Ways to Improve the Appearance of Your Jawline
Although it is one of the most subtle facial features, the jawline broadly underscores your entire facial profile, adding emphasis, strength and structure to the delicate contours of your expression.
Until recently, the jawline was far down most plastic surgery wish lists, as patients focused on procedures that improve more prominent features. That has begun to change, with men especially seeking ways to shape a strong, sleek jawline that can boost social presence and self-confidence. Below, experienced Albany plastic surgeon Dr. Sanjiv Kayastha reviews some of the most effective ways to sculpt a classic, elegant jawline.
Proven Techniques
To help you select the best option, Dr. Kayastha will evaluate the degree of sag or drooping you are experiencing under the chin, along the jaw and on the upper portion of the neck. Modest changes can often be made with dermal fillers, a quick and convenient solution that will last for several months. These injectables fill lines and hollows, build volume and often stimulate collagen production. There are several types of dermal fillers available. Most are hyaluronic acid or calcium hydroxyapatite preparations, and have product names like Juvéderm Voluma.
Surgical tools available to a plastic surgeon include liposuction under the chin to the neckline, and neck platysmaplasty, or neck lift. Neck lift improves the contour of the jawline by tightening neck skin and underlying muscles. The procedure is particularly effective at countering the unwelcome “turkey wattle.”
Lead with Your Chin
The jawline underlines your facial profile, but it is the chin that adds the final punctuation mark. Changing the shape and projection of your chin is another way to redraw the tapered lines and curves of the lower face.
The most popular chin procedure involves use of an implant. Genioplasty implants are typically made of silicone or a composite material, and can be surgically inserted either through an incision under the chin or one made inside the lower lip. Some implants are attached to the bone, while others are precisely fitted so that they will be firmly held in place by facial muscles and skin.
A related technique uses your own bone as the “implant.” In this so-called sliding genioplasty, part of the jawbone is cut and moved forward to erase a weak chin, or moved back to reduce the prominence of a projecting chin. The bone is locked into place with titanium screws.
To learn more about ways to improve the appearance of your jawline, we invite you to schedule an appointment by contacting Dr. Kayastha’s Albany practice today.
