Double Chin/Jowls
Lone Tree, CO 80124
What it is
Jowls: Loose, sagging skin that begins to droop below the jawline due to the natural aging process of losing collagen/elastin and diminishing fat pads.
Double Chin: A fold of fat underneath the chin that creates an appearance of having two chins.
**Treatments that are used to reduce the fat for double chin are often also used for jowls
Common Causes
- Chronic sun damage– UVA/UVB sun exposure breaks down the collagen and elastin in the skin overtime, especially without protection. When these fibers break down, overtime the skin thins, loosens, and sags
- Aging– as we age, we produce less collagen and elastin that is responsible for plump, tight, smooth skin. We also lose volume and fat pads will descend
- Lifestyle– smoking tobacco, excessively drinking alcohol, constant dehydration, extreme weight loss, and lack of nutrients negatively impact the healthy skin tissue and can lead to worse collagen break down
- Genetics– some people genetically inherit jowls or a double chin more so than other individuals
- Excessive Fat– primarily for a double chin, an excessive fat pad underneath the chin (not depending on someone’s weight) can be the cause
Locations of sagging
Around the eyes
Nasolabiol folds
lower cheek region
below the chin
underneath the jawline
How to treat Double chin/JOwls
Dermal Filler
Dermal filler is a great treatment option for helping jowls, because filler can help rebuild structures of the face and give support to the features that are sagging. Restoring the lost volume with filler allows for the appearance of jowls to be lessened or more blended. After a full face anatomy assessment, it is likely that filler is placed along the jawline, the cheeks, around the mouth, parts of the chin, and under eyes to rebalance the face and give support/structure. This is not a recommended treatment for a double chin.
Kybella
Kybella, or Deoxycholic acid, is a well-known treatment for a “double-chin”, but it can also help with jowls off-label. Kybella safely targets and destroys unwanted fat cells, which when used for underneath the chin/jowls, it helps sculpt the jawline. Once the jawline has more of a defined structure, jowls tend to lessen thus giving a more balanced and harmonized appearance to the face. It is recommended that 3-6 treatments are needed to reach desired results but once the fat pads are destroyed the result is theoretically permanent (if we didn’t age or ever have weight fluctuations).
RF Microneedling
RF Microneedling helps to tighten loose or sagging skin (jowls) and a minor double chin, through the controlled wounds of microneedling and the tightening of radio frequency. This treatment uses energy waves to heat the deep layers of skin and punctures from microneedling to stimulate collagen and elastin production, all while using heat to tighten the fibers of the skin for a more youthful appearance. The heat in the treatment can also diminish fat at certain depths. 3-6 treatments are usually needed with yearly maintenance. We also recommend this treatment in conjunction with dermal fillers for optimal results.
Surgical Referral
In severe cases, surgical referral to a licensed, experienced plastic surgeon is needed. This is so the individual can spend their money on a treatment plan that will provide their desired goals, if minimally invasive aesthetic treatments alone are not enough.
*Of Note*
Double chin/jowls may need several treatments and/or surgical attention for it to improve. Individuals with jowls need to understand that this is a life long condition and in order to properly assess and treat this condition, going to a trained medical professional to get a proper diagnosis is first priority. Without continual care, this condition may not go away and will continue to worsen because aging is inevitable. No treatment is a permanent solution, rather a guideline for keeping the condition at bay or bettering its severity. See a trusted provider for a complete, individualized treatment plan, just for you!