Why does my face drag down?

Author: Mylene Hermiston  |  Last update: Tuesday, October 7, 2025

Facial droop happens when your facial muscles are not working properly. This can be caused by different conditions, such as Bell's palsy, or stroke. If you experience facial droop, you should see your doctor as soon as possible.

Why does my face look dragged down?

Sagging face is a cosmetic “condition” that occurs naturally in many people as they age. The skin loses its youthful appearance as it loses elasticity and volume over time, which causes it to droop, resulting in jowls and eye bags.

Why is my face pulling down?

Bell's palsy is a condition that causes sudden weakness in the muscles on one side of the face. Often the weakness is short-term and improves over weeks. The weakness makes half of the face appear to droop. Smiles are one-sided, and the eye on the affected side is hard to close.

How do you fix a dropping face?

Try the following steps:
  1. Eat a healthful diet full of antioxidants and healthy fats.
  2. Drink plenty of water to hydrate your skin and flush out toxins.
  3. Apply a quality firming cream that contains retinoids, Vitamin E, and Vitamin C.
  4. Exercise.
  5. Get enough sleep.
  6. Reduce stress.
  7. Stop smoking.
  8. Reduce alcohol intake.

How do you fix a dropped face?

Restoring Your Smile
  1. Nerve Repair or Grafts. During a nerve repair, we reconnect injured nerves to restore movement in your face. ...
  2. Nerve Transfer. ...
  3. Muscle Graft (Gracilis) ...
  4. Temporalis Tendon Transfer. ...
  5. Injections: Botox & Filler. ...
  6. Physical Therapy. ...
  7. Selective Neurectomy. ...
  8. Static Procedures.

Facial Fat Volume Loss and how to restore it NATURALLY | Promising new Study on Skin Aging & Rooibos

What causes your face to collapse?

Facial collapse is the shriveling of the face that occurs as a result of bone resorption, the gradual process of deterioration that your jawbone undergoes in the absence of teeth. Bone resorption is an example of the “use it or lose it” principle at work.

How do you reverse a sunken face?

Dermal fillers such as hyaluronic acid can be injected into targeted areas to restore volume and plump up sunken cheeks and hollowed eyes. Additionally, using specialized skincare products that promote collagen production can also help improve the overall appearance of these areas.

Why is my face caving in?

What are the causes of sunken cheeks? Sunken cheeks are most commonly associated with ageing. Over time, you start to lose fat volume within the face. You develop sunken cheeks when there is limited tissue between the mandible and the zygoma.

Is facial droop permanent?

Paralysis of the face may be temporary or permanent. The facial plastic surgery team determines the best treatment based on how long the paralysis has been present, the cause and whether it is a complete paralysis, or an incomplete (or partial) paralysis.

Why does my face feel like its being dragged down?

What causes facial droop? Facial droop can be caused by conditions that: damage the nerves in your face. damage to the part of your brain that sends nerve signals to your facial muscles.

Can stress cause facial drooping?

Facial Paralysis

It occurs when the facial nerve is damaged due to severe stress. This damage can cause facial muscles to become weak and unable to move properly. Common symptoms of facial paralysis include drooping eyelids, difficulty smiling, and an inability to close one eye completely.

Why does my face look pulled down?

As you age, the muscles all over your body lose mass and weaken, even those in your face. Decreasing collagen in your connective tissues plus flabby muscles equals sagging facial features.

Why does my face keep dropping?

Facial drooping can be caused by a disorder such as Bell's palsy. This disorder is a mononeuropathy (involvement of a single nerve) that damages the seventh cranial (facial) nerve. The facial nerve controls movement of the muscles of the face.

At what age does your face change most?

In your 40s, your ageing skin can become drier, making lines and wrinkles more pronounced. You continue to lose subcutaneous fat, but not equally from all areas. Fat pads around the cheeks and above the mouth are generally the first to go, followed by fat from around the sides of the mouth, chin and jawline.

Can a sagging face be reversed?

As with other skin tightening options, a facelift or neck lift can reduce sagging skin and make you look temporarily younger, but it doesn't completely stop the ageing process and results don't last forever; generally somewhere between 5-12 years.

How do you fix facial drooping?

There are specific facial exercises for those with facial droop that can help deal with and overcome facial paralysis.
  1. Laugh! Yes, laugh. ...
  2. Mouth Stretches. You may feel silly doing this, but simply opening and closing your mouth repeatedly will work the muscles of your face. ...
  3. Eyebrow Stretches. ...
  4. Lip Movements.

What triggers Bell's palsy?

The cause of Bell palsy is unknown. But it's thought to be caused by inflammation affecting the body's immune system. It's linked to other conditions, such as diabetes. Symptoms of facial weakness or paralysis get worse over the first few days and start to improve in about 2 weeks.

How to fix a droopy face?

You're likely to get the best results if you:
  1. Are at a healthy weight and maintain your weight.
  2. Eat a healthy diet.
  3. Quit smoking.
  4. Drink little alcohol.
  5. Protect your skin from the sun and never tan indoors.
  6. Have a small amount of sagging skin.

Why does my face sag down?

Poor eating habits, unhealthy lifestyle choices, smoking, stress and environmental factors like unprotected sun exposure can all play a part in the premature sagging of your face. And we're not here for that. So let's look at some of the ways that you can keep your face from falling prematurely.

How to regain fat in face?

It is not possible to specifically target the face when gaining extra weight naturally. However, gaining weight overall can help people achieve a fuller facial appearance. Working out the facial muscles can make them stronger, which may make the face appear fuller.

What deficiency causes sunken face?

Niacin (vitamin B3) deficiency.

How to put fat back in your face?

Fat-transformed surgery may be chosen by those who want to put on weight around their faces. In this operation, surgeons inject fat into the face after removing it from another part of the body. Using dermal fillers is an additional choice.

Is sunken face attractive?

Some people even consider sunken cheeks attractive. Therefore, they aim to have high cheekbones and narrow chins, popularly seen in models and celebrities. Here are some ways you can get sunken cheeks: Diet and exercise: losing body weight can slim your face and change its appearance.

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