Red Light Therapy for Jowls: Anatomy, Evidence and a Jawline Routine
Red light therapy for jowls works on the skin that drapes over the jaw, not on the jowl itself. Trials show red and near-infrared light can make facial skin firmer and more elastic, while the jowl's shape comes from fat, ligaments and bone that light does not move. Below: jowl anatomy, jowls vs double chin, how red light compares with other treatments, and a panel routine for the jaw.
Key takeaways
- Jowls form in the fat layer over the back of the mandibular ligament, where connective tissue lengthens with age. Aesthetic Plast Surg, 2022
- In a sham-controlled trial of 76 people, red and near-infrared light raised skin elasticity by up to 19% with twice-weekly sessions for 4 weeks. J Photochem Photobiol B, 2007
- Red light works on collagen and elasticity in the skin, and it does not move fat, ligaments or bone.
- For fat under the chin, an injectable gave an improvement of at least one grade in 68.2% of people, against 20.5% on placebo. ASPS meeting abstract, 2014
- The Kivorla face mask ends at the jaw, so the jaw edge, the underside of the chin and the neck need a panel.
What causes jowls, layer by layer?
Jowls come from four layers changing at the same time: the skin, the fat beneath it, the ligament and muscle under that, and the jawbone. Red light research has measured change in the top layer, the skin.
A study of 49 cadaver heads found that the jowl forms in the fat layer over the back of the mandibular ligament. Its connective tissue is "short and elastic" in youth and lengthens with age, "resulting in laxity". Aesthetic Plast Surg, 2022 The ligament sits deep, below the platysma, the thin muscle sheet of the neck.
In 30 half-face dissections, jowl fat was the lowest fat compartment of the face. Each compartment ages on its own, giving "abrupt contour changes" between them. Plast Reconstr Surg, 2007
The bone changes too. With age the jaw loses height and length, and the area just in front of the jowl "develops into an area of relative concavity". Aesthetic Plast Surg, 2012 The American Society of Plastic Surgeons also names gravity, thinning skin, sun, smoking and heredity. ASPS
| Layer | What changes with age | Where red light fits |
|---|---|---|
| Skin | Thins and relaxes | Collagen, elasticity and density can increase |
| Fat (jowl compartment) | Supporting tissue lengthens; the compartment changes separately from its neighbours | Light does not reduce or reposition fat |
| Mandibular ligament and platysma | The ligament sits deep, below the platysma | Not changed by light; this is the layer a deep-plane lift tightens |
| Jawbone | Loses height and length; the area in front of the jowl hollows | Light has no effect on bone |
Can red light therapy get rid of jowls?
No. It can make the skin over the area firmer and more elastic, while the jowl itself sits in deeper layers that light does not move.
In a randomised, double-blind, split-face trial of 76 people, 633 nm, 830 nm or both, twice a week for 4 weeks, reduced wrinkles by up to 36% and raised elasticity by up to 19%. Biopsies showed a "marked increase" in collagen and elastic fibres. J Photochem Photobiol B, 2007
In a controlled trial of 128 people, collagen density on ultrasound rose after 30 sessions of red light. Photomed Laser Surg, 2014 In another study of 36 people, most reported firmer skin, and biopsies showed "thicker collagen fibers". J Drugs Dermatol, 2006
France's public health information service calls the effect of red and near-infrared masks on collagen moderate, building over weeks to months. Santé.fr Red light works on the quality of the skin that drapes over the jaw, and the jowl's shape comes from layers it does not move. Our guide to red light therapy for loose skin sets out the firmness trials in full.
Is it jowls or a double chin, and does red light help either?
Jowls sit along the jawline either side of the chin, while a double chin is fullness under the chin from fat, loose skin or both. Red light is not a fat-reduction treatment, so for either one it works on skin quality.
| Jowls | Double chin | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | Lower cheek tissue that has slipped over the jawline beside the chin | Under the chin |
| Main causes | Lengthened connective tissue, shifting fat compartments, bone loss | Fat, loose neck skin, or both |
| Tested treatments | Facelift, microfocused ultrasound | Injectable deoxycholic acid for fat; microfocused ultrasound |
| Where red light fits | Firmer, more elastic skin over the area | Skin texture under the chin; a panel is needed to reach it |
The ASPS notes that loose neck skin and excess fat "can look like a double chin". ASPS For fat, the tested treatment is an injection of deoxycholic acid. In a pooled analysis of two trials, 1,019 people had up to 6 sessions about 28 days apart. An improvement of at least one grade was seen in 68.2%, against 20.5% on placebo. On MRI, 43.3% met the fat-volume response target, against 5.3%. ASPS meeting abstract, 2014 It is a prescription treatment, and injection-site pain affects more than 80% of patients. Ann Pharmacother, 2016
Red light therapy for double chin concerns works on the skin, not the fat. A dermatologist can tell you which you have.
