Understanding the Causes of Facial Sagging and Improvement Treatments

Every time you look in the mirror, you notice your jawline blurring and your cheeks seeming to sag—a concern many people experience from their mid-30s onward. Facial sagging is not simply a temporary phenomenon caused by weight gain or fatigue, but rather one of the natural aging processes that occurs as the structure beneath the skin gradually changes.

In this article, we will carefully go over why facial sagging occurs, what treatments can be tried to improve it, and what kind of recovery process the skin goes through after the procedure.

Why Does Facial Sagging Occur?

Skin is composed of the epidermis, dermis, subcutaneous fat layer, and the fascia (SMAS) layer. Among these, the density of collagen and elastin in the dermis and the supportive strength of the fascia layer are most closely related to sagging. As we age, collagen synthesis declines and the fiber structure loosens, reducing the elasticity that once kept the skin taut.

Combined with changes in the volume of the subcutaneous fat layer and subtle bone resorption, sagging around the cheeks and jawline becomes noticeable. UV exposure, drastic weight changes, smoking, and chronic skin dryness are also cited as factors that accelerate the loss of elasticity.

In other words, facial sagging is not caused by a single factor but results from multiple changes layered within the deeper skin layers, so an approach for improvement requires methods that act on the skin's structure rather than surface-level care.

Procedures Considered for Improving Sagging

Currently, well-known procedures for improving facial sagging can be broadly divided into two categories. One is lifting procedures that use thermal energy such as radiofrequency or ultrasound to stimulate the deeper layers of the skin, including Ultherapy, Thermage, Shurink, Oneda, Titanium, and InMode. These procedures work on the principle of delivering thermal energy to the dermis or fascia layer to induce a collagen remodeling response.

The other is skin booster procedures such as Rejuran, Juvelook, Rivive, and Laetigen Collagen Booster, which supply moisture and nutrients into the skin to manage both skin texture and elasticity together. Since both approaches differ in the treatment area, depth, and method of energy delivery, it is important to make a decision after thorough consultation with a specialist based on one's own skin condition and degree of sagging.

However, regardless of which procedure is chosen, it is commonly emphasized that the recovery care that follows immediately after the procedure is an important variable determining how long the results last.

How Does the Skin Change Over the Days Following the Procedure?

After receiving a thermal energy-based lifting procedure, redness, warmth, and slight tightness are often felt from right after the procedure through 1 to 3 days later. During this period, the skin's barrier function becomes temporarily sensitive in response to the stimulation, and stinging may be felt even from washing the face or light friction.

From day 4 onward, redness and warmth tend to gradually subside, while tightness and dryness within the skin tend to become more noticeable instead. During this period, care focused on deep hydration and texture refinement, rather than soothing, can be more helpful.

With skin booster procedures as well, redness and minor irritation may appear right after the procedure, followed by a similar flow in which the skin stabilizes over the following days and then enters a period requiring deep hydration. However, the pace of this progression may vary depending on individual skin condition and the intensity of the procedure.

Try Approaching Home Care by Stage Like This

The first 1 to 3 days after the procedure are when the skin barrier is most sensitive. During this period, it is best to focus on calming redness and warmth with low-irritation formulations, and to avoid rubbing the face while cleansing or exfoliating. It is recommended to protect the skin by applying a thin layer of cream containing ingredients similar to the skin's own lipids, such as ceramides and panthenol.

After entering the recovery period from day 4 onward, redness tends to subside, but inner tightness and dryness often remain. At this stage, it's a natural flow to transition to care focused on deep hydration while also managing skin texture and elasticity condition with ingredients like niacinamide and adenosine.

What's important in both periods is identifying 'what stage your skin is currently in' and choosing a formulation suited to that stage. Rather than always applying a rich cream, care matched to the stage can positively affect both recovery speed and overall skin condition.

Step-by-step home care, the 2-STEP composition of Abijou Cream

Designed to match these phase-specific skin changes is Abijou Cream's 2-STEP recovery solution. For days 1 to 3 immediately after a procedure, the Ultra Cera-Rich Cream is formulated with ingredients similar to skin lipids, such as 5 types of ceramides, panthenol, and allantoin, to help soothe redness and support barrier care.

During the recovery period from day 4 onward, when inner tightness and dryness are felt, switching to the Hydro Re-Boosting Cream allows for managing deep hydration and skin texture condition together through a high concentration of panthenol and niacinamide. It's also worth noting that both products were determined to be non-irritating in human skin primary irritation tests.

It's an approach suited to the skin response patterns of each procedure to mainly use Ultra Cera-Rich after lifting/thermal energy procedures (Ultherapy, Thermage, Shurink, Onda, Titanium, InMode), and Hydro Re-Boosting after skin boosters (Rejuran, Juvelook, Revive, Laetigen Collagen Booster).

Post-procedure recovery is determined by home care

Whether it's lifting or skin boosters, consistent home care matched to the skin's post-procedure stage is needed to support lasting results. Abijou Cream offers a 2-STEP solution consisting of the Ultra Cera-Rich Cream for soothing and barrier care right after a procedure, and the Hydro Re-Boosting Cream for deep hydration and condition care during the recovery period. Each is 50ml and priced at 59,000 won, and more details can be found on the official site abijoushop.com.