If there’s one thing you can count on, it’s gravity. And as we age, gravity begins taking its toll on our bodies. From the neck up through the face, the natural supply of our body’s skin-firming collagen starts to diminish, which causes the neck muscles and tissues to start relaxing,losing their firmness and tightness. The next thing you know, you start seeing that wobbly, turkey neck appearance of sagging skin.
There’s really no fast and easy way to get rid of the look of a turkey neck, but combined with sagging skin, you may find that surgery is the best solution to turn the clock back. And as individual as everyone is, not everyone will need the same surgical procedure.
But there is hope for those in need, with a number of different types of procedures available that can help restore beauty and confidence. Here are some of the options available to you:
Neck Lifts
If a patient has a turkey neck appearance that’s moderate-to-severe, they could be a candidate for a neck lift. The procedure will drastically improve the sagging skin and loose muscles of the turkey neck appearance. The excess skin is trimmed and redraped, while muscles underneath are tightened. The result is a neckline that looks more youthful. A neck lift is part of the category of neck contouring procedures that help to significantly correct the look of sagging skin and loose muscles.
Neck Liposuction
Just as liposuction can improve the look of bellys, thighs, and buttocks, the extra fat along your neck can be liposuctioned and also result in improved looks. The only caveat to this is if you have considerable skin lacity, the liposuction procedure will not single-handedly eliminate the problem by itself. A patient who has this condition will most likely require surgery that combines neck liposuction and a neck lift to be successful.
Lower Face Lift
Lower facelifts, when combined with a neck lift, can dramatically reduce the turkey neck effect (neck wattles) that appear when there’s too much excess skin and fat under the chin. Patients with sagging jowls that descend into the neck area are perfect candidates for a combined lower face lift and neck lift. The result is a more natural and refreshing look.
Resolving the “Turkey Neck” without Surgery
Some patients are very reluctant to undergo surgery, or may feel that they will never be able to improve their looks unless they give in and go under the knife. But it doesn’t have to be as drastic a decision as that. There are non-surgical alternatives to take advantage of, which if performed on the right patient, can have as close to similar results as a traditional neck surgery. These non-surgical options can reduce the look of a turkey neck. While the treatments are effective and deliver satisfactory results, they can’t fully take the place of an actual surgical procedure. Basically, you can’t substitute for a neck lift when you really do need a neck lift, but if your needs are less drastic, there are alternatives.
If you’re sold on getting a minimally invasive treatment to resolve your neck issues, there are some non-invasive and minimally invasive procedures that can help. There are even some benefits that place them over the traditional surgical procedures:
- The cost is usually less than traditional surgical procedures.
- The treatment and recovery are easier and less intense.
- Many patients go back to normal activities the same day as treatment as with an Ultherapy treatment, or within a few days as with a ThermiTight .
The Ultherapy Alternative
Ultherapy is a non-surgical face treatment that actually lifts and tones loose or sagging skin without any downtime. It can specifically target the deep foundation below the skin – typically addressed in cosmetic surgery – without cutting or disrupting the surface of the skin. It also is the only procedure to use ultrasound imaging, which allows the surgeon to see the layers of tissue that are targeted during the treatment and that ensures the energy is deposited precisely where it will be most effective.
This FDA-approved technique also stimulates your body to produce more collagen for months of gradual improvement. Collagen is a natural protein that gives skin its youthfulness by keeping it firmed, toned, and elastic. As we age, collagen loses its elasticity and its ability to stand up to the effects of gravity that pull the skin downward. Ultherapy jumpstarts a repair process that produces fresh, new collagen.
If you have ever had an ultrasound, then you know that there is no penetration of the skin during the procedure, and it is painless. With Ultherapy, however, some people say that it is mildly uncomfortable. A good plastic surgeon can provide numbing of the treatment area or medication to take beforehand in order to ease discomfort.
The treatment takes 30 minutes or less, and results can usually be achieved in one or two treatments. Think of Ultherapy not as a facelift, but an uplift! The ultrasound technology used in Ultherapy gradually strengthens and tones the skin deep from within. The benefit to you is tighter, firmer, and better-fitting skin!
Neck Contouring
With neck contouring, you can achieve a more refined appearance to your neck and chin. This can help you look years younger. What neck contouring does is create a firmer, smoother and more refined appearance along the neck and chin.
Making improvements to a thick, wrinkled, sagging, and heavy neck can significantly improve a person’s looks and have a highly positive effect on their appearance. This is what neck contouring does. It will help you look like you’re years younger or even that you’ve lost weight. Neck contouring can help restore the balance you’ve been missing from your face and give you a more refined and defined looking jawline, neck, chin, and underjaw area.
A wise choice to make if you suffer from significant sagging skin and fat along the neck, is to have a consultation with a reputable plastic surgeon. They will be able to prescribe the ideal treatment and procedure to give you the look you’ve always wanted.
At Aristocrat Plastic Surgery & MedAesthetics, we work with you to find the right surgical – or non-surgical – procedure to help you address the sagging skin on your neck. When you schedule your consultation with Dr. Tehrani, he’ll help you explore all of the options and tailor the procedure that’s perfect for you.