Can red light therapy give you a more defined jawline?
Not in the sense of a sharper contour. Jawline definition depends on fat, the platysma and bone, and red light research measures skin quality along the jaw rather than its shape.
If a soft jawline is the main complaint, our comparison of microcurrent vs red light therapy explains why microcurrent is the one designed for it, and why its lift has to be kept up.
At what age do jowls usually start?
There is no fixed age. They are often noticed from the 40s, and earlier in people with a small chin or after weight loss.
A study of 518 French adults aged 18 to 69 found the lower half of the face was more affected in women over 40, and the upper half in men. World Congress of Dermatology poster, 2023 It was a poster funded by a cosmetics company. Jowls also start earlier in people with a small chin. Aesthetic Plast Surg, 2012
Do jowls get worse after weight loss or GLP-1 medicines?
They can, because losing facial fat after 40 tends to make the lower face look older. Red light cannot replace lost volume, though it can be part of skin care while your weight settles.
In a study of 186 pairs of identical twins, the heavier twin looked older under 40 and younger over 40. ASPS twin study release
A 2026 review of 44 studies on facial change with GLP-1 medicines describes "increased jowling" and volume loss in the lower face. It discusses fillers, collagen-stimulating injectables, radiofrequency and ultrasound. J Cosmet Regen Med, 2026 Ask your doctor about the pace of weight loss.
How does red light compare with microcurrent, radiofrequency, ultrasound and a facelift for jowls?
They work on different layers. Red light works on the skin over weeks, heat-based devices act on deeper tissue in one to a few sessions, and a facelift repositions the muscle layer and the jowl itself.
| Treatment | What it targets | Sessions and results | Recovery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red and near-infrared light | Collagen, elasticity and density in the skin | 2 to 7 sessions a week for 4 to 16 weeks in trials | No adverse effects in the 76-person trial |
| Microcurrent | Facial muscle, for a same-day contour look | Needs upkeep; studies are small and short | Redness and swelling across home devices |
| External radiofrequency | Heats deeper tissue | Usually 1 treatment; best at about 6 months; can last 2 to 3 years | Not stated by the AAD |
| Microneedle radiofrequency | Heats deeper tissue through fine needles | Results in about 1 month | A few days |
| Microfocused ultrasound | Heats deeper tissue | 1 treatment; "modest lifting and tightening" in 2 to 6 months | Pain relief was offered beforehand in one trial |
| Laser resurfacing | Sagging skin | The AAD calls it the "most effective" for tightening | 5 to 7 days |
| Facelift | Platysma, deeper layer and the jowl | Jowl gains held at an average of 5.5 years in one series | Surgery |
Sources: AAD; Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol, 2024; J Drugs Dermatol, 2024; ASPS blog; J Photochem Photobiol B, 2007.
The ultrasound trial measured the jawline in 51 women with moderate to severe sagging. After one session, jawline laxity improved by more than one point. At 6 months, the area under the chin fell from 185.08 to 129.11 mm² with the standard protocol. J Drugs Dermatol, 2024
Surgery goes furthest. In a surgeon's review of 50 deep-plane facelift patients, gains in the jowl held after an average of 5.5 years, while the neck drifted back more. ASPS blog Red light can sit alongside these for skin quality, with your clinic's approval; see red light after microneedling, Botox and fillers for timing.
Facial exercises are a low-cost add-on. In a small uncontrolled study, 16 women did 30 minutes a day for 8 weeks, then every other day to week 20, and estimated age fell from 50.8 to 48.1 years. Northwestern University, 2018
What schedules did the trials use, and how long do changes take?
