Droopy and Sagging Cheeks

When do drooping and saggy cheeks start to form?

Our face changes significantly as we age as a result of the passage of time. The baby fat that is buried beneath the skin is lost a lot in your thirties, giving your face a leaner, more "adult" appearance. From one decade to the next, this pattern is repeated. When facial fat is lost, the collagen beneath the skin also deteriorates, causing droopy cheek skin to become looser and eventually droop and sag.

The cheeks, especially the lower cheek region and the jawline, are the areas where drooping and sagging are most frequently seen. This area of the face is prone to jowl issues, which can be a telltale symptom of ageing.

Why are my cheeks sagging? What are the causes?

Loss of collagen and elastin

• Your cheekbones and the area below your jawline experience significant collagen and elastin loss over time. The protein collagen is what gives your body's connective tissue its structure.
• Another protein found in connective tissue called elastin allows your skin to regain its original shape even after being stretched.
• The cheek skin around your mouth loses firmness and tightness when these proteins are depleted. Gravity then pulls it downward until it sags and reaches the area on either side of your lips and chin.

Genetics

Additionally, whether or not you have jowls and how apparent they get over time might be influenced by your Genetic structure. You are more likely to get jowls if one or both of your parents do. Early in life, you could begin to see jowls if you naturally have thin skin or little collagen and elastin in your skin. It's possible to start getting jowls in your teens or early 20s.|

Lifestyles and environmental variables

Other factors: that contribute to droopy cheeks and the process of sagging cheeks that include your environment or your lifestyle choices. These consist of:

Making certain facial expressions frequently can cause your face or neck skin to sag.

Skin extends to cover more body mass when you gain weight, which causes weight loss.

It's possible for the stretched skin to sag if you lose weight.

Overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun might harm your skin's collagen.

Your skin may start to sag earlier as a result.

Smoking: Collagen and elastin can be harmed by the nicotine and other substances in cigarettes.

Additionally, smoking can constrict your blood arteries. This restricts the flow of blood and keeps your skin from receiving enough vitamins, such as A, to keep it healthy.

Using computers or phones: Over time, the skin around your neck can become less elastic if you spend a lot of time using a computer or staring down at a smartphone. "Tech neck" is a term that has been used to describe these jowls.

How can I prevent cheek sagging from ageing?

You can take a number of proactive steps to help reduce the appearance of saggy cheeks and droopy necks.

Try the following steps:

• Eat a healthful diet full of antioxidants and healthy fats
• Drink plenty of water to hydrate your skin and flush out toxins
• Apply a quality firming cream that contains retinoids, Vitamin E, and Vitamin C
• Exercise
• Get enough sleep
• Reduce stress
• Stop smoking
• Reduce alcohol intake
• Use sunscreen daily
• Avoid expressions that lead to saggy skin, like frowning and chewing gum
• Sleep on your back rather than your stomach

How to lift droopy cheeks and sagging cheeks?

While ageing cannot be prevented, that doesn't mean you have to do so without grace. Medical-grade procedures can gently diminish and erase lines, droopy cheeks, and cheeks from sagging. Cosmetic dermal fillers and other anti-ageing solutions can help patients age gracefully.

Available Treatments in Singapore

There are numerous skin tightening procedures to think about that help boost the synthesis of new collagen and firm up the areas of the face that need it the most as the skin is beginning to droop and sag around the jawline and cheek area.

Options for light therapy and laser skin resurfacing can stimulate the tissue under the skin while treating pimples and other topical aesthetic concerns. The aim is for your face's skin to appear young and supple as a result of the process.

Now you have the options of non-surgical facelift procedures such as:

• Cheek Fillers
• Wrinkle Reduction Treatment
• HIFU Plus Facelift Treatment
• Ultherapy
• Cambridge’s RF Treatment

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What are Cheek Fillers?

Cheek fillers are injectable substances commonly made from HA (Hyaluronic Acid) or Poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) that can be used to enhance the face.

As we age, not only do we lose collagen, but we also lose bone in the skull. This combination of collagen and bone loss causes changes in our faces as we age. The apex of the cheek flattens or sags lower. The Nasolabial line deepens. The Chin shortens and sometimes lines beside the corners of the mouth, called jowls, start to form. The temples and forehead can also start to hollow out. Cheek fillers can help defy the signs of ageing by lifting and giving both cheeks symmetry to achieve the appearance of youthfulness. Cheek fillers can also soften the visibility of wrinkles and fine lines to accentuate your defining facial features.

Cheek fillers are primarily a cosmetic procedure and it is up to the personal choice of the patient whether or not to undergo the treatment. The main reason people get cheek fillers is due to ageing. When people get older, the skin loses volume and firmness, which causes the face to deflate.

Another reason that people undergo cheek fillers is to fix the nasolabial fold. Also known as smile lines, the nasolabial folds are the parenthesis-like lines that stretch from our nose to mouth cause drooping. Others get cheek fillers because of cosmetic reasons. People in their early 30s who are not experiencing problems with ageing may want to enhance their facial features, which is why they go with cheek fillers.

Hyaluronic acid (HA), also known as glycosaminoglycan polysaccharide, is a biocompatible substance that can be naturally found in our bodies. This makes it easier to absorb and less allergenic compared to other dermal filler substances. The largest amount of HA in our body can be found in our skin. Aside from giving the skin volume, it also hydrates it by holding water and by keeping the skin moisturised it creates a plumping effect. It can hold up to 1000 times its molecular weight in water.

What are the benefits of Cheek Fillers?

Cheek fillers offer several benefits to those who undergo the treatment. Aside from adding volume and shape, it also minimises the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines and gives the illusion of having a defined bone structure.

The treatment usually has minimal downtime and is quick to perform so that many patients can return to their regular activities immediately after. Another advantage of HA-based cheek fillers is that they can be modified and reversed if you are not satisfied with the result. Lastly, cheek fillers are less expensive compared to invasive cheek enhancements or implants that require undergoing the knife with surgery.

Wrinkle Reduction Treatment

Wrinkle reduction treatment works by freezing the nerves’ signals that lower the movement of muscles and stops the skin from being droopy. Wrinkle reduction treatment will not only reduce frown lines but will treat the wrinkles starting from your face to your chin and going to your neckline. 

Wrinkle reduction treatment is typically administered via injections, and the results can last for several months.

HIFU Plus Facelift Treatment

This treatment uses high-frequency sound waves to target specific areas of the skin, resulting in a lifting and tightening effect. This treatment is often used to improve the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines, as well as droopy and sagging cheeks.

This is a minimally invasive procedure that can be performed in a doctor’s office or clinic. The results of this treatment are typically long-lasting, and there is little to no downtime associated with the treatment.