The short answer: jowls form when the structures that hold up the lower face change with age. Fat pads shift and shrink, the jawbone gradually loses some mass, the ligaments that anchor everything loosen, and the skin itself loses collagen and elastin. Skincare can make the skin along your jawline look firmer and smoother, and daily sunscreen slows things down. It can't lift jowls that have already formed. That takes in-office treatment.
Here's what's really happening, what's worth doing at home, and what your other options look like.
What causes sagging jowls
Jowls are rarely about the skin alone. Several layers change at once:
- Fat pads move and shrink. Your face has distinct pockets of fat. With age, some of them thin out and some slide lower, which shifts fullness from the cheeks down toward the jaw.
- Bone changes. The jawbone and the bones around the eyes and cheeks slowly lose some volume over decades, so there's less scaffolding holding everything up.
- Ligaments loosen. The small ligaments that anchor skin and fat to the bone gradually become less taut.
- Skin loses collagen and elastin. Sun exposure accelerates this more than anything else, and the jawline and neck are often missed when people apply sunscreen.
- Weight changes. Losing a significant amount of weight can make jowls more noticeable, because the skin has less underneath it to fill it out.
- Genetics. The shape of your jaw and how your face ages are partly inherited.
What actually helps at home
1. Take your sunscreen all the way down
Most people stop at the jawline. Apply SPF 30 or higher to your whole face, under the jaw, and down your neck every morning. It's the most effective way to slow further loss of firmness in the lower face.
2. Use a firming routine on your jaw and neck, not just your face
The same ingredients that help the rest of your face help here:
- A retinoid or bakuchiol at night. Retinoids have the strongest evidence for the look of firmer skin over time. If they irritate you, bakuchiol is the gentle alternative to retinol. Our Bakuchiol Night Serum is made for nightly use without a ramp-up period.
- Peptides. A supporting ingredient for the look of firmness and elasticity, gentle enough for morning and night. Try the HexaPeptide-11 Serum.
- Hydration. Hydrated skin looks smoother and more supported. Seal serums in with a moisturizer like the Anti-Age Day Cream in the morning.
Apply everything with upward strokes from the base of your neck to your jawline. The strokes themselves won't lift anything, but it makes sure the area actually gets product.
3. Be realistic about timelines
Expect hydration benefits within days and changes from actives over 8 to 12 weeks. What you're aiming for is smoother, firmer-looking skin along the jaw and a slower progression. You're not going to see the jawline from ten years ago.
Do jaw exercises, gua sha, or chin straps work?
Jaw and face exercises: there's very little research, and none of it shows exercises reliably reduce jowls. Building jaw muscle can change your face shape, but it doesn't tighten the skin over it.
Gua sha and rollers: they can move fluid and reduce morning puffiness for a few hours, which can make the jawline look a bit sharper temporarily. They won't tighten loose skin.
Chin straps and tapes: any effect disappears when you take them off.
In-office options
If jowls bother you, a board-certified dermatologist or facial plastic surgeon is the right person to talk to. Depending on your face, they may suggest:
- Radiofrequency or ultrasound tightening for mild to moderate laxity, usually with gradual, subtle results.
- Injectable fillers placed in the cheeks or along the jaw to restore support and soften the jowl line.
- Thread lifts for a temporary lift.
- A lower face lift or neck lift for significant sagging. This is the only option that actually repositions tissue for the long term.
Ask about results, downtime, and how long each option lasts, and be wary of anyone promising a dramatic lift from a non-surgical treatment.
Common questions
Can sagging jowls be reversed without surgery?
Mild jowling can be softened with non-surgical treatments like fillers or energy-based tightening. Skincare alone can improve how the skin looks but won't reverse jowls.
At what age do jowls usually start?
Many people notice early changes in their late thirties or forties, but it varies widely with genetics, sun exposure, and weight changes.
Can losing weight cause jowls?
It can make them more visible, because there's less volume underneath the skin. Read more in why your face can look older after big changes.
What's the best cream for sagging jowls?
Look for a routine rather than one cream: sunscreen in the morning, a retinoid or bakuchiol at night, and a hydrating moisturizer. Peptides are a good gentle addition. The Peptide Longevity Set covers the morning half in one step-by-step routine.
Related reading: How to tighten skin on your face · How to improve skin elasticity · Bakuchiol vs retinol
This article is for general information and isn't medical advice. Our products are cosmetics and affect the appearance of skin. Individual results vary.