Playwright and author Nora Ephron kicked off the conversation in her “I Feel Bad About My Neck” book, and you may be starting to feel the same. If your mirror reveals the beginning of droopy skin and sagging jowl line, it’s time to take action. The neck often falls second behind the face when women seek out anti-aging skin-care treatments. But dermatologists tell us the thinner skin on the neck will show signs of aging first. Begin by using moisturizer faithfully, then move on to more aggressive active ingredients if you can tolerate them.
If you’ve been neglecting an area that is among the first to reveal your age, try these neck treatments.
Trigger Collagen Production
An investment of two to six months at an average cost of $2,700 should tighten up the drooping excess skin of most 30- to 40-year-olds. The effects can be expected to last a few years. Your dermatologist will use an ultrasound or radio frequency treatment such as Ultherapy or Thermage to boost collagen production. The technology heats and injures the skin to trigger a wound response.
Target Mottled Skin
The sides of the neck are regularly exposed to UV rays, and that’s where you’ll probably see uneven skin tones of red or brown. This can be treated with light therapy or pigment-targeting lasers. Intense pulsed light or IPL is the least painful and requires minimal downtime. Pulsed dye laser is a more intense therapy. You may need a few treatments at around $475 each to erase—red (hemoglobin) or brown (melanin) color.
Dissolve stubborn fat
Stubborn fat makes your skin look slack. A targeted fat-dissolving technique, like Kybella, which is a synthetic form of bile acid, breaks down the fat. Urine then carries away the dissolved fat. Most patients require two or three treatments of the injections about six to eight weeks apart. After swelling subsides, patients can expect to see initial results about a week after their first treatment. The average cost runs about $1,375.
Inject Fillers
Doctors can tighten loose skin along the jawbone by injecting hyaluronic acid fillers such as Restylane or Voluma. Another injection option is using a neurotoxin such as Xeomin, Botox, or Dysport into the neck to relax platysmal bands, which can pull down on the skin running from jaw to clavicle. Average cost will range between $500 to $1,500.
Freeze fat cells
CoolSculpting rids your neck of fat cells by freezing them. The dermatologist targets the chin with a handheld vacuum-like device, and the lymphatic system disposes of the frozen fat cells. You’ll probably need two to three treatments spaced about eight weeks apart. You’ll pay about $1,225.
Read More: At-Home Neck Remedies
