Deborah Tosline wrote and published “Skin Remodeling DIY: An Introduction to the Underground World of Do-It-Yourself Skincare” in 2015. Her approach to skin care is based on a scientific background, love of research and over 30 years of DIY skincare experience.

As I age, I notice things. One thing that I’ve noticed is that the skin on my lips, chin, jowls and neck is degrading faster than the skin on the upper portions of my face.

I notice skin conditions, life-styles, behaviors, and practices that may or may not impact skin. My observations are personal and anecdotal, they may be supported by the observations of others and possibly by scientific investigations. However, unless there is financial gain most skin care issues are not studied and a history of anecdotal evidence is our next best source to assess the effectiveness of various skin care practices.

When assessing lip, chin, jowl and neck degradation one must consider the skin and the underlying framework of muscles and bones. A variety of factors are involved with the decline of lower facial health over time including:

• Sun exposure

• Muscle atrophy

• Bone atrophy

• Poor nutrition

• Lack of exercise

• Poor skin care

• Tooth loss

• Drugs/alcohol

• Synthetic chemical exposure, including fragrances

• Other

This article focuses on the following degradation factors

• Sun Exposure

• Facial Muscle Atrophy

• Facial Bone Atrophy

Sun Exposure

There is a lack of information regarding lower facial skin degradation specifically. An Internet search yielded no articles. Notice your sun exposure throughout the day including while driving. Your eyes may be shaded and protected using hats and visors but your lips, chin, jowls and neck are most likely fully exposed:

• a hat rarely provides protection for the lower third of the face, neck and chest

• a windshield visor does not shade the lower third of the face, neck and chest when the sun is low

The lower portion of our face may receive almost constant sun exposure, even while using standard protective measures. I once read that a typical walk across a parking lot is enough to cause sun damage through the years.

Ultra Violet (UV) light is present in the following forms:

• UVA - can damage the epidermis and the deeper dermis, damaging collagen, elastin fibers, epidermal cells and capillaries.

• UVB – can damage the epidermis and DNA causing photoaging and development of precancerous cells (actinic keratoses).

• UVC – is absorbed by ozone and the atmosphere and is not considered a health risk.

In general, sun damage may be referred to as “photoaging, photodamage, solar damage, or sun damage”. UV light can cause DNA changes and cellular damage in the dermis in unprotected skin. This damage is not evident at the time of exposure but becomes visible during subsequent years.

Sun exposure can negatively impact the normal chronological aging processes. To see this, compare skin that has been exposed to UV light with skin that has not been exposed to UV light.

Sun damage symptoms include:

• Wrinkles

• Pigmentation changes

• Loss of elasticity

• rough skin texture

• broken capillaries

• redness

Facial Muscle Atrophy

There is a lack of information regarding facial muscle atrophy specifically. Body muscles are attached bone to bone. Facial muscles are attached to bone and to other muscles or skin. Facial muscles are smaller than body muscles but they also experience muscle atrophy, shrink and lose muscle mass and strength. When facial muscles atrophy, shrink and sag, the skin loses its underlying support and sags with the muscles resulting in skin folds.

 General causes of muscle atrophy include:

• sedentary lifestyle and lack of use

• neurogenic and medical conditions

• poor nutrition

• injuries

• bed rest

• chewing/talking promote imbalanced facial muscles

The body is efficient, when you stop using your muscles, there is no need for the body to repair and maintain unused muscles. Instead, muscle atrophy occurs, the muscles break down and muscle size and strength are reduced. Lack of muscle use results in disuse atrophy.

Facial Bone Atrophy

Facial bone atrophy is most often described in association with dental health. Limited research describes the relationship between facial bone atrophy, loss of facial structure and the impact on skin.

Bone is constantly remodeling by eliminating old bone through the resorption process and making new bone as needed via ossification. When resorption occurs at a greater rate than ossification, this results in bone atrophy.

The jawbone is a likely candidate for bone atrophy due to imbalances that occur as a result of tooth loss. Other factors that may impact facial bone loss include, a lack of physical forces or stimuli applied to facial bones that would promote growth and a lack of good nutrition to support bone regeneration.

The bulk and structure of the jawbone support facial muscles and skin. A reduction of the bony infrastructure can lead to facial collapse. As facial bones atrophy, “…your mouth seems to fall back into your face, your chin becomes more pointed, and your facial muscles weaken. This will cause premature wrinkling around your mouth and a thinning of your lips. All of these changes tend to make you appear older than your actual age.”

Lip, chin, jowls and neck DIY advanced skin, muscles and bone remodeling:

I am not a doctor, aesthetician, or a life coach. I am simply a person who has practiced DIY skin care throughout my adulthood. Initially, I focused on skin quality. In my twenties, I was compelled to apply plain yogurt to my face for an hour, then a mashed avocado for an hour, and then honey for an hour on a Saturday while doing house chores or studying. I’ve continued practicing DIY skin care using contemporary and ancient ingredients, ever evolving recipes and DIY skin care maintenance tools and practices.

Skin Care - Sun Protection and Skin remodeling

In my mid-20’s I began using what mainstream culture would consider exorbitant sun protection methods to protect my skin when I worked as a hydrogeologic field scientist in the southern Arizona sun. I wrote about my sun protection measures in this article in 2022 and another article published in 2017. Long ago, I made a conscious choice to protect all of my skin, despite the stares or judgment that I received from others.

