SKIN CONCERN
Skin Laxity and Facial Contour
Skin Laxity and Facial Contour
Skin Laxity and Facial Contour
Changes around the cheeks, jawline and lower face can result from skin laxity, facial fullness, volume loss or deeper structural ageing. These concerns can look similar, but they do not necessarily require the same treatment approach.
Changes around the cheeks, jawline and lower face can result from skin laxity, facial fullness, volume loss or deeper structural ageing. These concerns can look similar, but they do not necessarily require the same treatment approach.
What best describes the change you are noticing?
What best describes the change you are noticing?
Choose the pattern that most closely resembles your concern. A professional assessment can help determine whether the main contributor is skin laxity, tissue heaviness, volume loss or deeper structural change.
Choose the pattern that most closely resembles your concern. A professional assessment can help determine whether the main contributor is skin laxity, tissue heaviness, volume loss or deeper structural change.
EARLY LOSS OF FIRMNESS
The skin feels slightly less firm or springy, but there is little visible drooping or heaviness.
View recommended approaches →
LOWER-FACE SOFTENING OR EARLY JOWLS
The jawline looks less defined, with mild softening or early jowling around the lower face.
View recommended approaches →
FULLER OR HEAVIER LOWER FACE
Facial fullness, heaviness or under-chin tissue is affecting jawline definition and facial contour.
View recommended approaches →
LAXITY WITH HOLLOWING OR VOLUME LOSS
The face appears looser but also thinner, flatter or more hollow through areas such as the cheeks or temples.
View recommended approaches →
ADVANCED LAXITY OR PROMINENT JOWLS
More noticeable tissue descent, prominent jowling, deeper folds or significant loss of jawline definition.
View recommended approaches →
MIXED CHANGES OR I’M NOT SURE
A combination of laxity, heaviness, hollowing, folds or changing facial proportions.
View recommended approaches →
Why identifying the cause matters
Why identifying the cause matters
A softer jawline can be caused by loose skin, heavier tissue, loss of facial support or a combination of these changes. Tightening skin is not the same as reducing fullness, and reducing facial volume may be unhelpful when the face is already becoming hollow.
A softer jawline can be caused by loose skin, heavier tissue, loss of facial support or a combination of these changes. Tightening skin is not the same as reducing fullness, and reducing facial volume may be unhelpful when the face is already becoming hollow.
The treatment should be selected according to the anatomy and the desired change—not simply because it is marketed as a lifting device.
Your treatment pathway by laxity pattern
Your treatment pathway by laxity pattern
Start with the treatment category most closely matched to the main concern. Other approaches may be considered when more than one layer of facial ageing is contributing.
Start with the treatment category most closely matched to the main concern. Other approaches may be considered when more than one layer of facial ageing is contributing.
01 — START HERE
The treatment category most closely matched to the concern.
02 — CONSIDER NEXT
Alternatives or additions based on anatomy, goals and treatment tolerance.
03 — REVIEW
Assess the response before adding another treatment category.
01
PRESERVE VOLUME + IMPROVE FIRMNESS
Early loss of firmness
The skin feels slightly less firm or springy, but there is little visible drooping or heaviness.
START HERE
Monopolar RF skin tightening
Commonly considered when the skin is beginning to feel less firm but facial heaviness and structural descent are not major concerns.
CONSIDER NEXT
RF microneedling
Consider when reduced firmness occurs alongside enlarged pores, fine lines or uneven skin texture.
Focused ultrasound tightening
Consider when the laxity appears deeper or greater support is needed through selected areas.
Skin-quality treatments
Consider when crepiness, dehydration and declining skin quality are also present.
WHY THIS ORDER
Early laxity may respond to broad dermal collagen remodelling without using a treatment intended to reduce facial fullness or aggressively reposition tissue.
01
PRESERVE VOLUME + IMPROVE FIRMNESS
Early loss of firmness
The skin feels slightly less firm or springy, but there is little visible drooping or heaviness.
