Neck Solutions - What To Do With That Loose Neck Skin
You've seen that person staring back at you from the mirror.
Where's the 20-year-old skin to match the way you feel? As we age, we see a change from the taut, moisture-rich skin to the sagging, wrinkled surface we see in that morning mirror.
One of the more prominent areas to first show aging is the neck skin.
The delicate structure of bones, muscle and nerves underneath may stand the test of time but the skin may not.
Before you find yourself at risk for ending up on the Thanksgiving menu, know that there are options for fighting the war of the wrinkle.
The reasons for neck surgery are varied and personal and range from loss of definition, genetic predisposition to sagging, loose skin, the aging process or a condition called retrognathia where the jaw recedes causing a jowly, no-neck appearance.
Many people who seek this surgery just are tired of the way they look and have made a decision to correct it.
There are several categories of solutions which can be classified from least invasive to most.
What will work for you will depend on how damaged the skin is, how dramatic you wish the results to be and how much money you are willing to spend.
Categories discussed here include neck exercises, creams, peels, laser surgery and neck lifts, or combined procedure surgeries.
One of the least expensive and noninvasive methods is exercise.
The effectiveness of neck exercise has no valid scientific data but since all muscles can atrophy, any help with toning will show some benefit over time.
There are exercises which only require you to work your neck and jaw through strengthening tactics.
Typing in a search of neck tightening exercises will bring a number of sites with all levels of neck and facial exercise techniques.
Sifting through them and finding what's right for your specific issue is a click away.
There are also a variety of appliances available to do the work for you.
Each apparatus has its own mechanism to work the target area, but in the end, it's the response of those neck and jaw muscles which affect the desired result.
As with any exercise, once you stop, the benefits fade.
A scheduled routine, like any other exercise program only works if it's consistent.
When it comes to creams, it's difficult to know if what you see advertised is a viable product or one of the many costly scams.
When considering a cream purchase, check out various sites which review such products.
Read the reviews, investigate any available independent clinical data and visit skin blogs to check up-to-date testimonials.
One of the creams investigated here stood out among the others where efficacy, data and validity were concerned.
According to sites solely devoted to comparing and reviewing neck creams, the standout by far is Dermajuv Neck Restoration Cream.
Dermajuv incorporates Matrixyl, a trademarked copper peptide which facilitates the body to make its own collagen, Sesaflash, a derivative of sesame which moisturizes and tightens the skin, stem cells which help heal damaged cells, hyaluronic acid, which is found naturally in the tissues and helps the skin to retain moisture, and lastly, shea butter which also helps to moisturize and firm the skin.
In the various product review sites, this cream stood out as a clear top choice.
One thing to remember, however, is that when you treat the fragile neck skin with over-the-counter preparations, they in reality may only be dealing with the epidermis rather than the dermis.
Many skin professionals will tell you that only a prescription strength brand will give the full thickness treatment of the skin to impact wrinkles, laxity and color abnormalities such as hyper pigmentation.
Another option is a chemical peel.
This method mainly addresses acne, wrinkles, age spots, photo or sun damage and skin discoloration.
Depending on the compound, a chemical peel can modify superficial damage, medium damage or go deep to stimulate cell turnover in the inner skin layers.
What a peel can do depends on the chemical used.
There are several different types including alpha hydroxy acid (AHA), salicylic acid or glycolic acid, which are used only to penetrate the epidermis, or outer skin layer, for superficial treatment.
In addition to these preparations, there is Trichloroacetic acid (TA) which provides a more in-depth penetration for those wanting the deeper results gained from stimulating the dermis, or inner skin layer.
The strength of the acid preparation is also a factor as is the condition of the skin prior to the peel.
Proper execution of the peel by a professional should be a main consideration to gain the most benefit with the least complications.
Recovery time is also dependent on the preparations, skin condition and care following the procedure.
Laser surgery is an option which may help but is only a moderate means of tightening loose neck skin.
The sagging skin on the neck is caused by damage to not only the skin but also to the underlying muscle and fat.
Noninvasive laser techniques have limited impact since they do not penetrate the dermis where collagen production takes place.
Laser assisted liposuction may be successful for patients with skin laxity due to weight loss.
