Bones & Muscles
Skin elasticity, or lack thereof, is a common concern for many as we age. It usually begins with noticing the “jowls,” a term used to describe excess skin that develops below the jawline or chin. Jowls can make your appearance feel heavy, tired. The fact of that matter is, jowls happen. But there are things you can do to reduce their appearance.
First…
Why do Jowls Happen?
Long story short, jowls are a result of 3 things: Your bone structure changing, your fat pads shrinking, and your skin elasticity getting laxer over time. There is no one treatment you can do, but rather addressing each of these facets with a multi-faceted approach. We go into that below, but… The relationship between bone structure and muscles is illuminating.
The facial bones are the framework for overlying soft tissue, providing stability, structure, and definition. Support from this platform diminishes as the bones recede and remodel with age, resulting in the recession and repositioning of the overlying soft tissue. This results in repositioning of fat pads and muscles as they realign over the shifting bony foundation. A logical conclusion is strengthening bone structure can assist in facial rejuvenation.
Exercise affects your muscles and bones in similar ways. When you work out regularly, your muscles get bigger and stronger. The same principle holds true for bones (although the changes are less noticeable). Not only do muscles and bones both respond to exercise, but the changes in both of them happen in tandem. As your muscles grow stronger from exercise, they pull harder on bones. The harder they tug, the more your body strengthens those bones.
Since the muscle-bone connection plays such an important role in triggering bone strengthening, when addressing the jowl area with skincare, we suggest bone health be a part of your regimen.
Things you can do
Microcurrent Laxing skin is a result of collagen loss. On top of skeletal resorption, and fat + muscle loss, lax skin takes to gravity more easily. Treatments that help contract facial muscles and tissues (without melting fat!) are going to be very helpful. Microcurrent delivers low level currents to the muscles and tissues in the face which can have several beneficial results:
- Muscle stimulation, so it gets the muscles contracting which can help with lymphatic drainage, but not strong enough to make your muscles bigger ;-)
- Can help with collagen production by stimulating the ATP supply (energy supply) that tells cells to grow resulting in your face looking plumper over time.
- Improves circulation which helps promote cellular regeneration
- Interferes with lymphatic fluid retention
Microcurrent is beneficial for as long as you do it. If you stop microcurrent, you won’t keep the results. Regular microcurrent therapy use = sustained results!
LED Light Therapy is based primarily on heating the tissues in order to achieve aesthetic results. The treatment is known to stimulate tissue healing and collagen synthesis via its action on chromophores (light absorbing compounds) inside the skin— reaching deep into the dermis and hypodermis.
- Red light is commonly used to decrease inflammation and promote healing by increasing blood flow. In addition to improving your skin, red light can also help reduce pain in your muscles, and can be used to treat age spots, fine lines, and wrinkles.
- Blue light decreases inflammation. It can also kill bacteria and other microbes under the skin, and reduce activity in the glands that produce oil on your skin, and is commonly used to treat acne.
Book a Celluma Session (LED Light Therapy)
Microneedling is used to encourage collagen production using small, sterilized needles. It can help smooth, firm, and tone skin, as well as improve the appearance of scars, acne, and lighter wrinkles. Microneedling addresses the appearance of:
- Scars, including acne scars
- Fine lines and wrinkles
- Enlarged pores
- Hyperpigmentation, dark spots, uneven skin tone
- Skin elasticity
Microneedling Services coming this Fall!
Facial Massage or Gua Sha will not rid your face of jowls, nothing short of surgery will, but the practice of Gua Sha provides a result that with regular attention diminishes the look of jowls. What Gua Sha can do:
- Encourage lymphatic drainage and move lymphatic fluid that might be pooling in parts of your face that gravity pulls down
- Serve to relax the muscles in this the neck, scalp, jaw, where tightness emphasizes the downward pull
- Improve circulation which helps promote cellular regeneration
Tools, include: Marie Veronique’s book The Yoga Facelift, Boketto LAB Gua Sha Kit, our free How to Gua Sha eBook
Supplements
While most people think about calcium as the most important nutrient for bone health, trace minerals, vitamins D & K, magnesium, and zinc all play an essential role for bone health. And emerging research points to potential benefits of boron and soy isoflavones, either from diet or supplements. Common sense reminder: When considering a supplement for bone health, you’ll want to take into account your individual diet, lifestyle, and any medical conditions to determine which supplement (if any) is right for you.
Topical Treatments
AKA Skincare. As we grow older, our skin needs a more targeted approach. The right skincare routine with these products can assist with reducing fine lines and wrinkles while increasing elasticity and moisture for a more youthful glow at any age.
We'd love nothing more to help you find a skincare regimen that fits your lifestyle and budget. A great way to do this is to book a facial with one of our estheticians, they can not only get a sense of your skin's health but talk to you about your goals and create a system specifically for you. While in-person is best for skin consultations, we're happy to help you over the phone or via DM. We always do our best to get you what you need— phone, in the shop or during treatment.