As a basic principle, the stronger a person's facial skeleton, the better the soft tissues of the face are supported and the more resistant they are to the effects of gravity during the aging process. Women who inherit their facial skeleton from their fathers age better.
For instance, if the bone above the eye is prominent, the eyebrows do not droop easily, and if the bone under the eye is prominent, under-eye bags do not form before the age of 40-50. The opposite is also true. If the skeletal structure of a certain part of the face is weak, the soft tissues in that area and the adjacent structures sag faster.
In cases where the jaw skeleton is structurally small, receding or has insufficient height, (1) the jaw and neckline age earlier and (2) appear older at an earlier age.
We examine the relationship between the chin and neck in 3 different regions.
- Chin
- Jaw angle
- Jawline
When the jawbone is prominent and voluminous, it moves the facial skin away from the neck plane like an “awning”. When the jawbone is weak, the facial skin loses the underlying support and drops towards the upper neck.
In order to achieve a good neck contour in facial rejuvenation surgeries, it is essential that the jaw skeleton is in the right size and position. A clear neck contour cannot be achieved with a weak skeleton. We support the skeletal structure of the chin with additional procedures such as chin advancement (genioplasty) or chin implants in patients with a receding chin for whom we are planning face and neck lift surgery. These procedures can be performed in the same session as the neck lift surgery, through oral incisions or through the submental incision that we already use in neck lift surgery.
One of the key details for the jaw angle is to preserve the volume of this area during the aging process. Jaw (masseter) Botox has recently become a common procedure. The large chewing muscle (masseter) in the jaw angle can be reduced in order to prevent teeth grinding (bruxism) or to refine the regional contour. The key point here is that this application may be inconvenient for aging patients. When the jaw angle is narrowed, the patient's cheek mass will loosen faster. This effect may not attract attention at all in the 20s, but it is good to be very careful when applying chin (masseter) Botox to an individual over the age of 40 and to inform the patient about the potential adverse effects.
"Jawline", the lateral line of the chin, is another key area in terms of the chin-neck relationship. Jawline can be defined as the line between the chin and the jaw angle. The fullness of this area creates a visual boundary line between the face and neck. It causes us to perceive the neck more deeply and distinctly. A strong and regular jawline is a must for a beautiful face. Jawline is one of those areas that first loosen and sag in the aging process. In middle-aged individuals, augmenting this area with synthetic fillers containing hyaluronic acid can give the face a younger appearance. The gold standard of jawline aesthetics, however, is facelift surgery. In an individual whose jawline is distorted, performing only neck operations will create an inharmonious and incomplete result. Therefore, neck problems in middle-aged people always require the face and neck to be handled together.
If you have a congenitally-weak jaw skeleton and your neck contour seems older than what your age requires, here are the take home messages from this post:
- In order to correct the neck contour, the face and neck region may need to be handled in the same session.
- Additional procedures such as chin implants, chin advancement, jaw angle implants and jawline fillers may be needed to improve the neck contour.
Please feel free to contact us for detailed information about the chin and neck relationship in facial aesthetics and for an individualized evaluation.
Take good care...
... of yourself and your beauty.
OB