This procedure works with subcutaneous tissue through incisions and is mildly effective for moderate skin tightening.
The Fraxel laser, which has received more press recently, uses a wound creating technique in the deeper layers of the dermis, thus creating a rescue mission of the lasered skin by the surrounding untreated skin.
The outer layer remains damage-free while the inner layers of the dermis begin to heal.
As older skin exfoliates, collagen regeneration takes place helping the elasticity and tone of the skin for a more freshened look.
As many doctors will advise, to truly correct sagging neck skin, the most effective solution is surgery.
These are invasive procedures which require a consultation and a discussion of expectations with your surgeon.
Make sure you are both on the same page regarding your desired outcome.
Do you want to remove excess fat from either weight loss or a genetic predisposition? A liposuction procedure, as discussed earlier, will emulsify and remove the fat cells from that area.
If your concern is excess skin, a cervicoplasty procedure is recommended.
This removes the excess skin through a small incision either under the chin, behind the ears or both.
The skin is then cut and lifted to smooth the neck area.
For the band-like appearance, platysmaplasty is available.
This procedure requires the same incisions under the chin and behind the ears and realigns or removes neck muscles to tighten the middle, most visible area.
These procedures can be done alone or combined with others for a complete redesigning of the area.
Combination procedures can include a facelift, forehead or brow lift, eyelid surgery or chin augmentation.
A relatively newer procedure is a micro-lift that involves a small incision at the chin and back of the neck to excise excess skin and muscle.
Another option, on its own or related to a surgical procedure, is botox injections.
Botox can relax the platysma which produces the banded appearance.
Once again, clear expectation and outcomes need to be a part of any planned procedure.
Neck surgery can last from one to several hours and cost anywhere from $3000 to $15,000 depending on how many procedures are being performed.
Local or general anesthesia may be used depending on the invasiveness, and the recovery time is generally 10 days to 2-3 weeks.
Once the procedure is done, the work is held permanently with sutures or tissue glue.
A compression garment is recommended to apply pressure to the area to help with blood flow, swelling and fluid retention.
Pain medications are usually prescribed for comfort and post operative care and compliance is essential to reduce complications to complete the desired outcome.
Rest and limited activity will be recommended.
Where's the 20-year-old skin to match the way you feel? As we age, we see a change from the taut, moisture-rich skin to the sagging, wrinkled surface we see in that morning mirror.
One of the more prominent areas to first show aging is the neck skin.
The delicate structure of bones, muscle and nerves underneath may stand the test of time but the skin may not.
Before you find yourself at risk for ending up on the Thanksgiving menu, know that there are options for fighting the war of the wrinkle.
The reasons for neck surgery are varied and personal and range from loss of definition, genetic predisposition to sagging, loose skin, the aging process or a condition called retrognathia where the jaw recedes causing a jowly, no-neck appearance.
Many people who seek this surgery just are tired of the way they look and have made a decision to correct it.
There are several categories of solutions which can be classified from least invasive to most.
What will work for you will depend on how damaged the skin is, how dramatic you wish the results to be and how much money you are willing to spend.
Categories discussed here include neck exercises, creams, peels, laser surgery and neck lifts, or combined procedure surgeries.
One of the least expensive and noninvasive methods is exercise.
The effectiveness of neck exercise has no valid scientific data but since all muscles can atrophy, any help with toning will show some benefit over time.
There are exercises which only require you to work your neck and jaw through strengthening tactics.
Typing in a search of neck tightening exercises will bring a number of sites with all levels of neck and facial exercise techniques.
Sifting through them and finding what's right for your specific issue is a click away.
There are also a variety of appliances available to do the work for you.
Each apparatus has its own mechanism to work the target area, but in the end, it's the response of those neck and jaw muscles which affect the desired result.
As with any exercise, once you stop, the benefits fade.
A scheduled routine, like any other exercise program only works if it's consistent.
When it comes to creams, it's difficult to know if what you see advertised is a viable product or one of the many costly scams.
When considering a cream purchase, check out various sites which review such products.
Read the reviews, investigate any available independent clinical data and visit skin blogs to check up-to-date testimonials.
One of the creams investigated here stood out among the others where efficacy, data and validity were concerned.
According to sites solely devoted to comparing and reviewing neck creams, the standout by far is Dermajuv Neck Restoration Cream.
