Sagging jowls/ugly jawline- what can I do? (Photo)

This is an area of concern for many of my patients. Thank you for the question. There are many techniques and a mini facelift along with a mid face lift can lead to a very natural rejuvenated appearance. For most patients, recovery from a facelift surgery can vary widely and it really depends on which procedures they get done. It is best to talk to your surgeon because everybody has different techniques and recovery time is usually based on a number of factors.

If we are just talking about a mini facelift, this can typically be done in the office under local anesthesia. Usually there are no drains, no outside stitches, and patients can go out in public the same day, although I usually recommend they low for the first couple days. Most of the initial swelling is from the numbing medicine and your body absorbs it within the first 4-6 hours.

I'd recommend not getting into the mindset of thinking the jowls will be 100% gone however with any facelift as this might lead to disappointment. It is always best to consider that an area will be improved. Looking for something to be completely gone sets up unrealistic expectations and will usually lead to disappointment after surgery. There are never any guarantees of course with any procedure whether it is surgical or nonsurgical in nature.

Surgery is not for everyone, there are many nonsurgical options to consider although surgery usually gets the most improvement specifically of the jowls.

I would recommend that you see a board-certified plastic surgeon in your area that is a member of both ASPS & ASAPS and performs a lot of facelifts but also offers all the nonsurgical options such as injectables and laser treatments. Go over your concerns with them and make sure above all, you walk out of there with several options and an idea of the pros and cons to each of them as well as realistic expectations.

I hope this helps and wish you all the best in your surgery and event. If it does, please take a moment to up vote this answer on the “respond” button on the top right.

Hi @Terrific9993! I recommend Morpheus 8. Morpheus8 is a non-surgical treatment for full body skin resurfacing, skin tightening, and fat reduction of stubborn areas. It uses minimally invasive fractional radiofrequency energy (RF) to penetrate the skin deeper than other microneedling devices, triggering the skin’s natural healing response to promote skin tightening and lifting. Best of luck, Dr. Nima!

There are several non-invasive treatment options for sagging jowls. 1) You mentioned that you already have full cheeks. I use Juvederm voluma along the back lower jawline (just under the ear) to "pull back" and support the sagging jawline. Then, I put finishing touches by injecting Juvederm Voluma along the "sagging jowl" area to provide extra support. 2) You could also consider a PDO threadlift. The insertion site of the threads would be in the temple area, down to the "sagging jowl" area, which would help to provide an overall lift. 3) If you are the appropriate skin type, you could also get a plasma pen treatment along your entire jawline to help stimulate collagen regeneration, resulting in a tightening/lifting of the jawline.