Your Comprehensive Jawline-Sculpting Treatment Guide

In 2006, Nora Ephron published a collection of humor essays titled I Feel Bad About My Neck. Now, almost 20 years later, more people than ever are still gripped by that same gripe. “There's definitely been an uptick of patients since the lockdown coming in and going, ‘Oh, I hate how I look on Zoom. What can I do about my neck?’” plastic surgeon Dr. David Shafer, M.D., FACS, tells Bustle. “They're sitting there for an hour on video, staring at their face, jawline, and neck, saying, ‘What can I do to make an improvement?’”

Thanks to advances in cosmetic dermatology, there are more remedies than ever before. Whether it’s jawline liposuction — the go-to surgical procedure since the 1980s — or newer, non-invasive treatments like Kybella or CoolSculpting, there are now multiple ways to contour your lower face without going under the knife.

“When I'm looking at a patient, I'm looking at their skin quality, laxity, and how much fat there is. That helps me determine which procedure is good for them,” says Shafer. “It just depends on talking to the patient about which option fits their timeline, budget, and expectations.”

Wondering which of these noninvasive treatments might be the best fit for you? Read on for more.

Kybella: The Sculpting Shot

Kybella is the first and only injectable that’s FDA-approved to treat submental fullness (aka the double chin). It’s made up of a synthetic version of deoxycholic acid, which your body naturally uses to break down dietary fat. So when it’s injected under the chin, Kybella quite literally dissolves fat cells.

Over the course of two to four sessions — which take between 15-20 minutes each — you’ll begin to see a gradual reduction and contouring of the chin. The pain during injection is minimal, but be warned: In the days after each treatment, you’ll likely fall prey to the “bullfrog effect.”

“I always tell patients you're going to have swelling,” says Shafer of the one to three days during which your chin will look... like a bullfrog’s. (And yes, that level of swelling is quite uncomfortable.) “Generally, the first time you do it, you have the most swelling because you have the most fat. Then the next time a little bit less, and the next time a little bit less,” he explains.

How much $$$ will I drop? Between $1,200 and $1,800 per session.

How long will it last? Permanently.

CoolSculpting: No-Needle Wonder

If you’re afraid of needles, CoolSculpting might be what you’re looking for. It’s an FDA-approved, minimally painful fat-freezing treatment where the chin is held between two paddles for anywhere from 35 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes. During that time, you can expect to have about 20%-25% of the fat cells in the area eliminated.

“This treatment is best for patients with good skin elasticity,” says medical aesthetician Ewa Pietri, who suggests a preliminary consultation to evaluate the skin. “That’s because CoolSculpting only removes the stubborn fat. It doesn’t tighten the skin, unfortunately.”

Much like Kybella, the benefits appear gradually over the course of the suggested two to three sessions. But unlike Kybella, you’ll have little to no downtime. “Patients spend just maybe an hour to two hours in my office, and they go off to work. Nobody knows what they did,” she says.

How much $$$ will I drop? Between $700 and $1,400 per session.

How long will it last? Permanently.

Platysmal Band Botox: For Lines

While Kybella and CoolSculpting focus on fat reduction, this newly FDA-approved Botox treatment targets the lines that weight loss can often leave behind. These are the pesky ones that form along the muscle right underneath the superficial skin of the neck.

“Sometimes, you do the Kybella or liposuction, then now all of a sudden the fat's thinner, and it's like when the tide goes down and you can see what's on the beach where the water was,” says Shafer. One major distinction? “You could also get horizontal lines from tech neck, but the Botox treats the vertical bands that are deeper in the skin and go up and down.”

How much $$$ will I drop? Between $250 and $900 per session.

How long will it last? 3 to 6 months.

Lymphatic Drainage: For A Lift

For those seeking a more holistic approach, lymphatic drainage might fit the bill. It’s a form of massage in which the practitioner manipulates areas of your body to move excess fluid buildup away from your tissues and toward your lymphatic system. In turn, this helps to reduce bloating and swelling.

“Anyone who’s feeling a little puffy, tense, or disconnected from their face but still wants to look like themselves is a great candidate,” says facial sculptor Joseph Carrillo. And the treatment is just as relaxing as it is depuffing. “[For the chin] I do deep sculpting work, especially buccal massage, where I go inside the mouth to release jaw tension and retrain the muscle. I also use a sculpting spoon to contour and glide the area. A lot of people have tension pulling everything downward, and once we release that, the lift happens naturally.”

While the experience might be more enjoyable, just remember — the results aren’t nearly as long-lasting. “If someone wants an overnight miracle, or a super sculpted result without any consistency, this might not be the right fit. The changes are real, but they come with time and touch,” Carillo says.

How much $$$ will I drop? The price varies greatly by practitioner, but Carrillo’s full sculpt starts at $350 for 60 minutes.

How long will it last? Up to 10 days.