Is "pulling up" the skin between my jawbone and neck a solution/option?

There is an intricate aesthetic relationship between the anatomy of the neck and jaw. For a well defined jaw line in both genders one needs favorable bony anatomy of the jaw as far as its angles and projection (prominence) of the chin and also a well positioned hyoid bone. Hyoid bone is a bony structure in the middle of the neck, just above the Adam's apple where it connects and supports many muscles of the neck and throat. Its relative position in the neck can vary between the individuals with significant aesthetic implications for neck and jawline definition. Lastly, the quality and texture of the skin and potential excess of underlying soft tissue/fat in the neck and lower face comes into play. As such, a thorough aesthetic evaluation, by in person examination of all the above factors is needed to asses the candidacy of a patient for the most appropriate procedure. This can range from nonsurgical (fillers) and surgical (implants) chin and angle of the jaw augmentation to address the bony component, and for the soft tissue component it can range from less invasive neck procedures such as skin tightening technologies, liposuction to surgical soft tissue rejuvenations such as neck/lower face lift, or lipectomies.

Without a physical exam or a photo, it would be difficult to describe what might specifically be right for you, as many different factors can contribute to a weak jawline. Speaking in general terms, however, if your weak jawline is due to excess fat in the upper neck and under the jaw, you might benefit from liposuction to better sculpt the jawline. (This option is better suited for younger patients, by the way, because when a patient is older, the skin has less elasticity and therefore less ability to contract and “shrink back” to reveal a sharp jawline.) Another option could be Kybella, which is an injectable enzyme to facilitate breaking down fat permanently. If you have a lack of chin projection from the side, the best approach would be a chin implant. I know you mentioned that you wanted to avoid surgery because you have seen results that look overdone, but if done properly by a surgeon with a sophisticated aesthetic, the result can be elegant, natural, and appropriate. When I perform a chin-augmentation surgery, I use the intra-oral approach, meaning that I make a tiny incision on the inside of the mouth, so that no visible scars will result. One other option, less effective and not permanent, is to use a filler such as Radiesse to give more definition and projection to the chin. It is possible that a combination of the procedures described above would be the solution, so please do feel free to contact a board certified plastic surgeon to help you make your decision.

Young skin and muscle tightens quite well. That is a good thing. Plus now a days we have plenty of options to tighten the skin in this area. Those range from energy devices such as radiofrequency or laser to liposuction and muscle tightening with surgery.  Even well placed botox and fillers can help to define the jawline. It seems simple and many surgeons describe fillers and botox as simple solutions but to really get a defined jawline they need to be well place and combined with tightening and/or volume repositioning procedures such as buccal fat pad sculpting in my experience. I hope this is helpful,Best of luck,DrC

It is understandable to want a well defined jawline without the implants, however because of what you're expectations are a chin implant is what will give you the added volume you need for the maximum definition. The pulling and lifting of the skin will not enhance you're jawline, on the contrary it would give a unnatural lift to you neckline. You may want to consider fillers. Fillers are non surgical, not permanent however they will give you temporary volume and definition which is what you're looking for. 

It's best to begin by consulting with a surgeon in-person to discuss your options. During your initial examination, your #chin will be evaluated along with the neck and jawline. A weak #chin implies a lack of chin support for the skin along the neck line. In younger individuals a chin implant alone is usually all that is needed to improve the appearance of the neck. Subsequently, it will also improve the overall #balance of the face and can create the illusion of a smaller nose. As a stand-alone procedure, chin augmentation can be performed in the office under local #anesthesia. For individuals with signs of #aging in the neck, a chin implant added to one of the recommended procedures above, will provide optimal results.
If you are not a candidate at the time of your #consultation, your board certified plastic surgeon can recommend alternatives to address your concern. Consulting with a board-certified plastic surgeon who specializes in #face, #neck and #chin procedures is important to ensure you are receiving the best advice, care, and surgical experience possible.