Priorities
Jowls and a softening jawline
A jawline that's losing definition, with skin and soft tissue sitting lower along the jaw.
Treatments from $249
The short version
A softening jawline develops gradually, as the skin along the jaw loses firmness and the defined line from chin to ear becomes a softer curve. Skin that still springs back when pinched usually responds to non-surgical treatment. Skin that hangs generally needs a surgical approach.
Jowls are skin and a little fat sliding below the jaw as the ligaments loosen. How far that loosening has progressed determines which treatment makes sense for you.
Why it happens
How a jawline loses its edge
A clean jawline relies on firm skin and tissue that stays in place. Over time, collagen and elastin thin, the ligaments that hold the cheek loosen, and some of that volume slides down below the jaw.
Skin loses its snap
As collagen and elastin thin, skin along the jaw stops springing back when you pinch it.
Volume drifts downward
Cheek fat and skin slowly descend and collect in a soft pocket on either side of the chin.
The neck follows
Loosening tends to carry down the neck, and beyond a certain point surgery gives the better result.
Sources: Cleveland Clinic, aging skin
Your options
How we'd approach it
-
Step 1We'd start with
Forma if it's early
From $249
About Forma if it's earlyIf your jawline is only starting to blur and the skin snaps back, we'd start with Forma. It's radiofrequency from the surface, with no needles and no downtime, over four to six sessions with our medical esthetician. For early laxity, that's often enough.
-
Step 2If you need a little more
Morpheus8
From $1,200
About Morpheus8If there's a pocket at rest, Morpheus8 delivers the radiofrequency through microneedles up to 4 mm deep, over three sessions with a few days of redness after each. PDO threads, which reposition tissue the same day, aren't on the Lincoln Park booking menu, but we can discuss whether they're a good option for you at your consult.
Side by side
Your options side by side
How far the tissue has settled decides the plan. Here's how the options compare.
We'd start with
Forma
From $249
- Best for
- Early softening, with skin that still springs back
- Appointment
- 30 to 45 minutes, no numbing
- Downtime
- None. Pink and warm for 15 minutes to a few hours
- First results
- Subtle firming after the second or third session
- Sessions
- A series, usually 4 to 6, then maintenance every few months
If you need a little more
Morpheus8
From $1,200
- Best for
- A pocket you can pinch, with thinning skin
- Appointment
- 60 to 90 minutes for the face, more with the neck, numbing included
- Downtime
- 2 to 5 days of redness, grid marks, and fine scabs
- First results
- Some tightening in the first few weeks
- Sessions
- 1 to 3, spaced 4 to 8 weeks apart
PDO threads, by request
Priced at your consult
- Best for
- A visible lift the day you leave, for mild sagging
- Appointment
- 45 to 90 minutes, local anesthetic at entry points
- Downtime
- Swollen and tender 2 to 3 days, mostly settled by day 7
- First results
- Repositioning on the day, under swelling
- Sessions
- 1, repeated at 12 months or when the lift fades
Jawline filler
From $750
- Best for
- Adding definition along the jaw and chin, not lifting
- Appointment
- 30 to 60 minutes, numbing cream plus lidocaine in the gel
- Downtime
- Swelling 2 to 3 days, bruising possible, settled by day 14
- First results
- On the table, under the swelling
- Sessions
- 1, sometimes a refinement at 2 to 4 weeks
Prices are starting prices from our menu. Your provider will confirm the plan and total cost at your consult. Individual results vary.
What to expect
What to expect after Morpheus8 on the jawline
Expect a few days of redness and grid marks. Tightening builds as collagen remodels, and we judge the result three months after the last session.
Day 0
Red, swollen, with grid marks. Plan a quiet evening at home.
Days 1 to 3
Redness fades to pink, and fine scabs form and may itch. Most people return to normal activities by day 2.
Week 1
Scabs are gone, and skin feels dry and tight. Early tightening shows as swelling clears.
Weeks 4 to 8
Time for your next session if you're doing a series. Collagen is building underneath.
Month 3
We'll review the result together. Jawline, neck, and scars at their best after the final session.
Year 1
One maintenance session helps hold the change for most people.
Timeline for Morpheus8, from our treatment page. Individual results vary.
Our reasoning
Assessing jowls and jawline laxity
We’ll start with a pinch, then a photo. Skin that springs back with a shadow rather than a pocket is early laxity, and Forma is a sensible place to start. It’s FDA-cleared radiofrequency, we use it for tightening, and the evidence comes from small studies. A single session won’t show a change, so plan for the full series.
If you can hold a pocket between two fingers, we’ll suggest Morpheus8, which is FDA-cleared for contraction of soft tissue. A 2026 systematic review of 20 RF microneedling studies with 558 participants found improvements in texture and tightening, mostly mild and transient side effects, and satisfaction above 90 percent in most studies, per the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. Individual results vary.
If you want something visible the day you leave, PDO threads hold the tissue higher from placement and fade over months. A 2021 meta-analysis of 26 thread studies put dimpling at 10 percent and satisfaction falling from 98 percent right after to 88 percent later, per Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. Threads move tissue millimeters, while surgery moves it centimeters.
We’ll also check for a fat pad under your chin, and if there is one, that’s a Kybella conversation.
Your questions, answered
When should I start a Morpheus8 series for a June wedding?
Plan your last session 8 to 12 weeks before the wedding, so a three-session series starts in January. Lower sun exposure in winter makes aftercare easier, and you'll want to allow for 2 to 5 days of redness after each session.
Forma or straight to Morpheus8?
If it's only blurring, Forma. If there's a pocket you can pinch, Morpheus8. For early laxity, many people start with a Forma series, since it's gentler and has no downtime. Our Morpheus8 cost guide explains what affects the price.
Is a thread lift a non-surgical facelift?
That's a nickname, not a cleared indication. Threads temporarily reposition the cheek and jowl and dissolve over months, with the lift holding several months to about a year. They can suit mild sagging but aren't a good option for heavy jowls, and they're available by request only at Lincoln Park.
Why do jowls form?
Jowls form as the skin along your jaw loses collagen and elastin and the ligaments supporting your cheeks loosen, so some of the cheek's volume slides below the jawline. Genes, sun and big weight changes can all bring it on sooner.
Can a jawline be tightened without surgery?
Often, if it's early or moderate. Forma suits early softening, and Morpheus8 suits a defined pocket. A heavy jowl with loose neck skin and bands is a surgical question, and we'll say so if that's what we see.
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