Welcome back to the NEWA blog! If you’re new here, we share regular posts on the science behind radio frequency as well as education on skincare topics.
Today we’re continuing the series we began on common skin concerns with a discussion on the jawline. If you haven’t read the prior post on the under eye area, you can catch up here.
Facial Aging
In order to discuss the lower face and some of the common concerns there, it’s important to understand facial aging and how it impacts the skin and other tissues.
We have two types of aging, extrinsic and intrinsic:
- Extrinsic aging refers to the environmental factors that cause premature aging like sun, smoking, and pollution. In terms of the skin, it’s often just called “photoaging” since over 90% is due to the sun specifically. Because the skin is so superficial, skin aging is largely extrinsic where for other facial tissues it’s a little different.
- Intrinsic aging is also known as chronological aging. It’s an inevitable, physiological process that is influenced by internal factors and can’t be prevented by avoiding environmental causes. For women, menopause is often one of the factors that influences intrinsic aging.
It’s also important to understand that while we focus on the skin a lot in terms of facial aging, we have other tissue underneath that are also responsible for the age-related changes we begin to see:
- Epidermis and dermis of the skin
- Subcutaneous tissue
- Facial muscles and tendons
- Bones
This post will mainly discuss skin and the facial fat pads but you can read more in our Facial Aging Deep Dive.
Jowling and Laxity
The two number one concerns when it comes to the jawline is jowling and skin laxity. We will be covering how to address these concerns but before we do that, it’s important to understanding how aging contributes to these concerns and also makes treatment difficult.
As you can see in the image above, we have facial fat pads in the face. They’re located underneath the skin but above muscle and bone. These are the more medial fat compartments shown and they begin to lose volume and support before the ones that more toward the perimeter of the face.
The fat pads in the cheek often contribute to concerns in the lower face like nasolabial folds, marionette lines, and jowling. That last one is when we start to see laxity and many people notice extra tissue hanging near the jaw. It’s important to understand that the facial fat compartments are involved and it’s not all skin.
In addition to the above, we do also see actual sagging of the skin here as well. As we lose collagen and elastin, skin becomes less firm and elastic.
Improving the Jawline
Is this a concern for you? We’re here to help!
There are a few ways to approach the jaw area. Treatments at home can only address the skin while you’ll need in-office intervention to target the facial fat pads directly. Luckily though, improving the skin can make deeper changes less noticeable.
At-Home Treatment
Our NEWA radio frequency devices can help tighten sagging skin while also stimulating new collagen and elastin for firmer skin. We suggest doing both the treatment area for the lower face and the upper face as this can offer some added improvement.
Tip: Pair your NEWA radio frequency with microcurrent for added lift. See our post here.
Unfortunately, most topical skincare products won’t be able to stimulate collagen and elastin adequately to make a difference for the jaw area. But keep reading, we do discuss some options for prevention.
In-Office Treatment
Addressing the volume loss directly with dermal filler is often very effective. And there’s studies showing that radio frequency treatments can improve patient outcomes so feel free to keep doing your NEWA treatments leading up to the appointment and resume 2-3 weeks after.
Other options like microneedling, professional radio frequency, ultrasound, facial fat transfer, and surgical intervention may help as well. The best thing you can do is see a qualified provider who can discuss your concerns and the treatment options.
Prevention
Lastly, don’t forget to prevent whenever possible.
sunscreen and a great antioxidant serum will prevent the bulk of extrinsic aging when it comes to the skin. With summer just around the corner, it’s more important than ever to make sure you’ve got great products in your arsenal.
Retinoids are considered the “gold standard” for anti aging alongside sunscreen when it comes to topical products. So being consistent with one in your routine can help keep your skin in great shape over time and maintain between NEWA treatments.
This blog is not meant to diagnose or treat. Always see a professional to discuss your specific concerns and treatment options if possible.
Like this blog? Stay tuned as we cover other concerns like jowling and nasolabial folds. Keep up with us in the meantime on Instagram and our Facebook community.
