Options for contouring the Jaw and Lower Face
Chin Profiles and Jawlines have become quite an important aspect of beauty over the last decade. We see more and more jaw tools pop up on the internet, beauty gurus teaching us how to achieve a more defined jaw and celebrities flaunting their chiselled, defined jawline.
Dr Michael Kernohan offers his patients the full spectrum of surgical and non-surgical facial cosmetic procedures.
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What Determines the Shape and Contour of Your Jaw?
The following aspects contribute to the overall look and shape of your jaw:
Skin Quality
Your skin plays a very important role in how your jaw looks. It might not be the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of the jaw but it does make a difference. Lax skin will make your jaw appear less angular and will take away from the definition of your face. Skin quality can be changed/managed with skin care and skin treatments.
Soft Tissue
The tissue under your skin is essentially a very complex framework of collagen and elastin. Collagen adds volume and structure to your skin and elastin is responsible for the natural bounce. With the natural ageing process, this framework becomes weaker and can impact the look of your jaw negatively.
Muscles
The masseter is the main muscle that essentially determines the shape of your jaw. It is responsible for closing the jaw. When you clench your teeth or bite into food, your masseter muscle is doing all the hard work for you. Another major muscle that plays an important role in the look of your jaw is the platysma. It is shaped like a thin fan from the mandible to the collarbones. Ageing can cause this muscle to become lax, leading to excess, loose neck skin. Overly strong jaw muscles can be softened with a substance that is injected subdermally.
Tendons/ Ligaments
Tendons and ligaments get looser as we age, and this makes the jawline look less sharp. This may be helped in the short term by face tightening device treatments but face lifting surgery is the only long term option.
Salivary Glands
The salivary gland is essentially responsible for creating saliva in your mouth. It is also known as the parotid gland. You have one of these glands on each side of the jaw. If these glands become enlarged or swollen, they can make your face look bottom-heavy and it is important to seek immediate medical attention. Submandibular glands also impact the look of your jawline and neck. Some other glands in the neck can be reduced.
Submental Fat under the Chin
There is no doubt about the fact that excess fat underneath the chin impacts the look of your jawline negatively. Sometimes we accumulate fat under our chin as a result of overall weight gain. Other times, it is simply caused by genetics. A Double chin may be treated with Fat Reduction treatments, Chin Liposuction or Surgery.
Bone
One of the most important elements of your jaw is the bone of the jaw. A mandibular angle that is full and sharp is most desired.
Did you know that your bones can thin with time? Your jaw can be shaped with chin implants or volumising treatments to alter its appearance. In certain cases, patients may also get the bones shaved to achieve an angular jaw. You may consider a Chin Surgery (Genioplasty) or even Orthognathic Jaw Surgery.
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Anatomical Measurements for an Attractive Jaw
In men and women, the angle of the jaw typically varies by 2-3 degrees. In men, the average angle is 128 degrees while it is 126 degrees in women. However, the angle can vary to a certain extent within your gender. With that being said, the difference in ethnicities must be taken into account.
Jaw width is a highly variable feature when it comes to precise geometric measurements. No literature specifies a standard quantitative measure for a feminine or masculine face in terms of a specific jaw width. That is the reason why plastic surgeons and aestheticians don’t aim for a specific value for jaw width when it comes to the aesthetic manipulation of the jaw. The focus is primarily on the angle and the contour of the jaw.
With that being said, it is important to remember that large variations in jaw dimensions aren’t considered a very attractive feature. Similarly, jaw protrusion and increased width can distract from other facial features. Facial Balance is the key.
How to Increase Jaw Contour
Different aspects of your jawline are responsible for the contour and shape of your face. There are multiple kinds of treatment options available; both surgical and non-surgical. Treatment options, include:
1. Muscle Relaxant Treatment
Muscle relaxant treatments can help slim down your jawline. It is a popular procedure in Asia where patients are fans of a v-shaped jawline. The masseter is responsible for the width of the jawline from the front. Whenever you bite something or clench, your jawline will looker wider. Placing the substance into the masseter muscles will shrink it down over the next few weeks. This is a popular choice of treatment for many as a lot of people prefer to achieve a slimmer lower third of the face.
