By Andrea Goto
We’re 5 miles in with 3 miles to go when my running partner poses the question.
“Do you think running is bad for my face?”
“What do you mean?”
“I think all this pounding is making my jowls worse,” she says, touching her jawline.
For the next 3 miles, all I can think about are my jowls, my neck, my breasts, my butt, my knees…heading further south with every step.
To be clear, neither my running partner nor I have jowls of the hound-dog variety. But we are both acutely aware that 40-some years of standing upright against the pull of gravity—20 of which have been spent running—has taken a toll.
But let’s assume that we don’t have to make Sophie’s choice between jowls or running (the very definition of “stymied”). What options are there?
Let’s start with the neck lift. See, the neck meets up with the jowls, so the fix is twofold. With a small incision at the hairline (where sideburns would be) that continues down and around the ear, the skin can be pulled, fat can be redistributed, tissue can be repositioned and muscles can be tightened. In short: bye-bye, jowls.
There are less expensive, non-surgical options as well for those looking to preview a jowl-less life. A liquid facelift—a strategically applied combination of injectables (like Botox) and fillers (such as Juvederm)—provides solid, yet temporary results with no cutting and no downtime. I imagine it’s the gateway drug to permanent, surgical improvements.
Look, I’m not going to stop running. I can’t. It’s the one healthy habit I have when it comes to dealing with stress. But I’m also not going down with my jowls.
At least not without a fight.
Have questions about how to address age-related jowls? Call Savannah Facial Plastic Surgery to set up a consultation today or request one online now.
