It seemed like the day I turned 40, my jawline started to disappear. What was once crisp and well-defined had instantly morphed into saggy skin, pre-jowls, and an ill-defined lower face.

I tried filler, which worked and helped tack my less-than-taut jawline back into place, but they’re expensive to do in this area and don’t last that long. Also, I can’t bring myself to do threads—I’ve seen too many bad results despite the good ones—so that was off the list. And short of a mini facelift, which I’m not quite ready for yet, the only option left was radiofrequency (RF) microneedling.

If I was going to invest the time, money, energy, and downtime into redefining my jawline, I wanted the best of the best and was willing to pull out the big guns. So I researched nearly every non-invasive and minimally-invasive option and eventually decided on Profound RF. This FDA-cleared treatment stimulates collagen and elastin deep below the skin to restore skin elasticity. Many of the top dermatologists and plastic surgeons I interview frequently use it in their practices and with resounding results.

Once I decided to have the treatment down at Allure Aesthetics in Boca Raton, I had to mentally prepare myself for what was about to come—some serious bruising, swelling, and pain (more on that in a minute).

I scheduled the appointment for early June, about ten days before I had to drop my daughter off at sleepaway camp for the summer. The treatment was not comped, and I was paying for it in full myself (full disclosure: a lot of the aesthetic and beauty treatments I write about are gifted, comped, or discounted), so I knew I wanted to make sure this one went off without a hitch.

I’ll admit I was scared about how much the treatment would hurt more than anything else. But luckily, my provider, Heather Schwartzman, numbed me so well that I didn’t feel a thing. First, she applied a layer of topical numbing cream followed by injected lidocaine and finally some Pronox (an inhalation-based anesthetic). Once she started the treatment, I couldn’t feel the heat, any pinching, or the microneedles piercing my skin. I heard some beeps and zaps that sounded way worse than they felt. After about an hour, she treated my jawline, neck, and cheek area, and I was on my way home with lots of ice packs and instructions to avoid using any exfoliating acids, harsh skincare products, and sun exposure for the next two weeks.

Day one was nothing save for some tenderness. But as the anesthetics began to wear off, I felt some mild swelling and bruising—nothing to the point of being uncomfortable or painful. But trust me, it all looked way worse than it felt.

Over the coming days, my jawline and neck were extremely bruised and swollen. But it all started to lighten up day by day. Still, no pain persisted, although I hid inside for a good week because I couldn’t cover it up with makeup that well—and I wanted to keep my skin as clean as possible. Plus, I was experiencing pustules and bumps (common of deep RF microneedling treatments), so I didn’t want to instigate them and worsen them. So I only used a lightweight moisturizer on my skin for weeks..

As the bruising started to subside and the swelling went down, I began seeing a little bit more of my jawline returning to life. But I knew it would take upwards of three months before I would start to see the results settle in.

By the end of September/early October, I started noticing the effects of Profound RF taking hold. My husband could see it too, but most other people didn’t notice all that much. However, when I showed them a before-and-after, they could detect the improved definition and contour without looking like I had pumped a ton of filler into my jawline.

It’s been five months since I had the treatment, and I could not be happier. There’s no sign of laxity on my lower face, and it doesn't look pulled, too tight, too sharp, or unnatural. Instead, my jawline finally looks the way it used to—totally natural and with no extra skin hanging down. And if I had to do it all over again, I would.