If your jawline is starting to blur into your neck, you’re not imagining it. That sharp contour you used to have starts to soften with age—sometimes subtly, sometimes all at once. And in the world of video calls and constant selfies, it’s becoming one of the top reasons people seek out aesthetic treatments.
“The jawline frames the entire face,” says Westborough, MA facial plastic surgeon Min S. Ahn, MD. “When that support starts to fade, it can make even your eyes and cheeks look different. Everything just starts to fall slightly out of harmony.”
The good news is there’s more than one way to bring it back into balance. The best approach depends on what’s changing beneath the surface, not just what you see in the mirror.
What Causes a Jawline to Lose Definition
According to Dr. Ahn, it usually starts with a mix of skin laxity, fat accumulation and muscle changes in the neck. “People often think it’s just loose skin, but it’s deeper than that,” he says. “We must look at the platysma muscle, the SMAS layer and even the shape of the chin. It’s all connected.”
That’s why a good treatment plan isn’t just about tightening skin. The most natural-looking results happen when the deeper support structures are restored and reshaped—something that may require a combination of techniques.
When a Facelift Is the Right Move
For patients with more advanced sagging, Dr. Ahn often recommends a “Preservation Deep Plane Facelift.” This technique keeps the natural relationship between the skin and the muscle layer beneath it, which allows for more fluid facial movement and less swelling during recovery.
“We’re not just pulling skin,” he explains. “We’re lifting from underneath, where the aging really happens. It gives a much more natural result because we’re preserving those native connections.”
Paired with a “Preservation Necklift,” this approach can tighten the platysma, remove fat under the chin and restore clean angles along the jaw. “A facelift alone won’t fix the neck, and a necklift won’t fix the face,” says Dr. Ahn. “Addressing both together gives the best outcome.”
Options for Early Sagging
If the changes are more subtle—early jowling, fullness under the chin or mild skin laxity—less invasive treatments can still offer real results.
FaceTite is one of Dr. Ahn’s go-to options. It uses radiofrequency energy to melt fat and tighten skin through small entry points. “It stimulates collagen production while sculpting the jawline,” he says. “The tightening continues to improve for months.”
For additional support, he often adds MyEllevate, a light-guided suture system that lifts the underlying neck muscles without any skin removal. “It gives immediate definition with a very short recovery time,” he says. “We’re able to create structure without making incisions.”
Combining Procedures for a Custom Fit
Most patients don’t fall neatly into one category, which is why Dr. Ahn often recommends blending techniques. Neck liposuction with MyEllevate and FaceTite can create significant change in patients who aren’t ready for surgery. For those with a recessed chin, a small chin implant can completely shift the balance of the lower face.
“We look at every element, skin, fat, muscle and bone, to decide the best combination,” he says. “That’s how we get results that look refreshed but not overdone.”
Aging Looks Different on Everyone
There’s no exact age when someone should choose one treatment over another. Instead, Dr. Ahn focuses on the severity of changes and how much downtime a patient is comfortable with. Nonsurgical treatments like FaceTite or Morpheus8 are often ideal for patients in their 30s or early 40s. For more noticeable sagging in the 50s or 60s, surgery becomes the more predictable and lasting option.
“The key is tailoring the plan,” he says. “We’re not trying to give everyone the same jawline. We’re restoring what has shifted and refining what already exists.”
The Takeaway
Restoring a defined jawline doesn’t always require a major surgery, but it does require intention. The most natural-looking results happen when your treatment plan matches your anatomy. Whether you need subtle refinement or structural repositioning, the jawline can be reshaped to bring your whole face back into balance.
“When the jawline is right, everything else just looks better,” says Dr. Ahn.
