Jowls: what they are and what clinics in Korea list for them

What are jowls

A surgical anatomy paper describes a jowl as a localized area of extra skin and fat over the jaw. A StatPearls chapter names jowling and neck sagging as the main targets of face-lift surgery. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) says ageing starts in the upper face and moves down, and the drop of the mid-face leads to "squaring off and jowling along the jawline".

Common causes

• Looser connective tissue. The anatomy paper found that the tissue under the skin lengthens with age, letting skin sag over the jaw.
• Age-related changes. StatPearls lists gravity, loose ligaments, extra skin, fat loss and bone loss, and says lower-jaw bone loss reduces jawline definition.
• Fat along the jaw. A filler review says wasting of the mandibular fat and a weakened mandibular septum (a thin wall of tissue beside the jaw) lead to jowls.
• Not confirmed in our sources: the role of smoking, sun, weight change or family history.

Treatments clinics in Korea list for jowls

Each card shows what the treatment is, its downtime as described in the sources, and the lowest regular price a clinic in this directory publishes for it.

What the sources say about results and limits

• Focused ultrasound. In 20 Korean patients treated once with the Ulthera system, the jawline, cheek and perioral areas responded most. Satisfaction fell in most areas after 6 months, and there was no control group. In a retrospective study of 24 people, blinded dermatologists rated 5 improved, 15 unchanged and 4 worse. A 3D-scan study of 50 patients treated with Ultraformer MPT (Shurink Universe in Korea) measured an average jowl lift of 2.9 mm immediately after treatment and did not follow patients later. In our sources, neither device's listed approved uses name jowls.
• Thread lifts. A systematic review found only a very limited durability of the lift in all but two studies, and those two were sponsored by thread makers.
• Filler. A review says hyaluronic acid suits mild to moderate loss of contour and volume and lasts about 3 to 12 months, and that more severe cases may need surgery. An ASPS article says filler is not appropriate for moderate to severe jowling.
• Face-lift. ASPS says a neck lift addresses sagging jowls. StatPearls says jowls can often be treated by lifting the SMAS (a deeper layer under the skin), that minor revisions are commonly needed within 1 to 2 years, and that many patients wait 5 to 10 years for a repeat operation.

Published prices

The table shows, for each clinic that lists a regular price, its lowest regular price for each treatment above; items, amounts and VAT basis differ between clinics.

Lowest regular price each clinic lists, with its own item and VAT basis.

Questions to ask the clinic

• Is my sagging mainly skin, fat or bone, and how did you decide?
• Which device or product will you use, and how many shots, threads or syringes does the quote cover?
• How many sessions do I need, and how long should the result last?
• What downtime should I expect, and what happens if the result is not as planned?
• Does the written quote include VAT and follow-up visits?

FAQ

What causes jowls?

The sources describe changes with age: connective tissue under the skin lengthens, skin loosens, fat along the jaw wastes and the lower jaw bone loses volume. They do not give each one's share, so a doctor examines the face to judge which are present.

Can jowls be treated without surgery?

The sources describe small ultrasound studies with mixed ratings, limited durability for threads, and filler as unsuited to moderate to severe jowling. ASPS and StatPearls name neck-lift or face-lift surgery for jowls, which means an operation and its recovery. A doctor decides which approach, if any, suits your degree of sagging.

How long do the results last?

Hyaluronic acid filler is described as lasting about 3 to 12 months, and PDO threads are generally absorbed within about 6 months. StatPearls says many face-lift patients do not need a repeat operation for 5 to 10 years, though minor revisions are commonly needed within 1 to 2 years.

Does a thread lift fix jowls?

A systematic review found only a very limited durability of the lift in all but two studies, and those two were sponsored by the makers. In a series of 190 patients treated for complications, skin dimpling, contour irregularity and visible threads were the most common.

Sources

• American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS): Three ways to get rid of turkey neck
• American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS): Facelift procedure
• StatPearls: Cervicofacial rhytidectomy
• Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (PMC): The surgical anatomy of the jowl and the mandibular ligament reassessed (2023)
• World Journal of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery (PMC): Using injectable fillers for chin and jawline rejuvenation (2023)
• Annals of Dermatology (PMC): High-intensity focused ultrasound for wrinkles and skin laxity in seven different facial areas (2015)
• Dermatologic Therapy (PubMed): Evaluation of microfocused ultrasound for improving skin laxity in the lower face, a retrospective study (2020)
• Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Global Open (PMC): Three-dimensional analysis of lifting effects after Ultraformer-MPT across seven facial aesthetic units (2024)
• Classys Inc.: Ultraformer MPT product page
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration: K121700 Ulthera System 510(k) letter and summary (2012)
• 스마트투데이 (SmartToday): Classys, Shurink Universe now also for the eye area, mouth area and neck (2025-01-06)
• Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (PubMed): Thread-lift sutures, still in the lift? A systematic review of the literature (2018)
• Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Global Open (PMC): Facial thread lifting complications in China, analysis and treatment (2021)