As we age, the skin of our face and body begins to droop and look looser. The skin on our neck is no exception. When the skin on our necks begins to loosen, it makes the jowls look bigger and the muscles in the center of the neck (bands) can become visible. In addition to age, the contours of our necks may also change due to factors like heredity and stress.
When the signs of aging are evident in our necks, we have some options to make the neck look a little younger. Of course we can’t stop the aging process, but we can make the skin look smoother, and that can make you look younger. There are both non-surgical and surgical options available as neck lift options.
Non-Surgical Options
While they are technically not neck lifts, there have been non-surgical options developed that have some benefits that are not as good as, but somewhat similar to neck lifts.
Botox
While you may just be familiar with its use on the face, some surgeons use Botox to smooth the wrinkles of the neck. The injections usually are a quick and relatively painless procedure. Patients don’t experience any downtime after the procedure. This can make the bands less obvious.
Kybella
Kybella is another procedure that uses an injection to reduce the amount of fat in the center of the neck, right under the chin. The chemical in Kybella is deoxycholic acid. The treatment works by attacking fat cells. It doesn’t take long, but results may not be visible for 4-6 weeks after treatment. Kybella can cause some prolonged swelling of the neck.
Surgical Options
The more traditional way of performing a neck lift is via a surgical procedure. There are two basic kinds of surgical neck lifts. Achieved via an incision placed behind the ears (lateral approach), a small, short incision under the chin (midline approach), or a combination of the two, a neck lift essentially sets the podium for the face. While not offering as much change or strength of effect as a facelift, a neck lift can remove bands, reduce jowls, and tighten up the neck profile and restore a youthful appearance. A neck lift can be performed alone, or in combination with a facelift. When performed together, it offers the strongest, and most profound rejuvenation of the face.
Final Thoughts
We now have more options than ever to address the aging neck. While these procedures won’t stop the aging process, they can help to reduce the obvious signs of aging. There are both surgical and non-surgical options available. Consult your surgeon to determine which procedure will be most beneficial for you.
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