Sudden cheek sagging often stems from age-related collagen/elastin loss, rapid weight loss, dehydration, sun damage, smoking, genetics, or even stress, leading to less support and volume in facial fat pads and muscles, causing skin to droop; however, a sudden facial droop on one side could signal a stroke, requiring immediate medical attention. While aging is gradual, lifestyle and environmental factors speed up this process, making changes seem sudden.
Several lifestyle factors can contribute to a decrease of cheek collagen and elastin such as smoking, excessive sun exposure and poor diet. There are several cosmetic treatments that can target saggy cheeks and restore a youthful contour.
Other causes of hollow cheeks include weight loss (including weight loss medication), dehydration, malnutrition, smoking, a lack of sleep, and harsh weather conditions. You may also find you have sunken cheeks after weight loss. Sunken cheeks are not exclusive to one particular sex as both men and women can have them.
Hollow or sunken cheeks occur as a side effect of the natural aging process. As you age, your body produces less collagen, which is an essential protein that supports the skin's structure. With collagen loss, skin begins to wrinkle, dull, and sag.
If you're dealing with sagging skin on face or body, a vitamin deficiency might be to blame. Vitamin C is one of them. When you lack vitamin C, collagen production plummets, causing thinning, loose skin. Vitamin E is another one.
Cutaneous manifestations associated with vitamin B12 deficiency are skin hyperpigmentation, vitiligo, angular stomatitis, and hair changes. A diagnosis of vitamin B12 deficiency is often overlooked in its early stages because these signs are not specific to vitamin B12 deficiency alone.
A deficiency in Vitamin C can accelerate skin ageing, resulting in premature skin sagging and wrinkling. This is because Vitamin C enhances the production of the protein collagen, which is vital to providing the firmness and vibrancy that counteracts skin sagging.
Natural Ways to Rebuild Collagen in the Face
To try and reduce the chances of developing crepey skin, people can include the following in a balanced diet: water. proteins. vitamins A, C, D, and E.
Wrinkles are a natural part of aging. These lines and creases in the skin are most likely to form on skin that's often exposed to the sun, such as the face, neck, hands and forearms. Pollutants and smoking also speed the aging process. Using sunscreen every day and quitting smoking help prevent some wrinkling.
Common symptoms of this include weight gain, decreased muscle mass, developing a round face that is sometimes called a “moon face,” and developing a hump that appears on the back of the neck, also called a “buffalo hump.”
Dermal fillers, including hyaluronic acid-based products, are an excellent solution for restoring volume in areas such as the cheeks, chin, and under the eyes. These fillers work by adding volume to sunken areas, smoothing out wrinkles, and stimulating collagen production for a more youthful appearance.
Fine Lines and Wrinkles
Increased stress levels can change the proteins in your skin, reducing its elasticity and making it more prone to wrinkles. Repeated signs of strong emotion, such as a regularly furrowed brow, can make themselves a permanent feature on your face.
Often, the cumulative effects of sun damage appear more obvious later in life, creating a sudden change in skin tone and texture. Lifestyle and stress: Poor sleep, smoking, alcohol, and stress can impair the skin's ability to repair itself. This may lead to dullness, dehydration, and faster development of wrinkles.
Causes of Sunken Cheeks
Illness: several illnesses, including anorexia and tuberculosis, can result in facial fat loss. In addition, vascular EDS and lipoatrophy also cause sunken cheeks. Environment: harsh weather conditions can affect your skin elasticity.
At around age 35 we start to notice specific facial fat pads disappearing in a particular order, causing distinct signs of aging; loss of jaw line, saggy face, tired look, nose to mouth lines and under-eye shadows. Certain conditions accelerate this process such as disease, smoking, UV exposure and other free-radicals.
Eating fiber rich vegetables first, followed by protein, and then finished with a carbohydrate is said to be the ideal way to eat to slow aging. Basically, by following this method, your blood sugar will not suddenly spike.
Enhances Collagen Production:
Collagen, a structural protein, is responsible for skin elasticity and firmness. Vitamin B12 supports collagen synthesis, helping to maintain skin's suppleness and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Five signs collagen is working include firmer, more hydrated skin with fewer fine lines, stronger and faster-growing nails, healthier and thicker-looking hair, less joint stiffness, and better gut health/recovery, with initial improvements often seen in skin and nails within weeks, while deeper benefits like joint support take longer.
In addition to the collagen decline with the natural ageing process, other factors such as sun exposure, poor nutrition, and poor lifestyle choices such as smoking can contribute to the loss of collagen in the face. The most common signs of collagen deficiency in the face include: Wrinkles and fine lines.
Does massaging your face increase collagen? Yes, it does. Facial massage supports collagen production by stimulating blood flow and promoting cell renewal, helping you maintain skin elasticity and firmness and leading to a more youthful complexion.
Several natural home remedies that can help firm up loose skin are as follows:
Foods to boost collagen production
Several high-protein foods are believed to nurture collagen production because they contain the amino acids that make collagen—glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline. [6] These include fish, poultry, meat, eggs, dairy, legumes, and soy.
Vitamin C is a vital nutrient for collagen synthesis, the protein responsible for keeping skin firm and youthful. As an antioxidant, it also helps protect the skin from environmental damage caused by free radicals and UV exposure.