Anti ageing skin SOS: sagging jawline

SHE online 17.12.2008

There are a range of creams and cosmetic treatments that can help with a sagging jawline

Woman having a face mask applied Everyone's skin starts to droop with age thanks to gravity, the stretching of facial support ligaments and the decline in elastin and collagen that give skin its bounce and plumpness.

What's the solution?

Regular sunscreen use, including the neck and décolleté area, will keep your skin firmer for longer. Some cosmetic creams help to tighten skin - testers of the Lancôme Rénergie Morpholift R.A.R.E. Night Cream, £60, claimed a 30-degree lifting effect in tests. Sisley Radiant Immediate Lift, £105, firms and delivers instant smoothness.

At a cosmetic doctor's clinic you can get good results with Restylane Vital (hyaluronic acid) when it's used in a series of micro-injections (more like pinpricks and totally painless) along the chin and jawline. Results aren't instant but after a few months you'll see renewed definition and tone. You need three treatments three weeks apart, which costs around £500. After nine months, you'll have a one-off top-up (£200 to £250). For more details, visit restylane.co.uk.

Botox is also used by some doctors, including Dr Hilary Allan, to weaken the muscles that pull your face down and therefore make it look saggy. By injecting Botox at the sides of your mouth she can combat a downward-turning mouth. Effects last three to four months and it costs around £350.

You could also try a radio frequency treatment, such as Accent, which superficially heats the skin to stimulate collagen production and tighten it. Results can take up to six months to show but they last for a couple of years. Expect to pay around £350 per session. Visit courthouseclinics.com.

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