“I hate my neck!” is a common complaint and even the title of a book, but seriously, is there anything that can be done about the wrinkles and wattle under the chin? Yes, there is. First, begin with good daily care and apply moisturizer with sunscreen to your neck every morning. At night, apply a moisturizer with peptides such as QXP, Olay Night Firming, or L’Oreal Age Perfect.
[READ: Are Neck Creams Really Necessary?]
Treatments for Neck Wrinkles
Neurotoxins
You can try a neck wrinkles treatment to improve the appearance of the neck that can be injected. Injections for the neck include neurotoxins such as Botox©, Dysport©, and Xeomen©. Spending $400 on a jar of neck firming cream is not a good investment when you can spend about that same amount for a neurotoxin. Granted the neurotoxins only last about three months but the expensive department store creams do not last much longer.
You will definitely see better tightening of the jawline with the neurotoxin than a cream. Tiny amounts of hyaluronic acid filler can also be use to fill in and soften horizontal lines of the neck. Performing injections in the neck to improve wrinkles and firm the neck is technically difficult and should only be done by a very experienced injector.
Resurfacing
KYBELLA™ is another injectable treatment for the neck. It is used to treat fat under the chin that can look like a wattle or double chin. KYBELLA™ is a synthetic deoxycholic acid. Deoxycholic acid is a naturally-occurring molecule in the body that aids in the breakdown and absorption of dietary fat. When injected into the fat beneath your chin, it destroys the fat cells.
[READ: How to Lose a Double Chin]
Most patients need more than one treatment with KYBELLA™ for best results. The main side effect after treatment is swelling which can last up to three weeks. We are seeing good results with this treatment and the results are long lasting.
Skin Tightening Treatments
Another neck wrinkles treatment is skin tightening devices such as Thermage®, Ultherapy® and Venus Freeze® can also be used on the neck. They deliver heat to the deep layers of skin which contracts the collagen and creates tightening. Thermage® and Venus Freeze® use radio-frequency and Ultherapy® uses ultrasound. The results for these treatments are NOT dramatic. The older you are and the more aged your skin looks, the less improvement you will see. Not everyone is a candidate.
The advantage of Venus Freeze® over the others is that it is painless, safe, and relatively inexpensive. If you are a candidate for Venus Freeze®, you will need to do the neck wrinkles treatment every four to six months to maintain, tighten and smooth the skin of the jaw line and neck.
[READ: Aging-How Time Impacts Your Health and Wellness]
Improving the neck can be challenging and you have to have realistic expectations. Even my patients who have had a surgical neck lift are not always happy with the results, not to mention the risks, pain and expense associated with surgery. But keep in mind that people are not paying a lot of attention to our necks. They are focusing on our eyes and smile, so keep your chin up!
