JOWLS/SAGGING JAW LINE
Recommended treatments
- ThermiTIGHT
- ThermiSMOOTH
- Facial Fillers
- Botox/Dysport
As patients age, starting around the age of 40, the jawline and neck regions are prone to the formation of sagging skin. While the skin of the jawline was once at a taut right angle, it now becomes droopy and
it is also common for fat deposits to accumulate in the jawline and neck regions. In the minds of the public and surgeons alike, the go-to procedure to reverse the signs of the aging face has been a lifting and tightening procedure or some variation of the facelift. Consequently, a facelift-type of procedure is often used to address many parts of the aging face and can be of great benefit when there is excessive laxity.
However, Dr. Wright has found that more and more people are looking for a more natural, unoperated youthful appearance, as surgical tightening and pulling can often create a too tight or wind-swept appearance. As a result, Dr. Wright developed the Trio-Lift to address the three telltale cause of the aging face – without the need for surgery!
The Trio-Lift incorporates the use of Botox/Dysport to stop muscles from pulling down the jaw line and the loose skin of the neck, Facial Fillers to revolumize the face (which has deflated like a beach ball and is now sagging) and Radiofrequency Tightening which Dr. Wright offers with various modalities (ThermiTIGHT and ThermiSMOOTH) at Skin MD and Beyond to address your unique concern. Read on to see what treatments are available and how they can benefit you!
ThermiTIGHT-RF
With the loss of elastin and collagen that occurs naturally from the aging process, the skin of the face and neck will become thin and loose. As a result, the presence of jowls, a double chin, or a “turkey neck” can make a person feel and look older. At Skin MD and Beyond , Dr. Wright performs her most cutting-edge procedure, ThermiTight-RF, for those who have moderate laxity and need more advanced skin tightening of the jawline and neck. This minimally-invasive radio frequency procedure offers a real solution for those who are not ready for a facelift and want minimal to no experience of bruising, swelling, or pain – a truly “walk in-walk out” procedure!
ThermiTIGHT-RF was featured in ELLE Magazine stating that “Patients are experiencing an immediate tightening effect, and it will also blitz double chins as well as firm up saggy skin,” and at Skin MD and Beyond we are seeing the same results! The biggest distinction between the ThermiTIGHT-RF device and previously available treatments is that instead of delivering the treatment energy on top of the skin, the treatment is delivered directly under the skin, effectively reaching the deep dermal skin.
The ThermiTIGHT-RF procedure involves placing a smooth “coffee-straw size” tip just under the skin in the area to be treated. The tip emits radiofrequency energy, which produces heat throughout the skin. This causes immediate tightening of the collagen both in the skin and in the underlying layers. To ensure uniform treatment, the probe is moved along in a grid line pattern which allows Dr. Wright to focus on the areas of concern, and heat the skin to a precise and controlled temperature which delivers optimal results for skin tightening and maximum response. Over time, usually 3 – 6 months, new collagen will form which will enhance and cause further tightening of the skin. To read more on ThermiTIGHT-RF and this minimally-invasive surgical procedure click here.
ThermiSMOOTH-RF
Surgery is not for everyone and Thermi-SMOOTH-RF provides a great alternative for noticeable lifting and tightening of the skin with no knife, no needle and no down time! This relaxing treatment involves passing a wand like handpiece with a smooth rounded circular tip over the face. The handpiece is passed over the treatment area several times, with attention given to patient feedback on how hot the area feels. The skin temperature is carefully monitored with a laser-assisted infrared thermometer, to achieve a temperature between 39 and 42 degrees Celsius. This precise temperature will provide maximum skin tightening and results. A series of treatments is required. To read more on ThermiSMOOTH -RF and this non-invasive, no downtime treatment click here.
Facial Fillers
Often an aging face is less about a softening jawline and more about losing volume higher up in the face within the temples and cheeks, as well as along the posterior jawline. Volume loss in the lower face and the jawline also gives an aged appearance of jowling. Skin MD and Beyond offers rejuvenating techniques such as the Liquid Jaw Lift which is better suited for volume replacement than traditional techniques such as fat transfer which has considerable downtime.
