What Causes Jowls, and How to Slow Them Down

You can’t completely prevent jowls, because they mostly come from normal age-related changes in your skin, facial fat and jawbone, but you can slow the parts of skin aging you control. If you’re wondering how to prevent jowls, the habits with the best evidence are daily broad-spectrum sunscreen and not smoking, followed by a steady weight, good sleep and a simple skincare routine. Face exercises and massage are a pleasant, low-risk extra, not a substitute. Below you’ll find what jowls are, what causes them, and how to put each habit into practice.

What are jowls?

Jowls are the slight drop of skin and fat along the lower jaw, just below and to the sides of the corners of the mouth. Where a younger jawline runs in a smooth line from chin to ear, a jowl creates a small curve or bulge that breaks that line, often with a shallow dip in front of it.

They’re one of the most common signs of facial aging and appear in nearly everyone eventually, to different degrees. Sagging jowls aren’t a health problem, and having them says nothing about how well you look after yourself. Your genes have a large say in when they show up and how pronounced they become.

What causes jowls

Jowls form because several layers of the face change at the same time, slowly and over decades. Understanding those layers explains why some causes are in your hands and others aren’t.

Fat compartments change

The fat under facial skin sits in separate compartments rather than one even layer. In an anatomy study, plastic surgeons Rohrich and Pessa described these compartments, including a distinct jowl compartment low on the face, and suggested that they can change relative to one another with age (Rohrich & Pessa, 2007). When neighbouring compartments change unevenly, the smooth jawline starts to look broken up.

Ligaments and skin loosen

The soft tissues of the face are held in place by supporting ligaments and by the skin itself. With age, these structures become more lax, so tissue that once sat firmly over the jaw begins to settle lower. Skin also loses some of its firmness and bounce over time, so it holds its shape less well over what lies beneath.

The facial skeleton remodels

Bone isn’t fixed for life either. A review by Mendelson and Wong describes how parts of the facial skeleton are resorbed with age, including the area of the lower jaw just in front of the jowl (Mendelson & Wong, 2012). With less bony support underneath, the soft tissue above has less to drape over.

Genetics

Your inherited bone structure, skin type and the way your face stores fat shape when jowls appear and how they look. This is the biggest factor you can’t change, and it’s why two people with the same habits can age quite differently.

Sun, smoking and weight changes

These are the causes you can influence. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) names unprotected sun exposure and smoking as major drivers of premature skin aging (AAD). Weight changes also matter, because facial fat rises and falls with body weight, and large or repeated swings may change how the lower face looks.

How to slow them down

Since you can’t stop the underlying aging process, the goal is to protect your skin from the things that speed it up. Here are the habits that may slow visible skin aging, roughly in order of how strong the evidence is.

1. Wear broad-spectrum sunscreen every day

Daily sunscreen is the habit with the strongest evidence. In a randomised trial in Australia, adults under 55 who were asked to apply sunscreen every day showed no detectable increase in skin aging over four and a half years, while the group using sunscreen as they chose aged measurably more (Hughes et al., 2013). Skin aging was measured on the backs of the hands, not the jaw, but the same UV damage affects your face.

The AAD recommends a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher, reapplied about every two hours outdoors and after swimming or sweating, along with shade and protective clothing such as a wide-brimmed hat (AAD, Practice Safe Sun). A few practical tips:

• Take it down to your collarbone. The jawline, the sides of the neck and under the chin are often missed.
• Make it part of your morning routine. Apply it after moisturiser, every day, including cloudy days and days spent near a window.
• Skip tanning beds. They expose your skin to the same UV that ages it.

2. Don’t smoke

If you smoke, stopping is one of the best things you can do for your skin and your health. The AAD notes that smoking speeds up how quickly skin ages (AAD). Your doctor or a local quit-smoking service can help you find support that suits you.

3. Keep your weight steady

Facial fat follows your overall body weight, so large ups and downs can change how full or loose the lower face looks. Aim for steady, sustainable habits rather than crash diets. A note on face exercises here: they don’t slim the jowls. Spot reduction of fat isn’t supported by evidence, and working a muscle doesn’t burn the fat on top of it.

4. Prioritise sleep, and don’t worry too much about your pillow

Good sleep supports your overall health, and many people simply look and feel fresher when rested. You may also read that sleeping on your side causes jowls. A 2016 review in Aesthetic Surgery Journal described how pressing the face into a pillow can create sleep wrinkles over time (The Aesthetic Society), but no study has shown that sleeping position causes jowls. Back sleeping is harmless to try; a good night’s sleep matters more than the position.

