Looking to redefine your neck and jawline area? There are many options available to you, including traditional surgery, in-office injectables, an advanced, minimally invasive procedure designed specifically to enhance the neck area: MyEllevate®. Chicago’s Dr. John Q. Cook, a board-certified plastic surgeon, explains that this bounty of choices is good, since jawlines are an important—but often overlooked—aspect of beauty. The jaw area frames the face, and a sculpted, strong jawline is considered to be a coveted feature in modern culture.
Unfortunately, as we age, changes develop in the structure of the jaw, which causes the lower border of the face to lose definition. There’s a notable decline in jaw height as we get older, and since the jaw sets the foundation for the lower face, overall facial aesthetics can change as a result. When the jaw loses definition, there’s less support for the lower face and neck. Also, the skin and underlying muscle and fascia of the face and neck lose their tone. The face may develop a softer, more oval appearance, and skin may start to sag.
Aging bodies don’t produce as much collagen, which is a protein vital for maintaining firm tissue. The midface area begins to sag as collagen diminishes, while fat and tissue accumulate around the jawline area, causing saggy skin and jowls. An age-related breakdown of muscle and fat also contributes to the sagging, which may develop at an accelerated rate.
See below to find out more about how various cosmetic approaches can give your jawline the defined appearance you want.
MyEllevate®
MyEllevate® is a minimally invasive facial rejuvenation treatment that provides a suture-based support system that tightens the muscle and overlying skin underneath the jaw border and creates a sharper jawline. Since no incisions are involved, there is only minimal trauma to the tissue. Patients usually heal quickly and only experience minor bruising and swelling. This is an ideal way for many people to improve the definition of the jawline and neck. The ICLED® light guided suture system used in this treatment allows for an instantaneous lift to underlying facial structures. Radiofrequency energy devices can be combined with MyEllevate® to tighten the skin above and below the jaw border.
Liposuction
In some patients, the only thing causing poor jawline definition is excess fat between the skin and muscle of the neck. If so, liposuction with or without energy-based skin tightening may provide a nice improvement. If there is a loss of tone to the muscle of the neck or significant looseness of the skin, a more advanced procedure is required.
Facial Fillers
Facial fillers or dermal fillers are commonly used for reducing wrinkles, but they can also enhance facial contours. Heavier hyaluronic acid fillers like Juvederm Voluma® improve the structure of the jaw and chin area, while biostimulatory fillers boost collagen production to gradually improve definition.
Facelift and Neck Lift Surgery
Although non-invasive procedures and good skincare routines can delay signs of aging, they aren’t enough to turn back the clock as much as many patients would like. Depending on your particular area of concern, significant loss of tone may need to be addressed with cosmetic surgery such as a facelift or neck lift. The more signs of aging you have, the greater the benefit of these forms of surgery. Facelifts are often focused on the lower face, including the jawline and neckline areas. Most patients who decide to get a facelift simply want to look like a younger version of themselves rather than a completely different person. A facelift is ideal for a patient who starts with a good bone structure such as high cheekbones, a strong jawline and a strong chin. If the chin and jawline need to be strengthened, there are several treatment options that can be combined with a facelift.
Learn more by contacting the team at the Whole Beauty® Institute. Call 312-751-2112 (Chicago Gold Coast Office), 847-446-7562 (North Shore (Winnetka) Office), or submit a contact form to schedule a consultation if you’re interested in cosmetic procedures to enhance the jaw area.
Plastic Surgery Journal 