This Article Has Been Medically Approved By
Dr. George H. Sanders
Is a sagging or poorly defined neck detracting from your otherwise youthful looking face? No matter how wrinkle-free and firm your facial skin, an aging neck contour affects how your face is perceived. Smoothing and tightening the neck can take years off of your appearance. Sure, you could hide the area under scarves and turtlenecks, but surgical treatment is more effective and longer-lasting.
There is no one-size-fits-all solution to an unsightly neck. Dr. George Sanders, a trusted Los Angeles plastic surgeon, evaluates every patient individually to determine the specific problem(s). He assesses the neck and jawline, noting qualities in the skin, tissue and muscles. In cosmetic medicine, “the neck” is considered to be the area between the jawline and the clavicle, encompassing the chin. Some patients have excess skin in this area, others have excess fat or muscle bands and others have all three! After discussing what the patient hopes to achieve, Dr. Sanders recommends the most appropriate treatment options.
Neck Lift
Most plastic surgeons agree that a neck lift is the most transformative and longest-lasting fix for an aging neck. A neck lift is part of a traditional facelift procedure, allowing one to simultaneously tighten the skin of the cheek and neck. It can also be performed as an isolated procedure.
A neck lift creates an elegant contour by accomplishing several objectives, resulting in a neck that looks longer, smoother and more graceful:
Minimizes noticeable muscle bands or “cords” of the neck.
Reduces excess fatty tissue of the neck and under the chin.
Removes excess skin.
Liposuction
A neck lift is not appropriate for everyone. Some people accumulate excess fat on the neck and underneath the chin, but have no sagging skin. In fact, their skin still has good elasticity. In these cases, liposuction alone may be a better treatment solution. Reducing excess fat of the neck with liposuction makes it look longer and leaner. The elastic skin contracts over the smaller neck contour for a beautiful result.
Chin Surgery
Sometimes the problem isn’t with the contour of the neck, but with the chin. Some chins will droop, giving rise to the so-called “witch’s chin.” This can be corrected by removing the hanging chin pad by means of a small incision beneath the chin.
In other cases, the chin lacks adequate projection, something that is improved by adding a chin implant through an incision beneath the chin or one inside the lower lip, leaving an invisible scar. Enhancing the chin not only creates the proper amount of chin projection, but can also make the nose appear smaller.
Before and After Photos
Botox
If loose bands of muscle become visible in the front of the neck, non-surgical treatment with Botox might help. Injecting Botox into the neck muscle minimizes the appearance of these muscle bands. Botox results are temporary and treatment must be repeated every few months to maintain the effects.
Non-Surgical Skin Tightening
When the problem is not excess skin, but rather “crepe paper-like” skin, a non-surgical skin-tightening procedure may help. Ulthera and Thermage are two such devices that can improve the crepiness to some degree.
Enjoy a Longer, Leaner and More Elegant Looking Neck
Rejuvenating your neck can take years off of your appearance and boost your self-esteem. For more information about any of the treatment options mentioned, please contact Dr. Sanders at his Los Angeles practice. Call us at (818) 981-3333 today.
