WHAT IS NECK REJUVENATION?
The neck is an area that we sometimes take for granted relative to its impact on the appearance of aging. While the face is the canvas upon which we paint the expressions we use to interact with others, the neck has been referred to as the frame for the pictures that are painted. And both the neck and the face undergo similar effects of aging, namely: loss of fullness from the atrophy of fat pads, droopiness or sagging from the stretching of skin adhesion structures, and skin breakdown from the chronic effects of the sun and other cumulative damage. So, you might ask, don’t you do similar things for the neck as you would to the face to improve its youthful appearance? And the answer is: yes, some treatments are quite similar, though there are certain additional minimally-invasive options when it comes to the neck.
There are basically two possible scenarios that lead most patients to seek rejuvenation procedures of the neck: too much fatty tissue, which is otherwise known as lipoadiposity, and too much skin, causing wrinkles (or “rhytids”) and sagging (or “ptosis”).
The neck is prone to display excess skin that can coalesce into vertical bands, which we call platysmal bands. Too much skin also produces wrinkles, which may be present at rest (“static”) or with movement (“dynamic”). If the issues you face are related to too much skin, then the best solution is probably surgery with either a neck lift or – more commonly – a combination neck and facelift (or “rhytidectomy”). These are surgical procedures that would require an operation as an outpatient and recovery in your home. They are reserved for healthy patients with controlled blood pressure who can tolerate a significant operation.
For patients with too much fatty tissue, there are a few other options. Neck liposuction is able to remove the fat in the layer under the skin. This can improve the angle of the neck and the contour of the lower jaw. A chemical injection, called Kybella, can also achieve a similar effect, though it is a more subtle effect and may require repeat treatments. Neither of these procedures eliminate wrinkles or extra skin, so they should be used for patients with mostly too much fatty tissue and no sagging. But for appropriate patients these treatments offer improvement without and incision or scar and with less downtime.
Regardless of which approach to neck rejuvenation you may be interested in, an evaluation in a surgical consultation is the next step for any treatment inquiry. So don’t wait to ask Dr. Kristopher Day, MD, FACS of Pacific Sound Plastic Surgery to be seen for your free consultation by reaching out to info@pacificsoundplasticsurgery.com. You will then have the opportunity to describe your specific goals for your individual customized treatment plan.