Muscle relaxant treatments can help relax the edges of the muscles that will stick out along your neck. Certain people have really strong platysma muscles that can look like a web of cords. This treatment can also help with muscle tone.
2. Volumising Treatment
There are many volumising treatments available in the market that can add lost volume as well as change the angles, definition and projection. Volumising treatments can be performed on different areas of your face.
Shaping the frontal part of the jaw and chin can help those that wish to make their chin appear longer. The results can last anywhere from six months to a year.
3. Fat Reducing treatment (Belkyra / Kybella)
Belkyra is a treatment that involves injecting deoxycholic acid under the chin. If you have a double chin, your jaw won’t look sharp and angular. Belkyra injections reduce the fat in a targeted manner. A suitable candidate for this procedure is someone who has isolated fat but doesn’t have any lax skin. As the fat melts away, your skin will bounce back to the new contours. It is important to choose an experienced provider for the treatment to achieve the best possible results. If you have lax skin then Vaser Liposuction or a Neck Lift may be a better alternative.
4. Energy-Based Treatments
Over the past decade, we have seen this technology become more and more popular in medical aesthetics with new medical devices offering a range of modalities.
Many devices can be used to contract the skin and tissues and make them tighter with the help of heat energy. Some devices transmit energy on the skin surface only such as Ultherapy. Others transmit heat energy under the skin like FaceTite or Renuvion.
Radiofrequency RF treatments are often done alongside micro-needling to achieve healthier skin and tighten soft tissues. Other therapies include Vivace, Pixel8, and Morpheus8.
Some of these devices and techniques are used in conjunction with surgical procedures to achieve optimal results.
5. Chin Implants
Sometimes implants are required for the jawline. Dr Kernohan typically inserts implants into two areas of your face: on the front of the chin and at mandibular angles. The implants are inserted into your skin by creating an incision in the mouth. The best part about this approach is that you won’t have any visible scarring. With this technique, the risk of infection is greatly reduced.
6. Mandibular Contouring
Mandible contouring or v-line surgery is performed to soften the lower third of the face to help you achieve a more feminine jaw. The surgery is also performed as a part of facial feminisation surgery. Dr Kernohan will perform this surgery through the mouth to prevent any visible scarring on the outside. He will work with the bottom surface of the mandible to shape your bone. You will have to be cautious about your diet and limit it to liquids and purees for a couple of weeks as you heal.
7. Liposuction (Submental Liposuction)
Liposuction is an invasive procedure but may be done in day surgery. The procedure is only suitable for people who are dealing with excess fat along the jaw but don’t have any excess skin or skin laxity. The results of liposuction are long-lasting and you won’t need addition treatment sessions. You will be allowed to go back to your usual routine approximately 2 weeks after the procedure.
8. Facelift Surgery
In many cases, less invasive non-surgical treatments do not provide significant results and do not help long term. This is when surgery may be a more suitable option. Surgery produces the most significant results and requires a certain recovery period.
The choice of facial surgery will be based upon what are your areas of concern are. If you experience significant skin laxity along with a double chin, Dr Michael Kernohan might recommend a facelift procedure along with Belkyra. If the bone is a problem area, the surgery might involve Genioplasty or jaw shaving.
9. Lower Face and Neck Lift Surgery
If your jawline has changed over the years due to laxity and loss of volume, lower facelift surgery performed with a neck lift might be the right treatment for you. Most people start to experience some signs of ageing as they hit their early 40s. The signs of ageing can be more visible if you have thinner skin. The surgery tightens loose muscles, gets rid of excess fat, and tightens excess skin.
The process of achieving an aesthetically pleasing jaw is different for every single patient. It is important to schedule an appointment with the right plastic surgeon in order to understand your unique facial anatomy and determine the right course of action.
Prepare some photos of what you consider to be an attractive jaw to show Dr Kernohan during the consultation. It will help the surgeon understand your vision and let you know whether your desires fit your face or not.
Further Reading about Facial Surgery to Create an Attractive Jaw and Contour
- Dr Kernohan’s Facelift Surgery Page
- Dr Kernohan’s Blog about Recovery after Facelift
- Dr Kernohan’s Blog about Ageing Face
