Can HIFU Fix Jowls?

Yes, for mild to moderate jowls, and it is the treatment we reach for first. For heavy jowls, or jowls that are mostly fat rather than loose skin, the answer is more complicated. Here is how we decide at our Newcastle clinic.

What jowls actually are

Jowls are the soft pouches that form either side of the chin as the skin and the deeper support layer of the lower face lose their grip. Sometimes there is a pocket of fat in there too. Which of those you have decides what works, and it is the first thing we check at your assessment.

How HIFU works on them

HIFU sends focused ultrasound down to the SMAS layer, the same layer a surgeon tightens during a facelift, without touching the surface of the skin. The heat causes that layer to contract and triggers new collagen over the following months. For jowls we treat the jawline, the area in front of the ears and often the neck as well, because pulling the jawline up without supporting the neck can look unbalanced.

You will feel warmth and some sharp tingling along the jaw during treatment. There is no downtime beyond a little tenderness for a day or two.

What results look like and when

Some people see an early tightening straight after treatment, but the real result builds over about three months as collagen forms. Expect a cleaner jawline and less heaviness in the lower face rather than a surgical lift. One session is usually enough, and it can be repeated after twelve to eighteen months.

When HIFU is not the answer

• If the jowl is mostly fat, we would rather freeze the fat first. Our double chin reduction page explains how we tell the difference.
• If there is a lot of loose skin you can lift as a fold, no machine will match surgery and we will tell you that.
• If the jaw itself sits back, filler along the jaw or chin may do more than tightening. See our jaw and chin filler page.

For crepey skin along the jawline rather than sagging, a course of Exilis Ultra radiofrequency is gentler and often used alongside HIFU. Our skin tightening page compares the two.

Cost

HIFU for the neck starts at £995 and a full face session is £1,095. The jawline is treated as part of the face. Packages that pair HIFU with a course of Exilis are on our packages page, and we offer 0% finance over 12 months on purchases of £1,000 or more, subject to a credit assessment.

RT Aesthetics is a medically led clinic. The assessment is free, and it is where you find out which of the three problems your jowls are. Book a free assessment at our Whickham clinic, or read our longer guide to the best treatments for jowls.