly appear, they develop over time, but may not be noticed until they are very visible. However, jowls may not be prominent in some people. People that:

  • Have more body fat
  • Have thicker skin, or
  • Produce more collagen in the lower part of their faces.

Additionally, some people may never develop jowls because of lifestyle habits, environmental factors, or genetics.

Why Do We Get Jowls?

There are many reasons we can get jowls. Chief among them is when the skin begins to lose its elasticity. When this occurs around the lower face, the skin begins to droop, and jowls develop. 

Saggy Jowls Female

Other reasons could be:

  • Genetics
  • Sun damage
  • Weight loss, or 
  • Poor lifestyle habits

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What Causes Saggy Jowls?

Saggy jowls can be caused by different factors. Let’s look at some of them below.

Aging

This is the most natural reason why the skin can lose its elasticity. As we age, our skin produces less elastin and collagen which makes the skin firm. As this reduces, the skin becomes thinner and begins to sag. 

In addition, age-related bone loss can also be a cause. As we age and our bones become smaller, our jaws shrink, and the skin around those areas begins to sag.

Genetics

Genetics play a major role in whether you’d develop saggy jowls or not, or how soon you develop them. If you naturally have less tight or firmer skin, you’ll most likely develop jowls earlier in life than others who have firmer skin.

Your facial structure also contributes to saggy jowls. People that have broader jawlines tend to have more taut skin, than people who have narrow faces.

Sun Damage

Excessive exposure to ultraviolet rays in sunlight can affect the collagen and elastin skin. Remember collagen and elastin are key proteins found in the skin that provide elasticity and strength to your skin.

When you expose your skin to UV rays, your skin’s collagen and elastin break down quickly causing saggy skin.

Poor Lifestyle habits

Poor lifestyle habits such as smoking or excessive consumption of alcohol affect your skin. These vices dehydrate your skin, causing them to lose collagen and elastin, and making your skin sag. 

Well, it’s not just smoking or alcohol. Stress can also affect your skin. When you’re stressed your body produces cortisol, and cortisol can accelerate the loss of collagen and elastin which leads to wrinkling and sagging skin.

Weight loss

When you lose weight rapidly, you also lose facial volume which can result in excess skin that sags.

Looking down at your screen

This shouldn’t make the list, but unfortunately, it does. When we spend too much time looking at our phones, tablets, or computers, the skin on the neck loses elasticity after some time, resulting in jowls commonly called “tech necks”.

Other causes or risk factors for jowls are:

  • Lack of exercise
  • Repetitive facial expressions that overuse the cheek and jawlines like chewing gum
  • Poor skin hygiene, and
  • Severe dehydration

How can I prevent jowl formation?

To be fair, some causes for jowls could be out of your control like genetics. But, there are actions within your control you can take to prevent the formation of jowls.

  1. Healthy Lifestyle Habits: Quit smoking and reduce your alcohol consumption. These vices dehydrate your skin and cause your skin to age quickly. Also, eat a balanced diet and maintain a healthy weight.
  1. Protect your skin from the sun: Limit your exposure to the UV rays of the sun. Wear sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 to protect your skin and slow down the aging process.
  1. Stay hydrated: drink plenty of water and take in lots of fluids to keep your skin hydrated and plump.
  1. Try Facial Exercises: research shows that facial exercise can help reduce the appearance of jowls, and prevent it. These facial exercises help to tone your facial muscles and keep your skin from sagging. 

Reduce screen time: Try to spend less time on your phone or computer. If you must, keep your head at a natural angle so your neck is not stretched. Taking short breaks, and incorporating exercises that stretch the neck can help.

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Sagging Jowls Treatment: How to Get Rid of Saggy Jowls

If you already have jowls, treatment options may reduce their appearance or get rid of them for good.

Cosmetic Surgery

Cosmetic surgeries such as neck lifts or liposuction can eliminate jowls. These surgeries require general anesthesia, and recovery can take a few weeks.

Source: Stein Plastic Surgery

For neck lift also called lower rhytidectomy, fat is removed and the muscles are tightened. This rearranges the skin around your jawline making it firmer. The procedure for liposuction is similar.

As with surgery, there can be risks. Risks such as:

  • Bruises
  • Improper healing
  • Internal bleeding
  • Damage to muscles and nerves
  • Sepsis

Neck Lifting Masks

Neck-lifting masks are designed to de-puff, lift and tighten the skin around your neck and jawline. Many users swear to their effectiveness. These marks are infused with several ingredients like hyaluronic acid, collagen, and aloe vera, which boost and smoothen the skin.

