Short answer
Partly. Non-surgical options such as energy-based skin tightening, dermal fillers and thread lifts can soften mild jowling, but none reliably lifts moderate or marked jowls, and their effects are smaller and shorter-lived than surgery. Which option, if any, makes sense depends on what is causing the jowl in that person: loose skin, descended or excess fat, loss of support along the jawline, or a combination.
Key points
- Jowls form as skin loosens and facial fat shifts with age.
- Radiofrequency and ultrasound devices may give modest tightening, mainly in mild laxity.
- Fillers can camouflage a jowl by restoring volume nearby; they do not lift loose skin.
- A systematic review found thread lifts give a very short-lived lift in most studies.
- A facelift is designed mainly to address jowls and the neck, but it is surgery with real risks.
What causes jowls?
Jowls are the soft bulges that form along the lower jawline, breaking up its straight edge. With age the skin becomes looser and does not spring back as easily, and facial fat is lost in some areas while it gathers in others; together these changes let the lower face sag.1
The cause matters because each non-surgical option acts on only one part of the problem. A device that heats the skin cannot move fat that has slipped downwards. A filler that restores volume in the cheek or chin cannot remove excess skin. Two jowls that look alike can have a different mix of these causes, which is why assessment comes before choosing a treatment.
How the non-surgical options compare
| Option | What it acts on | Evidence for jowls | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radiofrequency (including RF microneedling) | Heats the deeper skin to prompt collagen remodelling | Limited | Benefit is modest and best in people seeking subtle change.5 |
| Micro-focused ultrasound | Heats deeper tissue at set depths | Limited | US clearance covers the brow, under the chin and the neck, not the jowl itself.4 |
| Dermal fillers | Adds volume to cheek, chin or jawline | Limited | Camouflages rather than lifts; carries a risk of blood vessel blockage.3 |
| Thread lift | Barbed sutures reposition tissue | Insufficient | Lift lasted only briefly in most studies.6 |
| Facelift (for comparison) | Repositions deeper tissue and removes excess skin | Moderate | Surgery, scars and a 2 to 4 week recovery.2 |
Energy-based tightening
Radiofrequency devices heat the skin to stimulate new collagen. A systematic review of radiofrequency for the face and neck found that most studies reported improvement, including some lifting and better elasticity, and that satisfaction was higher among people looking for modest rejuvenation.5 Much of that evidence relies on patient ratings rather than objective measurement.
Micro-focused ultrasound works on a similar principle at set depths. One US clearance for the Ulthera System covers lifting the eyebrow and lax tissue under the chin and on the neck; the jowl is not named in that indication.4 These treatments carry their own risks: the US regulator has reported burns, scarring, fat loss and nerve damage with radiofrequency microneedling.7
Fillers
Fillers can make a jowl less noticeable by restoring volume in front of or behind it, for example in the chin or cheek, so the jawline looks straighter. In the US, approved filler uses include cheek and chin augmentation.3 This is camouflage: the skin and fat of the jowl stay where they are, and adding too much volume can make the lower face look heavier.
The most serious filler risk is accidental injection into a blood vessel, which can cause tissue death, blindness or stroke.3 See the warning signs of a filler blocking a blood vessel.
Thread lifts
Thread lifts use barbed or coned sutures passed under the skin to pull tissue upwards. A 2018 systematic review found that a decade of further research had added little solid evidence on effectiveness or safety, that most studies showed very limited durability of the lift, and that the two positive studies were sponsored by suture manufacturers.6 On current evidence, how well thread lifts work for jowls is Insufficient to judge.
When surgery tends to be considered
A facelift is designed mainly to reduce loose skin in the lower half of the face, especially the jowls, and the neck.2 It addresses sagging cheeks and excess skin along the lower jawline, but it does not fix fine lines, sun damage or changes in skin colour.1
Surgery has a different trade-off. Full recovery takes around 2 to 4 weeks, bruising lasts at least 2 weeks, and final results take 6 to 9 months to settle.2 Risks include a collection of blood under the skin (haematoma), scarring, and rarely nerve injury affecting sensation or facial movement.1 Results are not lifelong, because the face continues to age.1
In practice, people with mild jowling and good skin quality are more often offered non-surgical options, while those with heavy jowls, marked neck laxity or a lot of loose skin are less likely to see a worthwhile change without surgery. Doing nothing is also a reasonable choice.
Common questions
Will a facelift also improve fine lines?
No; a facelift does not fix fine lines, sun damage or changes in skin colour, which need skin-level treatments instead.1
How long do non-surgical results last?
Usually months rather than years. Thread lift effects were short-lived in most studies, and energy-based and filler results fade as the body remodels tissue and breaks down product.6
Is fat under the chin the same problem?
Not quite; fat under the chin is a separate area with different options, although the two often appear together. See options for a double chin.
Does a facelift also treat the neck?
It can, because the procedure usually targets the jowls and the neck together.2 A separate neck lift focuses only on the neck; see neck lift vs facelift.
Bottom line
Non-surgical treatments can improve the look of mild jowls, mostly by modest tightening or by camouflaging with volume elsewhere, but the evidence is limited and the effects fade. For marked jowling the realistic choices are usually surgery, accepting a subtle improvement, or no treatment.
Related reading
- Medical aesthetics overview
- Neck Lift vs Facelift: Which Addresses What?
- How Long Does a Facelift Last?
- Ultherapy vs Thermage: How Do They Differ?
- What Is Morpheus8 (Radiofrequency Microneedling)?
Sources
- Mayo Clinic. Face-lift. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/face-lift/about/pac-20394059. Accessed 5 November 2026.
- NHS. Facelift. NHS website. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cosmetic-procedures/facelift/. Accessed 5 November 2026.
- US Food and Drug Administration. Dermal Fillers (Soft Tissue Fillers). FDA. https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/aesthetic-cosmetic-devices/dermal-fillers-soft-tissue-fillers. Accessed 5 November 2026.
- US Food and Drug Administration. 510(k) K121700: Ulthera System. FDA; 2012. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/cdrh_docs/pdf12/K121700.pdf. Accessed 5 November 2026.
- Austin GK, Struble SL, Quatela VC. Evaluating the effectiveness and safety of radiofrequency for face and neck rejuvenation: A systematic review. Lasers in Surgery and Medicine; 2022;54(1):27–45. https://doi.org/10.1002/lsm.23506
- Gülbitti HA, Colebunders B, Pirayesh A, Bertossi D, van der Lei B. Thread-Lift Sutures: Still in the Lift? A Systematic Review of the Literature. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery; 2018;141(3):341e–347e. https://doi.org/10.1097/PRS.0000000000004101
- US Food and Drug Administration. Potential Risks with Certain Uses of Radiofrequency (RF) Microneedling: FDA Safety Communication. FDA; 2025. https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/safety-communications/potential-risks-certain-uses-radiofrequency-rf-microneedling-fda-safety-communication. Accessed 5 November 2026.
Article history
- — First published.