Even if you consider yourself a beauty-savvy individual, you may find your concern too trivial or embarrassing to actually bring up with a plastic surgeon. This is especially true when it comes to a scowling or sagging mouth.

Maybe this refrain sounds familiar to you: “Are you OK? You look unhappy.” Even someone who’s lead the happiest life possible is susceptible to a downturned mouth, causing them to appear consistently annoyed or disappointed rather than joyful. It’s simply time — rather than any scowls you may have made — that’s to blame.

Aging of the face begins with loss of volume especially in the areas in the upper cheeks, temples, and around the mouth. This, combined with the progressive loosening of the skin, causes the lower face to sag and the corners of the mouth to downturn. More specifically, that skin laxity affects two specific ligaments in the face where your skin is fixed: around your cheekbone, and below the corner of your mouth on the jawbone. Loss of elasticity and volume causes a sagging, scowling double whammy (while also deepening any marionette lines).

There’s also a muscle that affects the corners of your mouth: the depressor anguli oris (DAO). The DAO is part of the muscle group that is responsible for smiling, frowning, puckering up, and all other movement. These particular muscles depress the corners of the mouth and the use of the DAO (which is completely unavoidable!) paired with natural aging will create that sagging, frowning look.

If you’ve observed a downturned mouth as a signature genetic trait as your family members age, but haven’t seen it in your own face yet, you have some preventative options. First, prioritize sun protection and moisturizing, and avoid smoking at all costs. Make sure to keep your weight stable. Avoid dramatic gains and losses to help prevent disruption to the volume in your face, and thus help maintain your skin’s elasticity.

If you are not ready for surgical options, non invasive treatments are available to counter the action of the muscles that bring down the corners of the mouth using Botox occasionally with the use of fillers if there are static wrinkles as well.

Letting your downturned mouth progress without treatment, however, means that facial jowls could be in your future. We’re not trying to frighten you, but if it’s a concern of yours, it’s important to know that (as is the case with many things in life!) being proactive is key.