Dermal Fillers

Dermal fillers made of hyaluronic acid can reduce or eliminate the appearance of jowls on the face. They are injected into the jawlines and around the neck to fill up the jowls and make them appear less saggy. 

Anti-Wrinkle Injections

Anti-wrinkle injections, such as Botox, are commonly used to treat wrinkles and fine lines on the face, but they can also be effective in treating jowls. For treating jowls, the goal is to relax the  masseter muscles (responsible for chewing) along the jawlines. 

Relaxing these muscles help slim down the jawline and reduce jowls.

Ultherapy and Laser Skin Tightening

Ultherapy uses ultrasound energy to penetrate the skin and stimulate the production of collagen. Laser treatment uses infrared light to heat the skin and encourage collagen production. Both can be effective, ultherapy is generally preferred, as laser treatment can tighten other areas of the body other than the face.

How to Get Rid of Sagging Jowls Naturally?

If you have been asking yourself if there are natural options for treating sagging jowls, there are no. Natural treatment options have fewer risks and complications.

Lifestyle Choices

Healthy lifestyle choices can get rid of jowls naturally. Lifestyle choices like quitting smoking, reducing alcohol, maintaining a healthy weight, staying hydrated, protecting your skin from the sun, and exercising regularly. 

Skin Tightening Skincare 

You can incorporate some form of skin tightening into your skincare routine. These includes:

  • Using products that contain Hyaluronic Acid
  • Using products formulated with collagen peptides that stimulate collagen production
  • Use skincare products that contain retinoids, a type of vitamin A that can help increase collagen production 
  • Add vitamin C to your routine
  • Consume collagen supplements
  • Facial sculpting devices like Nuface

Face Yoga

Face yoga includes facial and jawline exercises that can get rid of jowls if done consistently over a period of time. These exercises are typically easy to do and take less than a minute for each. 

Some include:

  • Tapping: Use your fingertips to tap rapidly around the jowl area
  • Jaw massage: use your knuckles to make circles and massage your jaw bone and chin
  • ‘O’ to smile: beginning by forming an o with your mouth and relax into a smile

Mewing

Mewing is a technique that places the tongue in the natural resting position within the mouth — at the roof of the mouth, behind the front teeth.

When the tongue is in this position, it can correct teeth misalignment, and make the jawline more chiseled eliminating sagging jowls.

Mewing has to be done properly, and consistently for it to work. This is where most people attempting to use mewing to fix their jowls get it wrong.

Fortunately, our mewing app makes it easy for you to mew properly and consistently. With routine mewing guides, you can reduce your jowls and have a sculpted jawline in 28 days.

 

Stay consistent by setting reminders, and track your progress by taking and saving before and after photos to the app to see changes. Download our mewing app to get started now.

Everything you need for mewing in one app:

1. Learn the correct technique

2. Make it a habit

3.Track your progress

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Sagging jowls before and after

Take a peek at some before and after photos of different people that have used one form of jowls treatment or the other.

Cosmetic surgery before and after - Source: Precision Cosmetic Surgery

Neck lift masks before and after - Source: OK!

Dermal fillers before and after - Source: The Manse Clinic

Ultherapy before and after - Source: India Plastic Surgery

Mewing Before and after of the Reddit user admiralcoholic

Ready to Get Rid of Saggy Jowls?

Sagging jowls can alter your facial appearance and make you look older than you are. Lots of factors are responsible for this including age, genetics, lifestyle habits, and environmental factors.

However, you can prevent and get rid of saggy jowls with natural and safe treatment options such as incorporating healthy lifestyle habits, face yoga, and mewing.

Mewing is effective for getting rid of sagging jowls naturally and can complete other treatment options as well. We have made it easy to mew properly and consistently with our mewing app which is beginner friendly. 

Join 100k+ users who have used Mewing to get rid of saggy jowls, have a chiseled jawline, improve their facial appearance, and boost their confidence.

Download the Mewing app today.

The information provided in this article is intended for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice or a substitute for professional guidance. Mewing and other techniques mentioned on this website may not be suitable for everyone, and individual results may vary. We strongly recommend that you consult with a qualified healthcare professional, such as an orthodontist, dentist, or myofunctional therapist, before starting any new oral or facial exercises, particularly if you have existing dental, orthodontic, or health concerns.
Written by
Yury Nebyshynets
May 17, 2023