START HERE
Monopolar RF skin tightening
Commonly considered when the skin is beginning to feel less firm but facial heaviness and structural descent are not major concerns.
CONSIDER NEXT
RF microneedling
Consider when reduced firmness occurs alongside enlarged pores, fine lines or uneven skin texture.
Focused ultrasound tightening
Consider when the laxity appears deeper or greater support is needed through selected areas.
Skin-quality treatments
Consider when crepiness, dehydration and declining skin quality are also present.
WHY THIS ORDER
Early laxity may respond to broad dermal collagen remodelling without using a treatment intended to reduce facial fullness or aggressively reposition tissue.
01
PRESERVE VOLUME + IMPROVE FIRMNESS
Early loss of firmness
The skin feels slightly less firm or springy, but there is little visible drooping or heaviness.
START HERE
Monopolar RF skin tightening
Commonly considered when the skin is beginning to feel less firm but facial heaviness and structural descent are not major concerns.
CONSIDER NEXT
RF microneedling
Consider when reduced firmness occurs alongside enlarged pores, fine lines or uneven skin texture.
Focused ultrasound tightening
Consider when the laxity appears deeper or greater support is needed through selected areas.
Skin-quality treatments
Consider when crepiness, dehydration and declining skin quality are also present.
WHY THIS ORDER
Early laxity may respond to broad dermal collagen remodelling without using a treatment intended to reduce facial fullness or aggressively reposition tissue.
02
TIGHTEN + DEFINE
Lower-face softening or early jowls
The jawline looks less defined, with mild softening or early jowling around the lower face.
START HERE
Monopolar RF skin tightening
Commonly considered when early jowling is primarily related to skin laxity rather than significant lower-face heaviness.
CONSIDER NEXT
Focused ultrasound tightening
Consider when deeper tissue laxity or lower-face heaviness is contributing to reduced jawline definition.
RF microneedling
Consider when early jowling occurs alongside texture change, pores or fine lines.
Thread lifting
May be considered in selected patients when mild mechanical tissue repositioning is a stronger goal than collagen tightening alone.
WHY THIS ORDER
When early jowling is primarily caused by reduced skin firmness, beginning with volume-preserving tightening may be more appropriate than a treatment designed to reduce tissue or provide mechanical lifting.
02
TIGHTEN + DEFINE
Lower-face softening or early jowls
The jawline looks less defined, with mild softening or early jowling around the lower face.
START HERE
Monopolar RF skin tightening
Commonly considered when early jowling is primarily related to skin laxity rather than significant lower-face heaviness.
CONSIDER NEXT
Focused ultrasound tightening
Consider when deeper tissue laxity or lower-face heaviness is contributing to reduced jawline definition.
RF microneedling
Consider when early jowling occurs alongside texture change, pores or fine lines.
Thread lifting
May be considered in selected patients when mild mechanical tissue repositioning is a stronger goal than collagen tightening alone.
WHY THIS ORDER
When early jowling is primarily caused by reduced skin firmness, beginning with volume-preserving tightening may be more appropriate than a treatment designed to reduce tissue or provide mechanical lifting.
02
TIGHTEN + DEFINE
Lower-face softening or early jowls
The jawline looks less defined, with mild softening or early jowling around the lower face.
START HERE
Monopolar RF skin tightening
Commonly considered when early jowling is primarily related to skin laxity rather than significant lower-face heaviness.
CONSIDER NEXT
Focused ultrasound tightening
Consider when deeper tissue laxity or lower-face heaviness is contributing to reduced jawline definition.
RF microneedling
Consider when early jowling occurs alongside texture change, pores or fine lines.
Thread lifting
May be considered in selected patients when mild mechanical tissue repositioning is a stronger goal than collagen tightening alone.
WHY THIS ORDER
When early jowling is primarily caused by reduced skin firmness, beginning with volume-preserving tightening may be more appropriate than a treatment designed to reduce tissue or provide mechanical lifting.
