Updated: Nov 28, 2020
Aesthetic medicine has advanced in leaps and bounds, giving us countless of options to reverse, and slow down the effects of ageing. As we address the facial aging process, the neck often gets left behind, leaving disparity between the age of the skin on our face and the skin on the neck, which can reveal the age of our skin and often look “mismatched”
Necks are a challenging area to treat, subject to the pull of the large muscle called the platysma that draws the lower face down resulting in jowling, and blunting of the jawline, it can also allude to the “turkey bands” or stringy bands from the jaw to the base of the neck.
Combine that with the thinning of the skin, the loss of structure and elasticity and a “crepe” like appearance (this arises due to a loss of collagen and elastin- the building blocks of healthy, plump skin).
Necks often take a combination of treatments to get the best aesthetic outcome, at my clinic, I offer several options and guide you on the most suitable treatment options to give you the best results.
Radiesse®, which is a bio-stimulating dermal filler, this stimulates the body to create type 1 collagen, creating a new “scaffold” of structural proteins to help to thicken and tighten the skin, improve cell turnover, increase blood supply, this provides structure and stimulates your body’s own collagen to grow. The process continues even after the procedure has been completed.
Radiesse® contains tiny calcium-based microspheres in a water-based gel, the microspheres are very similar to naturally occurring minerals, so there isn’t an invasive substance entering your system. Over time, your body will absorb the microspheres and the gel, and the result is natural collagen for a smooth, hydrated, firm skin. The treatment schedule is 2-4 treatments of Radiesse and is spaced 6-8 weeks apart.
Often combined with hyaluronic acid dermal filler injections to specifically tackle deeper horizontal neck lines which last around 12 months and/or anti-wrinkle injections to relax the muscles of the lower face and neck, to soften bands, tighten the jowel and jawline, which are often treated around four times per year.
Skin boosters delivered via the V2 Auto Injector is also a very popular and incredibly effective treatment to support and hydrate the neck tissue (a cocktail of hyaluronic acid, vitamins, and minerals) injected into the dermis to stimulate collagen production, hydrate and deliver nutrients, essentially like giving the skin a huge drink of vitamin-rich water at the dermal level.
It is a wonderful preventative treatment, requiring three treatments at approximately four week intervals.
If you are looking to improve the health and appearance of the neck, there are multiple options offered within the clinic to improve horizontal lines, bands, thinning of the skin and crepe like changes, not all treatments are suitable as there are multiple contributing factors to the aging of the neck, so correct assessment is important when considering neck rejuvenation.