Dermajuv incorporates Matrixyl, a trademarked copper peptide which facilitates the body to make its own collagen, Sesaflash, a derivative of sesame which moisturizes and tightens the skin, stem cells which help heal damaged cells, hyaluronic acid, which is found naturally in the tissues and helps the skin to retain moisture, and lastly, shea butter which also helps to moisturize and firm the skin.
In the various product review sites, this cream stood out as a clear top choice.
One thing to remember, however, is that when you treat the fragile neck skin with over-the-counter preparations, they in reality may only be dealing with the epidermis rather than the dermis.
Many skin professionals will tell you that only a prescription strength brand will give the full thickness treatment of the skin to impact wrinkles, laxity and color abnormalities such as hyper pigmentation.
Another option is a chemical peel.
This method mainly addresses acne, wrinkles, age spots, photo or sun damage and skin discoloration.
Depending on the compound, a chemical peel can modify superficial damage, medium damage or go deep to stimulate cell turnover in the inner skin layers.
What a peel can do depends on the chemical used.
There are several different types including alpha hydroxy acid (AHA), salicylic acid or glycolic acid, which are used only to penetrate the epidermis, or outer skin layer, for superficial treatment.
In addition to these preparations, there is Trichloroacetic acid (TA) which provides a more in-depth penetration for those wanting the deeper results gained from stimulating the dermis, or inner skin layer.
The strength of the acid preparation is also a factor as is the condition of the skin prior to the peel.
Proper execution of the peel by a professional should be a main consideration to gain the most benefit with the least complications.
Recovery time is also dependent on the preparations, skin condition and care following the procedure.
Laser surgery is an option which may help but is only a moderate means of tightening loose neck skin.
The sagging skin on the neck is caused by damage to not only the skin but also to the underlying muscle and fat.
Noninvasive laser techniques have limited impact since they do not penetrate the dermis where collagen production takes place.
Laser assisted liposuction may be successful for patients with skin laxity due to weight loss.
This procedure works with subcutaneous tissue through incisions and is mildly effective for moderate skin tightening.
The Fraxel laser, which has received more press recently, uses a wound creating technique in the deeper layers of the dermis, thus creating a rescue mission of the lasered skin by the surrounding untreated skin.
The outer layer remains damage-free while the inner layers of the dermis begin to heal.
As older skin exfoliates, collagen regeneration takes place helping the elasticity and tone of the skin for a more freshened look.
As many doctors will advise, to truly correct sagging neck skin, the most effective solution is surgery.
These are invasive procedures which require a consultation and a discussion of expectations with your surgeon.
Make sure you are both on the same page regarding your desired outcome.
Do you want to remove excess fat from either weight loss or a genetic predisposition? A liposuction procedure, as discussed earlier, will emulsify and remove the fat cells from that area.
If your concern is excess skin, a cervicoplasty procedure is recommended.
This removes the excess skin through a small incision either under the chin, behind the ears or both.
The skin is then cut and lifted to smooth the neck area.
For the band-like appearance, platysmaplasty is available.
This procedure requires the same incisions under the chin and behind the ears and realigns or removes neck muscles to tighten the middle, most visible area.
These procedures can be done alone or combined with others for a complete redesigning of the area.
Combination procedures can include a facelift, forehead or brow lift, eyelid surgery or chin augmentation.
A relatively newer procedure is a micro-lift that involves a small incision at the chin and back of the neck to excise excess skin and muscle.
Another option, on its own or related to a surgical procedure, is botox injections.
Botox can relax the platysma which produces the banded appearance.
Once again, clear expectation and outcomes need to be a part of any planned procedure.
Neck surgery can last from one to several hours and cost anywhere from $3000 to $15,000 depending on how many procedures are being performed.
Local or general anesthesia may be used depending on the invasiveness, and the recovery time is generally 10 days to 2-3 weeks.
Once the procedure is done, the work is held permanently with sutures or tissue glue.
A compression garment is recommended to apply pressure to the area to help with blood flow, swelling and fluid retention.
Pain medications are usually prescribed for comfort and post operative care and compliance is essential to reduce complications to complete the desired outcome.
Rest and limited activity will be recommended.
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