03
DEEPER TIGHTENING + CONTOUR
Fuller or heavier lower face
Facial fullness, heaviness or under-chin tissue is affecting jawline definition and facial contour.
START HERE
Focused ultrasound tightening and contouring
May be considered when facial heaviness, tissue accumulation or under-chin fullness is contributing more strongly than superficial skin laxity alone.
CONSIDER NEXT
Monopolar RF skin tightening
Consider after deeper contouring when the skin also requires broader collagen tightening.
Staged ultrasound and monopolar RF
Consider when both deeper facial heaviness and superficial laxity are contributing.
Professional facial-contour assessment
Important when it is unclear whether the fullness comes from fat, muscle, glands, bone structure or tissue descent.
WHY THIS ORDER
Focused ultrasound can work at deeper levels and may affect selected areas of tissue fullness. It requires careful patient selection because reducing volume may be undesirable in a naturally lean or already hollow face.
03
DEEPER TIGHTENING + CONTOUR
Fuller or heavier lower face
Facial fullness, heaviness or under-chin tissue is affecting jawline definition and facial contour.
START HERE
Focused ultrasound tightening and contouring
May be considered when facial heaviness, tissue accumulation or under-chin fullness is contributing more strongly than superficial skin laxity alone.
CONSIDER NEXT
Monopolar RF skin tightening
Consider after deeper contouring when the skin also requires broader collagen tightening.
Staged ultrasound and monopolar RF
Consider when both deeper facial heaviness and superficial laxity are contributing.
Professional facial-contour assessment
Important when it is unclear whether the fullness comes from fat, muscle, glands, bone structure or tissue descent.
WHY THIS ORDER
Focused ultrasound can work at deeper levels and may affect selected areas of tissue fullness. It requires careful patient selection because reducing volume may be undesirable in a naturally lean or already hollow face.
03
DEEPER TIGHTENING + CONTOUR
Fuller or heavier lower face
Facial fullness, heaviness or under-chin tissue is affecting jawline definition and facial contour.
START HERE
Focused ultrasound tightening and contouring
May be considered when facial heaviness, tissue accumulation or under-chin fullness is contributing more strongly than superficial skin laxity alone.
CONSIDER NEXT
Monopolar RF skin tightening
Consider after deeper contouring when the skin also requires broader collagen tightening.
Staged ultrasound and monopolar RF
Consider when both deeper facial heaviness and superficial laxity are contributing.
Professional facial-contour assessment
Important when it is unclear whether the fullness comes from fat, muscle, glands, bone structure or tissue descent.
WHY THIS ORDER
Focused ultrasound can work at deeper levels and may affect selected areas of tissue fullness. It requires careful patient selection because reducing volume may be undesirable in a naturally lean or already hollow face.
04
ASSESS STRUCTURE + PRESERVE VOLUME
Laxity with hollowing or volume loss
The face appears looser but also thinner, flatter or more hollow through areas such as the cheeks or temples.
START HERE
Professional structural facial assessment
A face that looks both loose and hollow may not benefit from aggressive tissue-reducing or contouring treatment.
CONSIDER NEXT
Conservative monopolar RF tightening
May be considered when genuine skin laxity is present but preserving the remaining facial volume is important.
Skin-quality treatments
Consider when thinness, crepiness or declining skin quality is contributing to the concern.
A separate volume-restoration pathway
May be appropriate when loss of support or facial volume is contributing more strongly than loose skin.
WHY THIS ORDER
Treating a hollow or volume-depleted face as though it is simply heavy or sagging can make the facial proportions look less balanced. The underlying structural change should be identified before selecting a tightening or contouring treatment.
04
ASSESS STRUCTURE + PRESERVE VOLUME
Laxity with hollowing or volume loss
The face appears looser but also thinner, flatter or more hollow through areas such as the cheeks or temples.
START HERE
Professional structural facial assessment
A face that looks both loose and hollow may not benefit from aggressive tissue-reducing or contouring treatment.
CONSIDER NEXT
Conservative monopolar RF tightening
May be considered when genuine skin laxity is present but preserving the remaining facial volume is important.
