What Are Sagging Jowls? Causes, Prevention, And 6 Easy At-Home Treatments

If you’re feeling frustrated by loose, drooping skin around your jawline, you’re not alone. People often refer to this as sagging jowls, which can happen as you age. If you’re looking for tips on how to reduce sagging jowls naturally, you’re in luck. Home treatments are a lot easier to do — and less expensive — than a facelift or injectable fillers. And some of these treatments can make a noticeable difference. Here, we’ll review what the science says about the best treatments you can do at home. 

What causes jowls?

Jowls occur due to aging, said Dr. Megan Casady Flahive, a board-certified dermatologist in Maryland. She explained that there are two factors:

1. Volume loss in the face: As you age, the fat in your face both shrinks and moves downward. This leaves less support under the skin, which can cause it to sag and collect along the jawline. 

2. The breakdown of collagen and elastin: Collagen and elastin are proteins in your skin that keep it tight and supple. As you age, these proteins break down.

And all of this happens earlier than you might think. “We start to lose collagen in our skin at around the age of 18,” said Dr. Flahive. “And by our 30s, we’re losing it at a more rapid rate.”

Risk factors for jowls

Factors that can make sagging jowls worse include:

• Smoking: Nicotine breaks down collagen and elastin in the skin. It also makes it hard for new collagen to form, so skin becomes looser.

• Sun damage: This is one of the biggest risk factors for sagging jowls, according to Dr. Flahive. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation can cause skin damage and weaken collagen fibers.

• Certain facial expressions: If you spend a lot of time stretching your skin in certain positions — like yawning or puckering lips — it may lead to drooping skin over time. 

• Dramatic weight loss: When you lose fat in your face, the skin around your jawline can appear droopier. This happens because there’s less volume underneath the surface of the cheeks to fill it out. 

• Weight gain: In other cases, gaining weight can worsen jowls, depending on where your body tends to store fat. Jowls contain body fat, so it makes sense that gaining weight can increase their size. 

• Genes: Some people are more likely to have sagging jowls because it runs in their families.

How can you treat jowls at home?

If you want to reduce the appearance of sagging jowls without procedures or office-based treatments, you can try one or more of the following options.

1. Facial exercises and ‘face yoga’

Some people claim that facial exercises for jowls can help. Facial exercises — like any type of exercise — strengthen muscles. The idea is that repeatedly using certain facial muscles makes them grow larger. This could restore volume in the face and improve the appearance of sagging jowls. 

"Facial yoga” and exercises to improve drooping skin are all over the internet. But research is limited. One small scientific study found that women who did regular facial exercises for 20 weeks had increased fullness in the face. And they were happy with the results. But there were some limitations of this study:

• One of the coauthors of the study developed the facial exercise program that the study participants used. This means there’s a risk of bias in the study results. 

• It was a small study of 27 women, and 11 of them dropped out before completing the study. 

• The facial exercises lasted 30 minutes, which might be too long for some people. 

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Another review analyzed results of four studies looking at the effect of facial exercises. This review found that facial exercises led to more facial fullness and elasticity of the skin. 

More research is needed to know what kind of exercise frequency is needed to see results. But, if you’re interested, you can start doing face yoga exercises and see if it makes a difference over time. 

2. Collagen supplements

Oral collagen supplements have been shown to improve the skin’s firmness and hydration. A large meta-analysis found that oral collagen can improve elasticity and lessen the appearance of wrinkles. It may also soften the appearance of sagging jowls. Eating more foods rich in collagen might be helpful as well. 

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If you take collagen for a few months and don’t notice a difference, it’s possible you may have low silica levels. Silica is a mineral that your body needs to make collagen. Some people take silica in supplement form for its possible benefit to their skin. But more research is needed to know how much silica is safe or recommended. 

Keep in mind that having enough vitamin C is also necessary to produce collagen. 

3. Topical creams

Many topical creams won’t help sagging jowls. Though some ingredients — like caffeine, green tea, peptides, seaweed, and vitamins — can temporarily tighten skin, they won’t be enough to lift sagging jowls. And the results you do get aren’t permanent.

The best creams for sagging jowls are retinol-based creams. When you use these creams regularly, they can increase collagen production in the skin. Dr. Flahive noted that retinoid creams take months to years to make a small difference in the appearance of their jowls. Even with regular retinoid use, sagging jowls won’t fully disappear. 

A note on vitamin C serums and creams: Topical vitamin C won’t directly reduce jowls. But it’s an antioxidant, so it can help protect against skin damage from the sun and pollution. Using vitamin C may still be helpful to prevent sagging jowls. Just make sure to apply plenty of sunscreen, since vitamin C makes your skin more sensitive to the sun. 

4. Massage

Gently massaging your skin can improve blood flow and temporarily decrease inflammation. This can lead to a more youthful skin appearance. But it’s not clear if massage increases collagen or elastin production in facial skin. This has only been shown in models, not humans. Even so, it might be worth a try since it’s a relatively low-risk treatment. You can massage skin with clean fingers or with a massage roller. 

5. Low-level laser therapy 

Low-level laser therapy uses red light or near-infrared light to penetrate the skin. These devices are often marketed to reduce wrinkles, inflammation, and smooth out skin. They’re painless and can be used at home. 

