You can apply your moisturizer with upward strokes, use retinol religiously, and slather on sunscreen daily, but nobody can completely stop aging in the neck! For many of us, it’s written in our genes whether we’ll have skin sagging, a little extra fat under the chin, or neck bands that give away our age sooner than we’d like.
While neck lift surgery is the gold standard for reversing neck aging, the required downtime isn’t always realistic (or necessary!) for women who are juggling a life full of carpools and work crises, birthday parties and board meetings. Still, you have a number of effective options, from lasers to no-downtime injectables—here are our favorites, and what you can expect from each one.
1. Laser skin resurfacing
Smooths dark spots and retextures crepe-like neck skin & fine lines
Does your neck skin have a thin, crepey texture? UV rays from the sun accelerate our skin’s breakdown of collagen and elastin, which leads to the skin losing its plumpness and elasticity. Laser skin resurfacing with a fractionated CO2 laser smoothes fine lines and crepe-like skin texture by stimulating collagen and elastin production. If you are genetically prone to aging in the neck, you may want to consider undergoing laser treatment about 2-3 times a year for “prejuvenation,” to prevent early skin aging.
2. Neuromodulator, like BOTOX® and Dysport®
Softens vertical platysmal bands on the neck
Those tight, bulging vertical bands along your neck? They’re caused by muscles, which we can relax with a neuromodulator, like BOTOX or Dysport. With zero downtime, these injectables temporarily stop some nerve signals to the muscle, making the vertical lines fade beautifully. Just be prepared for touch-ups: treatment will need to be repeated about every 4-6 months.
3. Renuvion®
“Lift” and smooth skin with minimal downtime
Renuvion® uses radiofrequency (RF) energy to stimulate collagen remodeling and firm the skin from within. We can perform Renuvion in our office under local anesthesia, yet the results rival those of surgery: through a very small incision, the Renuvion wand is inserted beneath the skin to stimulate contraction at a deeper level than topical treatments. After your procedure, you’ll be back to work in about 3-5 days. Results develop gradually: you will likely see some improvement at 6 weeks, and your results can improve for up to 6 months.
4. Neck liposuction
Create a sculpted jawline and enhance your natural features
Liposuction below the chin and neck achieves excellent results if you are younger (in your 30s or 40s), have only a little fat standing in your way of a contoured neck and jawline, and are prepared for some time off your social life (about 1-2 weeks) while swelling and bruising clear up. Liposuction alone will not tighten skin, so you need to have good skin elasticity to be a good candidate for the procedure. In certain cases, we can combine Renuvion with neck liposuction for enhanced results and smoother skin.
5. Chin enhancement with dermal filler
Reverse a weak chin for balanced features and an enhanced neckline
Chin enhancement with dermal filler, such as Juvéderm® or Restylane®, can correct a weak or recessed chin—an important element in helping your features appear balanced and proportional. This is especially helpful when we pair it with liposuction for double chin reduction or a neck lift.
6. Neck lift
Lift and smooth below the surface for elegant results that last
Performed alone or as part of a facelift (which is common), a neck lift addresses both the foundation of your neck and the skin itself. Through incisions that are hidden around the ears, the neck lift involves repositioning weakened muscle and connective tissues, re-draping the skin, and removing any excess skin and fat. With a neck lift, most patients take about 2-3 weeks of social downtime as bruising and swelling gradually fade. If you work from home (or don’t mind others knowing you had a procedure), you will likely feel well enough to get back to work after 1 week.
Tip: Whatever procedures you choose, extend your results with medical-grade skincare
The term “neck skincare” doesn’t exactly sound glamorous, but if you want to maintain your results, take the high-quality products that you apply to your face and extend them down your neck! (At Restore SD Plastic Surgery, we are partial to the AlumierMD medical grade skincare line, which uses high concentrations of active ingredients for superior results.) As with your face, it’s also a must to wear sunscreen on your neck daily to stop preventable skin aging.
Schedule your neck rejuvenation consultation with Dr. Katerina Gallus
If you are looking for the procedure that fits your lifestyle and timeline, board certified plastic surgeon La Jolla plastic surgeon Dr. Katerina Gallus is here to help. With every patient, Dr. Gallus listens to your goals first and foremost, then guides you through all of your options for achieving them. To schedule your consultation with Dr. Gallus today, call 858-224-2281 or contact our practice online.
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