Reviewed by Dr Chloë Butler, founder of Skinfolk, October 2026.
The short answer. Jowls are usually treated with HIFU, which uses focused ultrasound at the depth the face is supported, and Morpheus 8, which firms the skin above it. Where volume has gone as well, Profhilo Structura or Sculptra is added. HIFU is at Skinfolk Ombersley from £300. Morpheus 8, Profhilo and Sculptra are at both Ombersley and Barnt Green. Significant loose skin is a surgical question.
A jawline rarely changes overnight. It softens, a clean line becomes a gentle one, and one day the softness has gathered either side of the chin. That is what jowls are, and understanding why they form is what decides how they are treated.
What jowls actually are
Jowls are not extra weight. They are the cheek descending. Skin is held in place by collagen and elastin and by the fat and muscle beneath it, and all of those change with time. The fat pads of the cheek move down rather than disappearing, the skin that held them loosens, and the weight gathers along the jaw. That is why jowls can appear on a face that has not changed size at all, and why losing weight often makes them more obvious rather than less.
Why it happens earlier for some people
- Collagen and elastin falling away from the mid twenties onwards
- Falling oestrogen through the perimenopause and the menopause, when skin thins and loses firmness more quickly
- Years of sun, which breaks down the collagen holding the jaw and neck
- Significant weight loss, which leaves stretched skin with less underneath it
- Genetics, which largely decide when a jawline starts to soften
HIFU: lifting at depth
HIFU, high intensity focused ultrasound, delivers ultrasound energy deep into the skin without breaking the surface. It stimulates collagen and tightens the layers underneath, which is why it is the first treatment we reach for on jowls and a softening jawline. At Skinfolk the Ultraformer handpiece is passed over the mapped area in lines. You feel heat and a deep prickling while the energy is delivered, then go straight back to your day.
- Lower jaw and neck HIFU, 45 minutes, £300
- HIFU with radiofrequency, 90 minutes, £590
- Don't neglect The Neck, HIFU on the neck with Profhilo, 45 minutes, £575
HIFU is offered at our Ombersley clinic.
Morpheus 8: firming the skin above
Morpheus 8 is the one we add where the skin itself has lost firmness and texture has gone with it. Fine needles carry radiofrequency energy into the layer where collagen sits, so the skin is remodelled from underneath. It is 60 minutes, £500 a session, planned as a course, and offered at both Ombersley and Barnt Green. The two treatments are often used together: HIFU for the support underneath, Morpheus 8 for the skin on top.
When volume has gone as well
Sometimes the face has lost volume as well as support. Then the injectable route comes in. Profhilo Structura is placed in the fat layer at the sides of the face to restore support, and Sculptra rebuilds lost volume by encouraging your own collagen, gradually, with results that can last two to three years. Sculptra is £495 a session at both clinics.
What makes jowls harder to treat
Waiting is the usual one. Mild laxity is a shorter piece of work than laxity left for years, because these treatments ask your own collagen to rebuild and there has to be something to work with. Sun without protection undoes the work as fast as it is done, weight lost and regained repeatedly stretches the same skin more than once, and stopping a course halfway leaves the change half made.
When it is not the answer
Significant loose skin is the clearest case. A device will not lift it, and a surgical opinion is what we will recommend. Lines that move with the face are a job for anti-wrinkle injections, not lifting. Treatment is also not offered in pregnancy or while breastfeeding, or over active infection or inflamed skin. We will tell you at consultation which of these applies to you.
More on causes and options is on our sagging skin and jowls page.
Where to have it
Skinfolk Ombersley, The Paddocks, Woodhall Lane, Ombersley, Uphampton, Droitwich WR9 0JR. Monday and Tuesday 9am to 5pm, Wednesday and Thursday 9am to 7pm, Friday 9am to 5pm, Saturday 9am to 1pm. Book online or call 07930 517202.
Skinfolk Barnt Green, 42 Hewell Lane, Barnt Green, Worcestershire B45 8NF, opening Monday 26 October 2026. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 9am to 5pm, closed Thursday. Morpheus 8, Profhilo, Sculptra and filler, with injectables by Dr Chloë. Book by WhatsApp on 07932 936569.
Questions we are asked
What causes jowls?
The cheek descending. Collagen and elastin fall away with time, the fat pads that sat high on the face move down and the skin that held them loosens, so weight gathers either side of the chin.
Can jowls be treated without surgery?
Mild to moderate laxity along the jaw and neck is what HIFU and Morpheus 8 are used for. Where there is a lot of loose skin, a device is not the answer and we will recommend a surgical opinion.
How much does it cost?
Lower jaw and neck HIFU is £300 for 45 minutes at Ombersley. Morpheus 8 is £500 a session at both clinics. Don't neglect The Neck, HIFU on the neck with Profhilo, is £575 at Ombersley.
Is there any downtime?
No. You go back to your day afterwards. The skin can look pink and feel warm for a short while, and after Morpheus 8 that settles over the following days.
When will I see a difference?
Both treatments work by stimulating your own collagen, so the change builds over the weeks after treatment rather than on the day.
Prices as published by Skinfolk in October 2026. All treatments are subject to consultation and suitability.