Protecting the skin from sun exposure is one of the least expensive and effective skin care treatments available and over a lifetime every ten minutes counts. I carry an umbrella in the car and use it when traversing parking lots. Umbrellas – rain or shine.

In hindsight, I now realize that throughout my DIY skin care history, I only lightly treated the lower third of my facial skin because I primarily focused on treating my eye and forehead areas. After I noticed the rapid degradation of my lip and chin skin, I began to diligently treat these areas with DIY advanced skin care.

While sun damage may not be completely eliminated, DIY daily skin care routines and DIY advanced skin care practices can help to minimize the appearance of photodamage.

• Home lasers – there are a variety of home lasers on the market. They may not be as strong as a MedSpa or dermatologist treatment, however consistent use over time can be effective.

• Chemical peels – these may be extremely effective and DIY facial chemical peel supplies are available from reputable Internet sellers. There are a variety of chemical peels from mild to strong that are available and a good seller will provide detailed instructions. Consistent use over time can improve photodamaged skin.

• Skin care products – topical serums and creams, can be effective at improving sun damaged skin when used consistently over time including retinoid creams (like tretinoin), milder retinol products and niacinamide serums all of which have been shown to be effective at reducing pigmentation.

• Microneedling – when used consistently over time, micro-needling is an effective tool for reducing pigmentation for all skin types. I’ve completed between 56 and 84 DIY deep microneedling treatments (doing 4 to 6 treatments (mostly 6) a year from 2008 to 2022). At 63, my facial skin has very little pigmentation.

Facial muscle remodeling

After a couple of decades of focused skin care and the advent of the internet, I learned that facial muscle exercise provides a good foundation of support for the skin. Practicing facial exercises plumps facial muscles which lifts the skin.

In about 2002, after researching various programs, I chose to diligently practice Flex Effect (FE) resistance training facial exercise. I am not affiliated but have practiced FE consistently for two decades. Resistance training applies a force to the muscle during exercise which stimulates the muscle to increase muscle mass. The logic makes good sense to me. I’ve practiced as much as 6 days a week and as little as once a month. Last year, after a negligent period, I began to practice FE about 3 to 5 times a week and I noticed a direct improvement in my facial muscle tone.

All the creams in the world will not lift skin if facial muscles sag. Begin a facial exercise practice and stick with it to strengthen and build muscle mass over time. Muscle disuse atrophy may be corrected with regular exercise and good nutrition. Experiment, try exercising the muscles of the lips, chin and neck and see what happens. At a minimum, you will increase skin circulation which will feel and look good.

While disuse or physiologic atrophy may be reversed with exercise and a healthy diet, the nerve damage associated with neurogenic atrophy typically cannot be reversed.

Facial bone remodeling

When facial bones atrophy, no amount of muscle bulk and good skin will make up for degradation due to the bone loss. To fully maintain the integrity of the lips, chin, jowls and neck it is necessary to integrate a facial bone stimulation program into a holistic facial skin/structure care routine to maintain a lifted and strong facial profile for good skin tone.

When jawbones experience the pressure of chewing, they are strengthened through a method called osseointegration. To maintain proper jaw bone health it is important to keep each tooth or to replace a lost tooth with a dental implant to prevent jaw bone loss.  The force of the teeth signals the body to produce osteoblasts which helps keep jawbones strong. Do everything in your power to keep your teeth. When teeth are missing the jawbone no longer receives the same stimulation from biting and chewing and bone ossification slows to a mimimum.

In their most recent publication, FE developed a bone stimulation program in addition to their facial resistance training program. While the FE facial muscle resistance training exerts a force that can stimulate facial bone growth, FE’s targeted bone stimulation exercises apply additional stress to the bones to promote ossification to increase bone mass.

A lesser-known DIY bone remodeling method is said to encourage ossification and build stronger bone and is referred to as bone smashing. I prefer to call it bone tapping. Bone tapping consists of using the fists or something stronger to tap on bones to cause bone stress and stimulate ossification.

Final notes

The DIY facial maintenance methods described for the lip, chin, jowl, and neck are dependent on a foundation of good health. Skin care, facial muscle exercise and facial bone strengthening methods require that the body be healthy enough to respond to a treatment and produce results.  Skin care and facial muscle and bone building practices rely on the body’s biologic processes which need access to vitamins, minerals, proteins and other nutrients to support collagen, muscle and bone growth. For the best results pursue a lifestyle that includes: a consistent comprehensive exercise program, nutrient rich diet, stress control, synthetic chemical avoidance and good rest.

If you need more information about DIY skin care, go to the library, search the Internet, read my past Blog articles, or it would be an honor to me if you purchased my book. Thank you!

Take good care of yourselves!

XO Deborah

This article is intended to be used as general information only and is in no way intended to replace medical advice, be used as a medical treatment program, diagnosis, or cure of any disease or medical condition. There are no warranties, expressed or implied, regarding the effectiveness of the practices described in this article. Products or substances discussed herein are for educational purposes only and are not intended as recommendations of the author.