Jowls are folds of excess skin that hangs off the neck, just below the jawline. Most people develop them as they age. However, there’s a rare category of people who seem to be immune. And now researchers are uncovering their secrets. Somehow, they manage to keep their youthful jawline intact, even into old age. In this post we take a look at some of the methods you can use to stop jowls in their tracks and maintain your good looks as you get older.
Avoid The Sun
It’s natural for humans to enjoy time outdoors in the sun. But if you want to avoid jowls, long-term sun exposure is not a good idea. When the sun hits the skin, high-energy UV light damages the structures that hold subcutaneous fat in place. Over time, these weaken, sending fatty deposits south. Eventually, this leads to the formation of jowls in people susceptible to it.
Get More Exercise
Getting more exercise helps to reduce the weight of fat under your skin – something cosmetic surgeons remove during a facelift. Losing weight reduces the pressure on the subcutaneous structures that hold fat in place, causing them to stretch less over time.
Improve Skin Hygiene
Weirdly, poor hygiene can make a difference too. Lack of washing can lead to the development of jowls around the neck area when dirt becomes ingrained.
Prevent Chronic Stress
Chronic stress is a massive problem in today’s world. People are working harder than ever, and it’s taking its toll on both their bodies and minds. Stress leads to jowling because of how it affects factors in the skin that make it supple and youthful. Over time, stress hormones break down collagen and elastin structures under the skin. And this makes is sag and droop around the jawline.
If you struggle with stress and want to prevent jowls, find activities that soothe you. Meditation, philosophy and exercise can all help.
Avoid Rapid Weightloss
Some people develop jowls when going through extremely rapid weightloss. Usually, the skin returns to its previous form after you lose weight. However, if you shed pounds too quickly, the skin can’t snap back quickly enough. And so it can hang loosely around the jaw.
Thus, if you’re currently losing weight, lose a maximum of 4 lbs per month. More than this can make it hard for the skin to adapt.
Don’t Cleanse Too Aggressively
Some people develop jowls because they’re a little over-zealous with facial cleansing products. Over time, applying these causes their skin to sag, leading to premature aging. Ideally, wash your face and neck a couple of times a week in the shower. Don’t exceed this.
Add Certain Facial Exercises
Certain facial exercises may also reduce the likelihood of developing jowls. For instance you could try:
- Chewing with your head slightly tilted
- Yawning as wide as is comfortable
- Puckering your lips outwards
- Blowing the cheeks outwardly by holding air in your mouth
- Lying down flat and curling the mouth to the chest
- Saying alternating “o” and “e” sounds