Skin-quality treatments
Consider when thinness, crepiness or declining skin quality is contributing to the concern.
A separate volume-restoration pathway
May be appropriate when loss of support or facial volume is contributing more strongly than loose skin.
WHY THIS ORDER
Treating a hollow or volume-depleted face as though it is simply heavy or sagging can make the facial proportions look less balanced. The underlying structural change should be identified before selecting a tightening or contouring treatment.
04
ASSESS STRUCTURE + PRESERVE VOLUME
Laxity with hollowing or volume loss
The face appears looser but also thinner, flatter or more hollow through areas such as the cheeks or temples.
START HERE
Professional structural facial assessment
A face that looks both loose and hollow may not benefit from aggressive tissue-reducing or contouring treatment.
CONSIDER NEXT
Conservative monopolar RF tightening
May be considered when genuine skin laxity is present but preserving the remaining facial volume is important.
Skin-quality treatments
Consider when thinness, crepiness or declining skin quality is contributing to the concern.
A separate volume-restoration pathway
May be appropriate when loss of support or facial volume is contributing more strongly than loose skin.
WHY THIS ORDER
Treating a hollow or volume-depleted face as though it is simply heavy or sagging can make the facial proportions look less balanced. The underlying structural change should be identified before selecting a tightening or contouring treatment.
05
REALISTIC LIFTING ASSESSMENT
Advanced laxity or prominent jowls
More noticeable tissue descent, prominent jowling, deeper folds or significant loss of jawline definition.
START HERE
Medical or surgical facial assessment
Prominent jowls, significant tissue descent and deeper folds may require more structural correction than an energy-based treatment can provide.
CONSIDER NEXT
Staged energy-based tightening
May provide modest improvement when the person prefers a non-surgical approach and accepts that the result will be limited.
Thread lifting
May provide temporary mechanical repositioning in carefully selected patients but is not equivalent to surgical lifting.
Combination treatment
May address skin quality, collagen loss and mild laxity while setting realistic expectations about structural lift.
WHY THIS ORDER
Non-surgical treatments can improve firmness and provide subtle contour change, but they do not reliably reproduce the degree of tissue repositioning achieved by surgery in advanced laxity.
05
REALISTIC LIFTING ASSESSMENT
Advanced laxity or prominent jowls
More noticeable tissue descent, prominent jowling, deeper folds or significant loss of jawline definition.
START HERE
Medical or surgical facial assessment
Prominent jowls, significant tissue descent and deeper folds may require more structural correction than an energy-based treatment can provide.
CONSIDER NEXT
Staged energy-based tightening
May provide modest improvement when the person prefers a non-surgical approach and accepts that the result will be limited.
Thread lifting
May provide temporary mechanical repositioning in carefully selected patients but is not equivalent to surgical lifting.
Combination treatment
May address skin quality, collagen loss and mild laxity while setting realistic expectations about structural lift.
WHY THIS ORDER
Non-surgical treatments can improve firmness and provide subtle contour change, but they do not reliably reproduce the degree of tissue repositioning achieved by surgery in advanced laxity.
05
REALISTIC LIFTING ASSESSMENT
Advanced laxity or prominent jowls
More noticeable tissue descent, prominent jowling, deeper folds or significant loss of jawline definition.
START HERE
Medical or surgical facial assessment
Prominent jowls, significant tissue descent and deeper folds may require more structural correction than an energy-based treatment can provide.
CONSIDER NEXT
Staged energy-based tightening
May provide modest improvement when the person prefers a non-surgical approach and accepts that the result will be limited.
Thread lifting
May provide temporary mechanical repositioning in carefully selected patients but is not equivalent to surgical lifting.
Combination treatment
May address skin quality, collagen loss and mild laxity while setting realistic expectations about structural lift.
WHY THIS ORDER
Non-surgical treatments can improve firmness and provide subtle contour change, but they do not reliably reproduce the degree of tissue repositioning achieved by surgery in advanced laxity.