5. Keep skincare simple and consistent

A gentle cleanser, a daily moisturiser and sunscreen are the foundation. Resist the urge to pile on products: the AAD notes that using several anti-aging products at once can irritate your skin, and irritation makes signs of aging more noticeable (AAD). It also says these products deliver modest results, so keep expectations realistic.

If you want to add an active ingredient, retinoids are the best-studied option. The AAD explains that retinoids speed up skin cell turnover and boost collagen, which can soften fine lines, and that retinol is a milder, over-the-counter form (AAD, Retinoid or retinol?). Keep expectations realistic: they mainly change skin texture and fine lines, not the fat and bone behind jowls. Retinoids can irritate and make skin more sensitive to the sun, they aren’t suitable during pregnancy, and stronger forms need a prescription, so ask a dermatologist whether one fits your skin and how to start.

Where face exercises and massage fit

Face exercises and massage are a low-risk addition to the habits above, not a replacement for them. Their evidence is limited, and none of it looks at jowls directly.

The best-known study of facial exercise is a small 2018 pilot in JAMA Dermatology. Twenty-seven women aged 40 to 65 enrolled and 16 completed it, doing 30 minutes of facial exercises a day for 8 weeks and then every other day until week 20 (Alam et al., 2018). Dermatologists rating standardised photos saw fuller upper and lower cheeks, and the average estimated age fell from 50.8 to 48.1 years. There was no control group and the jawline wasn’t measured, so larger controlled studies are needed before anyone can make firm claims.

What a short daily routine can realistically give you is a jaw and neck that feel more relaxed, better posture awareness and a calm few minutes of self-care. If that appeals to you, see the routine in our guide to face yoga for jowls, which includes six lower-face moves and a gentle massage sequence. For the jaw itself, our jawline exercises guide covers form and common myths, and our gua sha routine explains the jawline stroke. Keep pressure light and stop any move that hurts.

When to talk to a professional

If jowls bother you more than everyday habits can address, the next step is a conversation with a qualified clinician, not a product. Any jowls treatment beyond skincare and exercise, such as prescription creams, injectables, energy-based devices or surgery, is a medical decision with its own risks, costs and recovery.

Look for a board-certified dermatologist or a board-certified plastic surgeon. The AAD explains how to check a dermatologist’s board certification (AAD). A good clinician will look at your skin, bone structure and goals, explain what each option can and can’t do, and tell you if doing nothing is a reasonable choice.

Also see a doctor if one side of your face changes suddenly, if you notice a new lump along the jaw or neck, or if you have pain or numbness. Those aren’t typical aging changes.

Build the habits with Gluvy

Gluvy can help you turn these habits into a routine. The skincare lessons include an anti-aging routine guide and a short course on how to use retinol, alongside the basics of a morning and night routine. If you’d like to add movement, follow a guided chin and jawline plan with follow-along videos and a timer on every step, usually 5–10 minutes a day over 3 weeks. The progress journal keeps your selfies in one place, so you can compare slowly and kindly. For the bigger picture on exercises by area, browse our face exercises guides, or start with the 5-minute face yoga routine for beginners.

Sources

• Rohrich RJ, Pessa JE. The fat compartments of the face: anatomy and clinical implications for cosmetic surgery. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 2007.
• Mendelson B, Wong CH. Changes in the facial skeleton with aging: implications and clinical applications in facial rejuvenation. Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2012.
• Hughes MCB, Williams GM, Baker P, Green AC. Sunscreen and prevention of skin aging: a randomized trial. Annals of Internal Medicine, 2013.
• Alam M, et al. Association of Facial Exercise With the Appearance of Aging. JAMA Dermatology, 2018.
• The Aesthetic Society. Study shows stomach and side sleeping positions cause facial distortion and wrinkles over time (on Anson et al., Aesthetic Surgery Journal, 2016).
• American Academy of Dermatology. 11 ways to reduce premature skin aging.
• American Academy of Dermatology. Practice Safe Sun.
• American Academy of Dermatology. How to maximize results from anti-aging skin care products.
• American Academy of Dermatology. Retinoid or retinol?
• American Academy of Dermatology. Why choose a board-certified dermatologist?