How to get rid of jowls depends on what is contributing to the change in the jawline. Skincare and massage mainly address skin quality and temporary puffiness, facial exercise and EMS focus more on muscle activity, while injectables and surgery can address certain volume or structural changes.
For people looking for non-surgical jawline tightening, EMS is particularly relevant when reduced facial muscle activity is part of the reason the lower face looks less defined.
What Causes Jowls?
Jowls are soft, sagging areas that develop along the lower cheeks and jawline. They can become more noticeable with age as skin laxity, fat redistribution, soft-tissue descent, and changes in facial structure alter the lower-face contour. Facial muscle changes may also affect how defined the jawline looks, but jowls are not simply caused by one weak muscle.
Skin Laxity: As skin loses elasticity, it becomes less able to maintain a firm, defined contour around the cheeks and jawline.
Fat Redistribution: Facial fat changes with age. Redistribution or volume loss in some areas can alter the balance of the lower face and make the jowl area more noticeable.
Soft-Tissue Descent: Changes in the supporting tissues of the face can allow soft tissue to descend toward the lower cheek and jawline. This contributes to the characteristic appearance of jowls.
Facial Muscle Changes: Muscle characteristics and activity can also influence facial contour. However, muscle stimulation cannot reposition descended soft tissue or remove excess skin.
Which Facial Muscles Affect Jawline Definition?
| Wavelength | Benefits |
| 590–1200 nm | Cover multiple tissue depths to provide comprehensive support for skin rejuvenation and overall wellness. |
| 600–700 nm | Work primarily on the skin surface to support skin tone, texture, and a more even-looking complexion. |
| 780–1064 nm | Reach deeper tissues to support microcirculation, tissue recovery, and cellular activity. |
| 1064 nm Laser | Deliver a precise, focused beam for deeper penetration, supporting collagen-related skin rejuvenation and the visible signs of aging. |
The masseter can affect the apparent width and shape of the lower face, while muscles such as the zygomaticus contribute to cheek movement and expression. The platysma also forms part of the superficial muscular layer of the lower face and neck.
However, jowls are not simply caused by weak facial muscles. Age-related changes in the skin, fat compartments, connective tissues, and structures around the mandible can all contribute to jowl formation. Anatomical studies have found that changes in the subcutaneous tissues around the mandibular area play an important role.
Can Facial Exercise Improve the Appearance of Jowls?
| Approach | What it may help with | What it cannot address |
| Facial exercise | Activating facial muscles and supporting facial movement | Cannot directly reposition descended facial tissue or remove excess skin |
| Posture exercises | Improving the appearance of the jaw-to-neck line when forward-head posture affects the profile | Cannot physically lift jowls or reverse soft-tissue descent |
| Neck exercises | Supporting neck muscle activity and posture | Cannot directly tighten loose facial skin or reposition jowl tissue |
Facial exercise can activate facial muscles, but it is difficult to isolate specific muscles consistently, and evidence that exercise can directly reduce jowls remains limited.
A small 20-week study reported improvements in overall facial appearance following facial exercises, but this does not establish that facial exercise can reposition descended facial tissue or treat jowls specifically.
For jawline tightening, posture exercises may also help the jaw-to-neck line look more defined when forward-head posture is contributing to the appearance. However, neck or back exercises cannot physically pull descended jowls back into position.
So facial exercise can be part of a routine, but it should not be treated as a direct replacement for treatments that address skin laxity, volume changes, or structural descent.
How to Get Rid of Jowls: Non-Surgical Treatment Options
The most appropriate jowl treatment depends on the main cause.
| Treatment | Primary focus | What to expect |
| Skincare | Skin hydration and quality | Supports skin appearance but has limited effect on significant tissue descent |
| Facial massage | Temporary puffiness and facial appearance | May provide a temporary contouring effect but does not reposition descended tissue |
| Facial exercise | Facial muscle activity | May support muscle activity, but evidence for directly treating jowls remains limited |
| EMS | Targeted facial muscle stimulation | Relevant when reduced muscle activity contributes to softer facial definition |
| Injectables | Volume and contour | Can address selected concerns depending on facial anatomy |
| Surgery | Skin and soft-tissue repositioning | Can directly address more significant structural changes |
EMS for Jawline Definition
This is where JOVS 6D Laser EMS Mask should become much more prominent.
EMS uses controlled electrical impulses to stimulate targeted facial muscles. Unlike facial exercise, which requires actively performing and repeating specific movements, EMS provides electrical stimulation through electrodes placed on the skin. For people whose concern is softer jawline definition related in part to facial muscle activity, EMS offers a non-surgical, muscle-focused approach.
The JOVS 6D Laser & EMS Mask applies the muscle-focused approach through a 10-electrode EMS system positioned across the face. The electrodes are designed to stimulate key facial muscle groups, including the temporalis, zygomaticus, masseter, and buccinator.
The 6D Mask also combines EMS with multi-wavelength laser light therapy, so the two components serve different purposes:
- EMS for facial muscle stimulation and contour support
- Laser for skin-focused rejuvenation
For a deeper look at the relationship between EMS and jawline appearance, see Does EMS Help With a Sagging Jawline?
FAQs about Get Rid Of Jowls
Can Training the Neck or Back Muscles Get Rid of Jowls?
No. Improving head and neck posture may make the jaw-to-neck line look cleaner, but neck or back exercises cannot reposition descended facial tissue or remove jowl fat.
How Does an EMS Mask Work on Facial Muscles?
An EMS mask delivers controlled electrical impulses through electrodes on the skin. These impulses stimulate the nerves connected to underlying muscles, producing targeted contractions. With repeated use, facial neuromuscular stimulation may affect muscle characteristics, although visible results depend on the cause of reduced facial definition and the muscles being treated.
Conclusion
Jowls are a multi-factorial lower-face concern influenced by skin laxity, fat redistribution, soft-tissue descent, facial structure, and muscle changes. Different jowls treatments therefore target different aspects of the problem.
Skincare supports skin quality, massage and facial exercise offer supportive approaches, while EMS targets facial muscle activity. Injectables and surgery can address selected volume or structural changes.
For softer jawline definition related to facial muscle activity, EMS offers a non-surgical, muscle-focused option. The JOVS 6D combines a 10-electrode EMS system with laser light therapy in one wearable treatment.
