A neck lift or liposuction are effective treatments.
The neck is usually the first place that reveals our age, hence why it is called the “telltale sign.” The problem is, it tends to show age even when we use a lot of retinol on our faces. Our lives revolving around devices have also contributed to the problem, not only because of the production of technology but also because we lack the neck that we used to, creating a tech neck. Neck lines and sagging are prone to develop faster. It becomes necessary to offer patients several options to consider because their necks age due to various factors, so that is why first determining the cause of the problem is fundamental. At Lin Health Europe Clinic, we think that a nice profile is the basic element of an attractive face. Hence, we must properly diagnose the anatomy, decide to get rid of excess volume, tighten the bark or remodel the muscle corset.
The Diagnosis: Distinguishing Fat from Laxity
The initial step towards deciding on a treatment path is figuring out your skin’s quality. A lot of people will see some fat under the chin and immediately think liposuction. What’s more, if the problem is fat plus loose, inelastic skin, liposuction can actually have the opposite effect of what you were aiming for. Thus, consider it if you were to take the fluff out of the pillow but leave the pillowcase; the material just hangs looser than before.
A youth (commonly under 40 years) case, with good skin elasticity and one small stubborn fat pocket, can usually be resolved with fat removal alone. However, if you are senior, or if you have spectacular “turkey neck” banding where vertical cords show up when you talk, then it’s a problem structurally. It means that the skin has lost its snap and the muscles underneath have gotten weaker. Under those circumstances, fat extraction only will leave you with a skeletonized, hanging neck. Instead, the tissues in such a situation need to be repositioned and reclaimed, not just a volume reduction.
Neck Liposuction: The Solution for the “Heavy” Neck
If the patient’s main complaint is submental fullness (a true double chin) and there is still tight, youthful skin, VASER Liposuction is considered the best method. VASER liposuction uses ultrasound energy to liquefy the fat cells and thus makes it easier to remove them by suction without damaging the surrounding tissues which can be very important for the neck area. The heat generated during the sonication can also have a positive side effect of causing the skin to tighten naturally, so the skin will contract neatly over the new, thinner shape.
The end result is a nice sharp line running along the jaw, visually separating the face from the neck. Although it’s a minimally invasive alternative, there are small cuts which are camouflaged behind the ears or under the chin. Nevertheless, it is very important to be aware of the limitations that liposuction has. It only gets rid of the subcutaneous fat (the soft pinchable fat). It cannot remove deep fat (under the muscle) or tighten loose muscles. Here, if a patient with a “weak chin” undergoes aggressive lipo, it can reveal the lack of bone support, which is why the addition of a chin implant is often advised for balance.
Non-Surgical Options: Morpheus8 and Botox
For people who are unwilling to have surgery, several treatment options can be considered as a “bridge,” although the results will be less dramatic with these. The initiation feature of Morpheus8 is to be aggressive enough only to stimulate collagen contraction and production which tightens the skin in conjunction with micro-injuries from a needle. Hence, the skin is wrapped by a “shrink wrap” after the series of treatments, in addition to the texture and tightness of the skin.
Also, a non-surgical approach would be the Nefertiti Lift with Botox. Through the injection of botulinum toxin into the platysma muscles, the muscle pull is decreased, resulting in less downward traction and consequently less jawline dropping and less banding. These nonsurgical procedures offer maintenance options and are perfect for holding off on surgery or polishing up post-surgical results but they are not capable of entirely removing a considerable amount of fat or excess skin.
The Neck Lift: Fixing the Muscle Corset
The problem is “platysma bands” (the vertical cords that appear on the neck), so we are referring to a surgical Neck Lift (Platysmaplasty). Platysma is a thin muscle sheet that covers the anterior aspect of the neck. Over time, the two sides of this muscle separate and sag, thus creating the appearance of “turkey wattle.” These muscles cannot be put back together no matter how much you try to exercise or apply cream on them.
Only surgically can the neck be “rescued.” Through a small incision under the chin, the surgeon sutures the two edges of the platysma muscle back together in the midline, acting like an internal belt that cinches the neck tight. This creates a sharp, right-angle corner between the chin and the neck. At the same time, the excess skin is removed by making an incision behind the ears. Therefore, this is a definite answer to the “sagging neck” problem that patients in their 50s and 60s suffer from, providing the structural restoration that lasts for 10+ years.
Lin Health Europe Clinic: Deep Neck Contouring
Our main focus at Lin Europe Clinic in Turkey is Deep Neck Contouring, a technique that looks beyond the mere basic lifts. We realize that a heavy neck is often the result of deeper than surface fat layers. The deep fat pads underneath the muscle can be removed in our treatments, and occasionally, we will also reduce the submandibular glands or the digastric muscles if they are made the neck look round and heavy.
Working at this level of granularity, we can outline a jawline that not only gets you a naturally athletic look but one that is just so defined that there is no need to say “pulled tight.” As well as deep structural work, we use skin-tightening technologies to get a balanced result. A VASER procedure to get rid of one genetic double chin or a deep-plane neck lift to turn back the clock, we are there to give the neck a posture elongation and elegance, besides the basic function.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sagging Neck and Double Chin
Almost never. It is true that when you lose weight, your body fat can be reduced. However, a genetic double chin is usually very resistant to changes in diet and exercise. So if the problem is a small jaw or loose skin, facial exercises won’t do anything to the neck sagging look.
If your skin is loose, then yes. Lipo only removes the fat. So, if you already have a sagging neck and your skin is in excess or the muscles are banding, then doing lipo without a neck lift will only make the skin hang there. You will need a neck lift that will remove the skin and tighten the muscle.
Swelling after liposuction of a double chin or a neck lift generally will be at its worst on the 3rd day and by the 14th day, it will have greatly reduced. However, it is not unusual for one to experience some mild residual firmness for a couple of months as the tissues shrink.
Yes. A weak chin will always result in the neck skin bunching up which then creates the misleading of a double chin. By inserting a chin implant, the skin is pulled forward and the jawline gets a lot more definition.
No. The fat cells that have been removed permanently during the double chin liposuction will never be back. However, if you decide to put on a lot of weight, the remaining fat cells will enlarge, that is why your result could be compromised.
Rohrich, R. J., et al. (2011). The Neck: Diagnosis and Treatment. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
Feldman, J. J. (2014). Neck Lift. Thieme Medical Publishers.
Narasimhan, K., et al. (2012). Five-step neck lift: integrating anatomy with clinical practice. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
