The signs of aging that we most often hear about, and thus most readily expect, include concerns such as laugh lines or crow’s feet. We may not feel all too surprised if we start to notice slight lines across the forehead, or between the brows. But jowls? As common as this skin-sagging is among older adults, most of us never expect to see such a problem until we are much older. Once jowls develop, we may notice little else about the face. To make matters worse, there is a common idea that plastic surgery is the only way to eliminate them. Let’s look at a different approach!
The Progression Of Jowls
What are jowls, anyway? This telltale sign of aging involves the lowest part of the face, the jaw line. As superficial muscle and tissue changes under the effects of collagen depletion, firmness is progressively lost. This leads to looseness, which ultimately leads to loss of volume in the mid-face. The volume is not completely lost, though, it is transplanted from the cheeks to the jaw, and, voilà! Jowls are born.
When Jowls Just Need To Go
Recognizing the vital role of collagen in the process of facial aging is only one step in sidestepping problems like jowls. We all know how difficult it is to keep collagen strong, firm, and in constant production. More often than not, what we end up doing at some point is restoring volume after the fact. This is easier to do than you may imagine.
- Jowls are a result of decreased volume in the mid-face. Therefore, the jaw line may regain a degree of sharpness when cheek volume is restored. We achieve this with dermal fillers such as Juvederm VolumaTM. Treatment takes less than an hour, and results remain for two years.
- Collagen induction therapies range from chemical peels to laser skin resurfacing. Depending on the severity of aging and the desired outcome from ongoing care, patients develop a treatment routine around their needs. Essentially, the more resurfacing that takes place, the more collagen will be produced. However, monthly chemical peels promote healthy collagen without requiring down time.
- Sophisticated technologies such as ultrasound and radiofrequency are now the norm in aesthetic medicine, developed for the purpose of tightening loose tissue on the lower face and neck. Patients of our Fresno office may choose from Ultherapy or ThermiTight, or even ThermiSmooth.
We’d love to speak with you about anti-aging treatments. Call (559) 435-7546.