Face and neck trials used 2 to 7 sessions a week for 4 to 16 weeks. Plan to judge results after about 8 weeks.
| Trial | People | Wavelength | Dose or minutes | Sessions per week | Weeks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Face, 2007 | 76 | 633 nm, 830 nm or both | Not given in the record | 2 | 4 |
| Face, 2006 | 36 | 633 + 830 nm | Not given in the summary | About 2 (9 sessions) | 5 |
| Face, 2014 | 128 completed | 611 to 650 nm, or broadband | About 8.5 to 9.6 J/cm² | 2 | 30 sessions |
| Neck, 2021 | 30 women | 630 + 850 nm at 25 mW/cm² | 9 minutes | 7 | 16 |
| Neck, 2025 | 70 | Home LED neck device | 9 minutes | 5 | 12 (60 sessions) |
Sources: J Photochem Photobiol B, 2007; J Drugs Dermatol, 2006; Photomed Laser Surg, 2014; J Clin Med, 2021; J Cosmet Dermatol, 2025.
In the 2021 neck study, wrinkle gains held 8 weeks after stopping. On the neck, first changes tend to show at about 4 weeks and are clearer at 8 to 12, as our red light therapy for neck guide explains. Take photos at weeks 0, 4 and 8, and plan on upkeep.
Can a red light mask reach your jowls and under your chin?
Our mask covers the face from forehead to chin and ends at the jaw. The jaw edge, the underside of the chin and the neck sit outside it, so they need a panel.
More in red light therapy mask vs panel. A panel routine for the jaw:
- Skin: clean and dry, with no sunscreen or makeup.
- Position: centre the panel level with your lower face and neck, at about 12 inches.
- Eyes: goggles on and eyes closed, as covered in red light therapy goggles.
- Angle: tilt your chin slightly up so the light reaches the underside of the jaw, and turn to each side within the total time.
- Channels: the panel's 630 and 660 nm red and 830 and 850 nm near-infrared match the wavelengths in the face and neck trials.
- Time: 10 to 15 minutes per area; the neck trials used 9.
- Frequency: the neck trials ran 5 to 7 days a week. Leave at least 6 hours between 30-minute sessions.
The 2021 neck device delivered 25 mW/cm² for 9 minutes, about 13.5 J/cm² by our arithmetic. To move towards that range, step back to about 12 inches, start each channel low on the dimmer and set the timer for 9 to 10 minutes. Raise the brightness gradually if your skin is comfortable.
Is red light on the jaw and neck safe for the thyroid?
Neck studies in healthy, screened adults found no thyroid changes. Kivorla's precautions still say not to use our devices at all with a thyroid condition or on thyroid medication.
In the 2021 study, 30 women used a 630 and 850 nm neck device for 9 minutes a day for 16 weeks. Thyroid hormones did not change, and thyroid volume went from 8.60 to 8.44 mL, not a significant difference. J Clin Med, 2021 The sham-controlled home neck trial reported no thyroid complications. J Cosmet Dermatol, 2025
Also avoid both devices in pregnancy, with epilepsy, on photosensitising medication or on broken skin, and the panel on Fitzpatrick skin types V and VI.
How do Kivorla devices fit in?
The panel is the Kivorla device for the jaw edge, under the chin and the neck. The mask covers the face within its shell.
The 9-Spectrum Red Light Therapy Panel has nine wavelengths: 480, 590, 630, 660, 670, 810, 830, 850 and 1060 nm, each dimmable from 1 to 100%. At 6 inches it delivers at least 1,567 W/m², with near-infrared at least 1,200 W/m² and red at least 150 W/m². The timer runs from 1 to 30 minutes. Goggles, a controller, a pulley and a door hook are in the box.
The 4-Wavelength Red Light Therapy Mask works on the skin of the face, with one eye opening and no diodes over the eyes. The red mode combines 665 nm red with 850 nm and 1064 nm near-infrared at 50 to 103 mW/cm². Its 1064 nm is low-power photobiomodulation light; clinic 1064 nm lasers used for tightening heat the skin and are a different treatment. Use it for 10 minutes up to four times a week at high brightness, or 15 minutes up to three times a week, with a maximum of 20 minutes a day. Pair it with the panel for the jaw edge and neck, keeping each device within its own limits.
Standard shipping to the US, UK and Germany is free. Read the precautions before ordering. Under our return and refund policy, returns are accepted within 30 days: an unopened device with its seals intact is refunded less a 10% restocking fee, and an opened device that is undamaged and complete is refunded less 20%.
Kivorla devices are general wellness devices, not medical devices, and they do not reshape the jaw or reduce fat. Do not use them with a thyroid condition or on thyroid medication, and see a dermatologist or plastic surgeon about fat under the chin or advanced sagging.