06
IDENTIFY THE MAIN DRIVER
Mixed changes or I’m not sure
A combination of laxity, heaviness, hollowing, folds or changing facial proportions.
START HERE
Professional facial ageing assessment
Determine whether laxity, heaviness, volume loss, skin quality or deeper structural change is contributing most strongly.
CONSIDER NEXT
Monopolar RF tightening
Consider when broad skin laxity and loss of firmness are the dominant concerns.
Focused ultrasound tightening
Consider when deeper laxity or lower-face heaviness is a stronger contributor.
Staged combination treatment
Consider when different treatment categories have clear, separate purposes and the response can be reviewed between stages.
WHY THIS ORDER
Prioritising the main anatomical concern helps avoid combining multiple tightening treatments without a clear reason or unintentionally reducing volume where it should be preserved.
06
IDENTIFY THE MAIN DRIVER
Mixed changes or I’m not sure
A combination of laxity, heaviness, hollowing, folds or changing facial proportions.
START HERE
Professional facial ageing assessment
Determine whether laxity, heaviness, volume loss, skin quality or deeper structural change is contributing most strongly.
CONSIDER NEXT
Monopolar RF tightening
Consider when broad skin laxity and loss of firmness are the dominant concerns.
Focused ultrasound tightening
Consider when deeper laxity or lower-face heaviness is a stronger contributor.
Staged combination treatment
Consider when different treatment categories have clear, separate purposes and the response can be reviewed between stages.
WHY THIS ORDER
Prioritising the main anatomical concern helps avoid combining multiple tightening treatments without a clear reason or unintentionally reducing volume where it should be preserved.
06
IDENTIFY THE MAIN DRIVER
Mixed changes or I’m not sure
A combination of laxity, heaviness, hollowing, folds or changing facial proportions.
START HERE
Professional facial ageing assessment
Determine whether laxity, heaviness, volume loss, skin quality or deeper structural change is contributing most strongly.
CONSIDER NEXT
Monopolar RF tightening
Consider when broad skin laxity and loss of firmness are the dominant concerns.
Focused ultrasound tightening
Consider when deeper laxity or lower-face heaviness is a stronger contributor.
Staged combination treatment
Consider when different treatment categories have clear, separate purposes and the response can be reviewed between stages.
WHY THIS ORDER
Prioritising the main anatomical concern helps avoid combining multiple tightening treatments without a clear reason or unintentionally reducing volume where it should be preserved.
What each treatment category can and cannot change
What each treatment category can and cannot change
Each treatment category can address a different part of the ageing process. A professional assessment helps match the approach to the concern.
Each treatment category can address a different part of the ageing process. A professional assessment helps match the approach to the concern.
MONOPOLAR RF SKIN TIGHTENING
Can help: Broad skin firmness, mild laxity and early lower-face softening while preserving facial volume. May not fully address: Significant tissue heaviness, prominent jowls or major structural descent.
FOCUSED ULTRASOUND TIGHTENING
Can help: Selected deeper laxity, lower-face contour and under-chin concerns in appropriately selected patients. May not fully address: Advanced tissue descent, major skin excess or facial hollowing. May not suit: Faces where preserving limited facial volume is a priority.
MECHANICAL OR SURGICAL LIFTING
Can help: Physically reposition tissue when laxity and descent are more advanced. Requires consideration of: Greater invasiveness, recovery, risks, longevity and whether the desired result justifies the procedure.
Tightening, contouring and restoring volume are different goals
Tightening, contouring and restoring volume are different goals
A person with early loose skin, a fuller lower face and a hollow face may all describe their concern as “sagging.” However, the appropriate treatment categories may be completely different. A treatment that benefits one facial pattern may provide little benefit—or an unwanted result—for another.
Treat the Concern, Not the Device.
Not sure which laxity pattern sounds like yours?
Not sure which laxity pattern sounds like yours?
Answer a few questions about your facial changes, skin and treatment preferences to explore the treatment categories commonly considered.