Priorities
Jowls and a softening jawline
A softening jawline and skin that has started to settle below the jaw.
A softening jawline is one of the more common signs of facial aging. The line from the chin to the ear loses its definition, a soft pocket forms on either side of the chin, and the neck often begins to loosen as well.
Jowls are skin and a little fat that have moved below the jaw as the supporting ligaments loosen. How far they’ve descended determines your plan, so your consult starts with a pinch test and a photo.
What we'd want you to know
Past a certain point, surgery is the better option
If your jawline is only starting to soften and the skin still snaps back when pinched, we’d suggest starting with Forma. It uses radiofrequency heat, with no needles and no downtime, in a series of four to six sessions with our medical esthetician. The change is subtle, and it’s often enough for early laxity.
If there’s a defined jowl, Morpheus8 tightens from underneath with radiofrequency through microneedles, over three sessions with a few days of redness after each. If you’d like a visible change the same day, PDO threads reposition the tissue and gradually fade over months.
How we decide
We’ll pinch the skin along your jaw. If it springs back and the jowl is more of a shadow than a pocket, that’s early laxity, and Forma is a sensible place to start. One small study of Forma under the chin found laxity scores improved after the second or third session, with no serious side effects, per the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. The evidence is limited, and a single session shows little change, so Forma is planned as a series.
If the pocket is there at rest and the skin has thinned, Morpheus8 is usually the better choice. It’s FDA-cleared for contraction of soft tissue, and remodeling continues for about three months after each session. If you’d rather see a change the same day, PDO threads hold the tissue higher from day one. A 2025 systematic review of 12 thread studies found improvement in every case immediately after, but also that long-term efficacy data are lacking, per Dermatologic Surgery. Individual results vary.
We’ll also check whether the main concern is a fat pad under the chin, which may be better treated with Kybella.
Your questions, answered
Is a thread lift the same as a non-surgical facelift?
Not quite. “Non-surgical facelift” is a nickname, not a cleared indication. PDO threads temporarily reposition the cheek and jowl and dissolve over months. For most people, the lift holds for several months to about a year. Threads are a good fit for mild sagging, but not for heavy jowls.
Should I do Forma or go straight to Morpheus8?
If your jawline is just softening, we’d suggest Forma. If there’s a pocket you can pinch and skin that’s lost its snap, Morpheus8 is the better choice, because Forma won’t do enough.
When should I start so it shows by spring?
Morpheus8 results build over about three months, so a series started in October should be showing by March. Fall and winter are also good times for treatment, because sun exposure is lower while the skin heals. Forma can be done any time of year.
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