Will a Thread Lift Work on Jowls?

Ahh the jowls. You know what we’re talking about. It’s that area of skin that sits along the jawline and is lovely when tight and smooth, really accentuating the definition of the jawline. As soon as those cheek muscles start to weaken, though, and our collagen production starts to dwindle, that skin starts to sag and droop, and there goes all the contour and definition.

The jowls are such a defining part of the face and can really change its look, but we’ve got some really great treatments that can work magic in the area. If you’re wondering if thread lifts in particular effectively work on the jowls, the answer is yes! Absolutely.

Jowls are one of the primary indications of thread lifting and often times our very first course of action when treating the jowls, and we’ll get into the details as to why that’s the case, but there are a number of treatment options out there that can effectively tighten the area. You just need to find the right one for your anatomy.

How does a Thread Lift Work on Jowls?

Thread lifting works by inserting PDO threads – which are basically dissolvable surgical sutures – just below the surface of the skin, and manipulating them in such a way that they lift the skin tissue and hold it in place. If we’re treating the jowls, the threads are placed in target areas around the jawline in order to lift the skin in the area.

The sutures eventually dissolve around 6-9 months, but because they’ve stimulated the production of collagen in your body, your results are maintained for up to approximately a year or even a bit more.

For some patients we may need to incorporate other modalities due to anatomic considerations. For instance, we may need to build up jaw structure with filler, or elongate the chin with filler, because simply lifting the tissue with threads may not always give the desired result.

This patient received a series of treatments that include Sculptra, InstaLift as well as Mono threads.

Some patients may require lifting of the tissue via thread lift and additional skin tightening. In this case, depending on the unique needs of the patient we may recommend a series of Morpheus8 treatments or Forma Facials.

One-Step Jowl Treatment with Mono Threads

Some individuals might notice minor jowling while exhibiting strong bone structure, and they might not need or want to undergo a series of treatments, like Morpheus8 or Forma. In this case we can simply do a one-step jowl treatment with mono threads.

There are a number of different PDO threads. The ones used during your treatment are really dependent on your facial anatomy and what you’re looking to achieve. Many PDO threads have tiny barbs, which lift and hold your skin tissue in place.

Mono threads though are unique in that they’re smooth and made without barbs. The goal with mono threads is really to tighten the skin as opposed to simply lifting it. They are inserted in a mesh like pattern for maximum tightening.

Monos will offer moderate lift with more skin tightening and address textural irregularities by smoothing out the skin. They’ll also stimulate collagen production which will maintain your result over time.

Can you combine a Thread Lift with other treatments?

The great thing about the thread lift is that you can combine it with a number of other treatments. So if you’re coming to treat your jowls with a thread lift for instance, you can also combine it with treatments like Botox and filler at the very same appointment.

You can also have an Essential Facial or Miracle 10 Peel treatment with an aesthetician immediately before your thread lift. Other modalities typically require some wait time between treatments. Usually we ask you to wait 2-4 weeks before undergoing any additional treatments on the same treatment area.

Which is better for the jowls: Thread Lift, FaceTite or Morpheus8?

Honestly, all of these treatments are great for treating the jowls and jawline area. We’d say one treatment isn’t necessarily better than the other, it all just depends on what you need to get the best result.

FaceTite is probably the most invasive and aggressive treatment for the jowls, and we’ll typically recommend it in patients who require a lot of tightening of the tissue alongside lifting.

As for Morpheus8, we love this treatment for basically everyone. We typically recommend that younger patients start with Morpheus8, and for most patients we’ll recommend combining Morpheus8 with another treatment, a thread lift, FaceTite or other, depending on your needs.