If you’ve been wondering about “mewing” or how celebrities are achieving the “snatched” jawline, here are 3 considerations, and 8 different procedures that can be used to create a “snatched jaw”. Some are permanent, while others provide a faster, less expensive option for testing out the “snatched” jaw look. These procedures involve fat removal and skin tightening, shrinking muscles, and/or adding volume through filler or implants. Here is a quick snapshot of what’s available to you.
1. Tighten the neck!
You can’t have a tight jawline with a loose neck. The first thing to check is done you have hanging bands caused by your platysma muscle. This is a muscle that gets tighter when you tighten your neck and shoulders as if you were about to lift something heavy. We relax the platysma muscle through botulinum injections such as Botox, Xeomin, Jeuveau, Dysport, or Daxxify. These neuromodulators relax the platysma muscle, allowing the tissues to sit more smoothly without cords and banding. This smooth neckline is sometimes known as a Nefertiti neckline, named after the Egyptian goddess known for her well-defined jawline. Botox to the neck will help undo the vertical necklines and is maintained through periodic repeat treatment of the area every 3-6 months depending on your age and skin elasticity. Those with some excess neck fat, known as submental fullness, may want to consider fat freezing to the area. The concept is that fat cells are more susceptible to cold than the skin, and about 20% of the fat cells that are frozen will be eliminated and cleared away in a single treatment. Those with medium to heavy neck fullness may need stronger methods to clear the fat under the neck and tighten the skin, such as through liposuction and FaceTite to the neck (NeckTite). With liposuction, a small entry point is made under the chin and a cannula (tube with suction) is inserted and attached to a powerful vacuum to remove the fat. NeckTite on top of the liposuction will deliver focal radiofrequency energy causing skin and tissue contraction, getting surgery-like results without stitches.
2. Above the neck we focus on the chin and angle of the mandible.
Fillers for the chin can be a great solution and one of our favorites is the calcium-based filler Radiesse. It’s well-tolerated and superior to many other fillers. Plus, it’s cost-effective as you get 50% more material, greater strength, and naturally stimulating collagen production for each syringe. However, unlike the hyaluronic acid fillers, it is harder to reverse, though not impossible. Getting it right the first time is important, and why our experience is so valuable. Fillers do require some maintenance, and how much will depend upon how you respond and what area we are treating.. Chin and jaw fillers will advance the skin forward, creating a flatter neck and a more defined jaw. For many people, this is also the perfect solution to balancing a large nose and creating greater facial harmony. If you want a “one and done” permanent solution for a snatched jaw, chin, and/or mandible implant may be a good idea. The procedure can be done in the office under local anesthesia and begins with a small incision made inside the mouth. A solid silicone implant is placed and adhered securely to the bone. There are no external scars and healing is quick with beautiful results.
3. BOTOX & Buccal Fat Removal
For those with too much fullness and squareness at the back of the jaw by the mandible angle, who seek a longer more angular “snatched” jaw, we suggest the following two options: masseter Botox and/or buccal fat removal. Masseter Botox involves botulinum injections to the masseter muscle which allows the muscle to shrink allowing the more defined contours of the jawbone to show through. As an added bonus, masseter Botox can offer a significant improvement to TMJ! This procedure is lasting and may need repeat treatment only after 6 months. If the lack of definition is due to fullness being further up along the cheek area where one may have “chubby cheeks” or “chipmunk cheeks”, buccal fat removal should be considered to achieve a more defined snatched jawline. Buccal fat removal is generally performed under local anesthesia right in the office and is achieved through small incisions (about the width of your pinky fingernail) in the mouth, near the second molar. This means no visible post-surgical scars on the outside of the face and the results look naturally beautiful.
“Snatched” is in and it’s likely not going away. For thousands of years now (remember Nefertiti?) a sharply defined jawline has been seen as sexy, and youthful, and gives the face a commanding appearance. Because of our unparalleled experience, The Spiegel Center has exceptional skill in jawline contouring, providing patients with the best and most effective means of achieving a “snatched” jawline. Come see us in Newton, MA – just outside of Boston – and get #snatchedbyspiegel.
