8 Ways to Get a More Defined Jawline
Contents
A soft jawline is usually down to fat under the chin, skin that has lost some of its firmness, or a mix of the two. Bone structure plays a part as well, which is why some people have a sharp jaw at any weight and others never quite do. The good news is that most of the causes can be improved, some for free and some with treatment. These are the eight things that make the biggest difference, from what we see every week at our clinic in Whickham, Newcastle.
The short version
- Start with the free fixes in steps 2 to 4. They cost nothing and protect any result you pay for.
- Neck curls and jaw exercises strengthen muscle but do not remove chin fat or tighten skin.
- For a pocket of fat under the chin, fat freezing works well. For loose skin along the jaw, HIFU or Exilis. For a jaw or chin that lacks shape, filler.
1. Work out what is softening your jawline
Look side on in a mirror with your head level. Then pinch the area under your chin. If you can hold a soft roll between your fingers, fat is a big part of it. If the skin feels thin and drapes along the jaw, or creases when you look down, laxity is the bigger issue. Plenty of people have both. Knowing which one you have saves money, because the treatments for fat and for loose skin are different.
2. Lose weight if you have some to lose
The face and neck are often among the first places people notice weight loss, so if you are carrying extra weight overall, this is the cheapest way to sharpen your jawline. It will not shift a stubborn pocket that has stayed put at a healthy weight, and losing a lot of weight quickly can leave the skin looser, which is where the later steps come in.
3. Fix your posture
Hours spent looking down at a phone or laptop push the chin forward and fold the skin of the neck, which makes any fullness look worse and can deepen neck lines over time. Keeping your screen at eye level and your head stacked over your shoulders will not change the tissue itself, but it changes how your jawline looks in everyday life and in photos straight away.
4. Protect the skin you have
Sun is the main thing that breaks down collagen, the protein that keeps skin firm. Daily SPF on the face and neck, all year round, slows that down more than any cream. A good routine with a retinol product helps too. None of this will lift skin that has already dropped, but it protects the result of anything else you do.
5. Freeze the fat under the chin
For a defined pocket of fat under the chin, fat freezing is the most effective non-surgical option. A small applicator cools the fat cells until they break down, and the body clears them over the next eight to twelve weeks. Most people need one or two sessions, there is no downtime, and it starts from £350. For a heavier chin or a higher BMI, Emerald Laser is a gentler option over a course of ten sessions, from £1,850. Our double chin and jawline page compares them side by side.
6. Tighten the skin with HIFU
If the skin along your jaw has started to soften into early jowls, HIFU is the strongest non-surgical lift. Focused ultrasound heats the deeper layers of the skin, including the layer a surgeon tightens in a facelift, and the jawline firms as new collagen forms over about three months. It is usually one session. HIFU for the chin and jawline is £995 and the full face is £1,095, with results lasting 12 to 18 months. More on HIFU in Newcastle and treating jowls.
7. Firm crepey skin with Exilis Ultra
Exilis Ultra combines radiofrequency and ultrasound to warm and firm the skin over a course of sessions, and it can reduce a small amount of fat at the same time. It suits thinner, crepey skin under the chin and on the neck, and people who would rather build a result gradually. Courses start from £775. See Exilis Ultra Face.
8. Add shape with jaw and chin filler
When the jaw itself lacks definition, or a small chin makes the area under it look fuller, filler along the jawline or at the chin can create a sharper angle. It is prescriber-led and starts with a £25 consultation. Jaw and cheek filler is £250 for 1ml and £400 for 2ml, and because it is hyaluronic acid it can be dissolved if ever needed. See cheek, jawline and chin fillers.
When surgery is the better answer
If there is a large amount of fat under the chin, or the neck skin hangs in folds, surgery will do more than any machine. Chin liposuction removes fat in one procedure and a surgical neck lift removes excess skin. Both involve recovery time and cost several thousand pounds. Our guides to chin lipo and the non-surgical neck lift explain where the line sits, and we will tell you honestly at your assessment if you are past it.
Common questions
Do neck curls work for your jawline?
Neck curls strengthen the muscles at the front of the neck, which is no bad thing for posture. They do not burn fat under the chin, because you cannot spot reduce fat with exercise, and they do not tighten loose skin. If your jawline is soft because of fat or laxity, neck curls on their own will not change it.
Does mewing or chewing gum give you a defined jawline?
There is no good evidence that mewing changes the shape of an adult jaw. Chewing hard gum a lot may build the chewing muscle slightly, but it will not remove fat or lift skin, and it can make your jaw ache.
Can you get rid of a double chin without surgery?
Yes, for most people. Fat freezing deals with the fat and HIFU or Exilis deal with loose skin, and many people have one of each. More on double chin exercises and what they can and cannot do.
Want to know what would sharpen your jawline?
Book a free assessment at our clinic in Whickham, Newcastle. We will look at your chin and jaw, tell you whether it is fat, skin or both, and give you the price before anything is booked. Call 0191 649 8699 or text 07307 201681.
Read more
Our Other Blogs
Our goal is simple: safe treatment, results you can measure, and support that carries on after you leave the clinic.
Over 1,000 five star reviews