Jowls, turkey or saggy neck is often assumed to be a sign that one is aging. No one wants it. If you have this problem all is not lost since there are many sagging neck solutions. You can opt to tighten your neck skin with or without surgery with laser, yoga, dermal fillers or go for surgical treatments. Let us explore the causes, surgical and now surgical treatment options for a saggy neck.
Overview
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I can read your mind, and I know what you are probably asking yourself. “How did we get here? What caused this saggy skin under my chin? Do not worry, this is a common issue that is widely acknowledged as a sign of aging or weight gain. Whereas both of these reasons have some truth to them, there are other factors that can cause saggy neck including genetics. Before we get to the options available for you, let’s get some facts.
Causes of loose neck skin
The loose skin under the chin is also commonly referred to as double chin, turkey, or a saggy neck. There are four main factors that can cause it. They include:
- Weight Gain: A high-calorie rich diet followed by an unhealthy lifestyle can contribute to the development of loose skin under the chin. A diet rich in unhealthy fats can lead to fat deposits under the chin. When you lose the weight, the stretched part of the skin under the chin where the fat was deposited may remain leading to the saggy look.
- Genetics: There are people who are genetically predisposed to developing loose skin under the chin. People who come from a history of double chins can end up having it even if they are not obese.
- Aging: Just as our cars age, so do we age. The development this problem is one of the physical changes that are as a result of aging. The skin becomes drier as we age and becomes more fragile and less elastic. As a result, we become more susceptible to the effects of external forces such as gravity and photoaging. Also, there is a decline in subcutaneous fat and weakening of the muscle tissue as well as the progressive loss of muscle atrophy and muscle fiber can all contribute to a loose neck skin.
- Poor Lifestyle Habits: A person with issues such as high-stress levels, sleep deprivation, and one’s sleep position can trigger the development of a sagging neck. A poor sleep posture can accelerate the aging process. According to experts, any position aside from the lying flat on your back can contribute to both short-term and long-term cosmetic issues, including loose skin under the chin. Similarly, other factors such as stress, smoking and drinking habits, and a lack of 8-hours sleep can affect your skin’s integrity thus further accelerating the aging process.
Invasive Surgical treatment for sagging skin under chin and neck
If you opt for surgical options/invasive procedures. They can give you quick results. The neck lift is by far the most popular approach for dealing with loose skin on this area. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the 2-3 hours procedure costs an average of $4,528. The cost of the procedure varies based on the type of the procedure used, the location of the health practitioner and their experience.
This invasive procedure involves making incisions on the sagging area, removing the excess skin, skin tightening and strengthening the underlying muscles. The benefits of this procedure include the natural-looking results after the healing time and have few potential risks. On the downside, there is the risk of complications such as asymmetry problems.
Non-surgical options or neck sagging
If you do not want surgical options, here are some of the non-surgical ones you can opt for.
Liposuction
A less invasive procedure compared to surgery. A careful liposuction can help streamline the neck region, giving you that natural-looking skin. Liposuction works best on patients with fat deposit under the chin. The doctor removes the fat under the chin and restructures the loose skin. Modern advancements such as ultra-sound assisted liposuction or laser plus liposuction can address the fat deposit under the chin and the loose skin issue. The cost varies from $5000-$7,700.
Botox & fillers
Fillers and Botox help reduce the appearance of loose skin under the chin. This is achieved by injecting the filler, or the Botox into the muscles at the jawline and along the neck region. This procedure assists in sculpturing this region thereby giving you a natural-looking appearance. Botox can be used to tighten the sagging skin under the chin.
A few injections of Botox into the neck bands, the sidebands that exist at the side of the jaw and also other muscles of the face and the neck can give you the “Nefertiti Lift.” The muscles tighten thereby improving the natural contour of the face. The cost of the injections depends on the sessions, with each session ranging $5-$20 per session.
Face yoga excises for turkey neck
Face yoga can help minimize the appearance of a sagging, turkey or a loose neck. The yoga techniques are diverse and include the swan neck technique. This technique involves turning your head about 45 degrees to the right. Hold the neck in that position for 5 seconds then slowly turn to the other side and do the same. Breathe slowly as you do this technique.
Other techniques include the Fish Expression, Dumbbell technique, and the Giraffe. These yoga practices help tighten the neck muscles thereby leading to a reduced appearance of jowl.
Laser treatment
This is another effective treatment for loose skin under the chin. In this procedure, a cosmetic dermatologist will use infrared light to tighten the muscles under the neck. Brand names such as Utherapy, SkinTyte and Titan help administer pulses in the affected skin area. The infrared light triggers muscle contraction resulting in a facelift and reduced appearance of the sagging skin. Although this procedure is less effective than the surgery option, it is a favorite for many people due to less downtime and the natural looking appearance after the sessions. Costs vary from $3000-$10000.
Which is the best turkey neck treatment
In summary, the neck lift procedure along with the invasive surgery option appears to be the most effective approaches in dealing with the loose skin under the chin or neck. A neck lift can be done via liposuction or laser tightening depending on whether you meet the criteria for each option.
Whereas there are exercises and face yoga that can be done to give you a more youthful, natural looking-chin, these techniques may not work if the loose skin is as a result of genetics. Consult your cosmetic dermatologist to determine the right treatment that suits you. In the meantime, there are some recommended exercises that you can do to help in shaping your neck muscles giving you a healthier contour under the chin.
References:
- https://www.realself.com/question/botox-cost-for-the-face-and-neck
- https://faceyogamethod.com/how-to-take-charge-of-your-loose-low-hanging-neck-and-double-chin-without-surgery/
- https://food.ndtv.com/health/yoga-for-double-chin-an-inexpensive-way-to-lose-that-extra-facial-chub-1711081
- https://www.docshop.com/education/dermatology/facial/skin-tightening
- https://drtorgerson.com/non-surgical-procedures/laser-treatments-toronto/laser-skin-tightening-treatments-costs-risks-and-benefits/