There’s some research showing that these devices can increase collagen and elastin production. But these studies were done in human cells in a laboratory, not in living humans. So, it’s not clear if low-level laser therapy could be an effective treatment for sagging jowls. 

It’s also important to note that home devices are less powerful — and less regulated — than those you’ll find in a dermatology office. So, it’s hard to know if a home device will truly help your skin. 

6. Nutrition

It’s no secret that good nutrition can make a difference in your skin’s appearance. Here are some foods you could incorporate, and why:

• Fruits and vegetables: Fruits and vegetables contain antioxidants that protect against inflammation and skin damage. Some antioxidants — like vitamin C and vitamin A — are necessary for your body to make collagen. 

• Healthy fats: Omega-3 fatty acids (found in fatty fish) and some other fatty acids can improve the appearance of aging skin. Olive oil is another type of healthy fat that may play a role in boosting elastin and keeping your skin looking more youthful. 

• Minimally processed foods: Eating fewer refined sugars and carbs can be good for your skin. When you eat a lot of sugar, it creates harmful substances called advanced glycation end products (AGEs). These can build up in the skin and make it less elastic. AGEs can also increase inflammation, which can harm the appearance of your skin.

• Foods high in zinc and magnesium: These minerals are necessary for collagen formation in the skin. Meat, fish, and seafood (especially oysters) are high in zinc. Good sources of magnesium include leafy green vegetables, chia seeds, and nuts. Black beans are also full of both magnesium and zinc.

Other non-surgical treatments for jowls

If you want more noticeable results than what home remedies can offer — but don’t want surgery — these office-based treatments, done by dermatologists or trained cosmetic specialists, may help tighten skin or restore volume:

• Botox: Botox is an injectable medication that relaxes certain facial muscles. It can help jowls by tightening the jawline and creating a subtle lifting effect.

• Dermal fillers: Dermal fillers are injected under the skin to add fullness and lift sagging skin. Results can last from a few months to several years. 

• Radiofrequency treatments: Radiofrequency treatments use heat energy to stimulate collagen and gradually tighten skin.

• Laser resurfacing: Laser resurfacing uses concentrated pulses of light to remove a thin layer of skin and stimulate collagen production. It can also improve the look of scars. 

• Professional microneedling: During microneedling, tiny needles are used to puncture the top layer of skin. This can increase collagen production. It may be especially helpful if you also have acne scarring. 

• A thread lift: A thread lift is a procedure that involves using dissolvable threads to lift and tighten sagging skin. Some threads also stimulate collagen, which can help the skin look firmer over time. Results typically last from 1 to 3 years. 

Ineffective jowl treatments to skip

When it comes to at-home remedies for sagging jowls, not all treatments live up to the hype. To help you save your money for more effective options, here are some popular options you might want to avoid. 

Home microneedling devices

Though professional microneedling can be helpful, home devices don’t go into the skin deeply enough to help make more collagen.

Professional-grade microneedling tools go deeper into the skin and can help make collagen and elastin. But only certain healthcare professionals — like dermatologists and other licensed clinicians — can use these devices. 

Microcurrent devices, such as NuFACE

NuFACE and similar devices use very low-level electrical currents. They claim to give a “facelift” effect. The idea is that these electrical currents increase blood flow in the skin and make facial muscles tighter for a short while. But, since these devices don’t affect collagen or elastin production, any visible results won’t last. Dr. Flahive said that these devices can be used along with other treatments. But they probably won’t make a big difference in sagging jowls when used on their own. 

How can you prevent jowls?

Though you can’t completely stop the natural aging process, you can slow down sagging by protecting your skin and supporting collagen. Here are some habits that may help: 

• Protect your skin from the sun: Wear sunscreen every day, and consider wearing a wide-brimmed hat, if you’re outdoors. Sun protection isn’t just cosmetic — it also lowers your risk of skin cancer.

• Don’t smoke (or quit, if you do): Smoking breaks down collagen and makes skin looser. The good news: Your skin can bounce back if you quit. In one study, people who stopped smoking saw firmer, younger-looking skin within 3 months — and the benefits lasted for at least 9 months.

• Maintain a stable weight: Repeated weight loss and weight gain can stretch the skin and lead to sagging jowls. This type of “yo-yo dieting” is more common if you follow fad diets. 

• Eat a nutrient-rich diet: Fruits, vegetables, and other plant-based foods are loaded with antioxidants that support healthy skin. Collagen-rich foods — like bone broth or chicken skin — may also play a role in skin health. 

• Exercise: Movement boosts blood flow, which helps deliver oxygen and nutrients to your skin. Over time, this can help your skin look healthier and more vibrant.

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Written by:

Nicole Rowe, MD

Dr. Nicole Rowe, MD, is a telehealth family practice physician. She received her medical degree from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine and completed her residency in family medicine at University of Colorado’s Swedish Medical Center.

Edited by:

Katie E. Golden, MD

Katie E. Golden, MD, is a board-certified emergency medicine physician and a medical editor at GoodRx.

Reviewed by:

Karen Hovav, MD, FAAP

Karen Hovav, MD, FAAP, has more than 15 years of experience as an attending pediatrician. She has worked in a large academic center in an urban city, a small community hospital, a private practice, and an urgent care clinic.

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