If a patient’s purpose is to look as naturally young as possible then the structure of the jawline must be maintained by replacing the lost structure with dermal filler for support. With aging, the bone and soft tissue dissolves around the jawline, and in women, the skull rotates with the chin moving backwards. These features contribute to loss of structural support in the area of the jawline. When evaluating a person for a Liquid Jaw Lift there is definitely an art to it, explains Dr. Wright. “Some patients need more volume in the front of their jaw at the chin and some patients need more volume at the side of their jawline under the ear, and some just need to straighten their jawline due to jowls by injecting in the prejowl sulcus. Often the jawline near the ears is deformed after a facelift, and Facial Fillers can rebuild this area and create a more natural appearance.”
Botox/Dysport
There’s no cream that can lift or tighten a sagging jawline. But the good news is that a Nefertiti Lift with Botox/Dysport can provide a Jawline Lift which creates a more youthful looking jawline and neck area without the need for surgery!
How does the Nefertiti lift work?
As we age, the vertical muscles in our neck (platysmal bands) which attach to our jawline become shorter and pull down on the jawline. This causes the young taunt angle of our neck to be compromised and can also give us a jowly appearance. The Nefertiti Lift works by injecting Botox/Dysport into these muscles beneath along the jaw which will relax the muscles and allow the platysmal bands to lengthen again. The result of this Nefertiti Lift is a redefinition of the elegant lines of the jaw and neck for a youthful, tighter, more contoured appearance.
This procedure works best on non-smoker with good skin tone. Aged neck or necks with excess fat and loose skin may require surgery to tighten them. As well, when the cause of a loose neck line is thinning of the fat pad in the chin area or volume loss over the jaw, a combination of Botox and facial fillers may be needed. Immediately following treatment, my patients notice the natural balance of a tighter jaw line and lifted cheekbones too! These features are what make your face look attractive, refreshed and youthful.
“NOTCHING” ALONG THE JAW LINE
Recommended treatments
- Facial Fillers
A Liquid Jaw Lift is the answer for those people who have indentations that occur on the jaw line directly below the outside corners of their mouth. Ideally we want our jaw line to be a smooth line from the ear to the chin. But these indentations, or notches, interrupt the smoothness of the jaw line and can give it a drooping appearance that looks a little the shape of an “S”. Medically this is called the prejowl sulcus. When the cause of this notching is thinning of the fat pad in the chin area or volume loss over the jaw, the best option is filling the area with many of the available facial fillers. Those most commonly used are VOLUMA and RADIESSE.
SQUARE HEAVY JAWLINE
Recommended treatments
- Botox / Dysport
NONSURGICAL JAWLINE CONTOURING – Treatment of Masseter Muscle to Slim the Lower Face
Botox / Dysport can give you Cheekbones! While a strong, square jawline can be distinctly masculine and desirable in male patients, many female patients are seeking a softer more feminized shape to their face. Botox / Dysport Jaw Reduction is a specialized technique to reduce the width of the jawline changing an overly square jawline to a more attractive oval or heart shaped face. By injecting the masseter muscle (the muscle located below the cheekbone) it will thin/soften the jawline and will accentuate your cheekbone contour – without creating the fullness that cheekbone fillers can cause. The treatment area is located at the angle of the jawline, near the ears. Particularly in Asian females, changing the shape of the face from square to a more attractive oval shape can add a more gentle graceful appearance, and this very skilled technique has been highly sought after within the Asian population due to its specific cultural preference.
In some patients, the masseter muscle, a chewing muscle, is enlarged creating extra facial width.
Botox / Dysport selectively weaken this muscle over time leading to an overall reduction in the size of this muscle. This procedure is best for younger patients, in their twenties and thirties, without laxity of the skin. As you age, reducing the size of the muscle may cause more jowl as the muscle tone is needed to hold the skin taut. This procedure should only be performed by the highly experienced injectors as improper placement can cause some muscle weakness in the lip area, which can affect the smile.
