Treating An Aging Neck With Ultherapy

Many people don’t give a lot of thought to the skin on and around their neck until the day when you suddenly notice sagging or wrinkles and other visible signs of aging. We are diligent about cleansing and moisturizing our face, as well as using sunscreen, but we frequently forget about our neck, leaving us with dry and sun damaged skin that is an early reminder of the effects of the passing of the years.

Two of the most vital building blocks of healthy, youthful skin are collagen and elastin. These proteins are found naturally in our bodies, and they keep our skin smooth and supple, as well as giving it the ability to more easily bounce back from damage. As we age, those proteins begin to slow down production, and the existing collagen and elastin in our skin starts to weaken. This is when you begin to see a loss in volume, elasticity, and lift, especially in places (like your neck) where your skin is thinner or more exposed to everyday damage. If you’ve noticed that your neck is beginning to look wrinkled or droopy, or that your jawline is softening and losing definition, Dr. Rappaport at the Houston Center for Plastic Surgery may have the answer – without surgery and without downtime.

Causes of a Sagging Neck

If you have what some call a “turkey neck,” it means that you have probably begun to notice crepey or sagging skin under your jawline. You’re not alone – most people will suffer from changes in their neck and jawline as they age, for a number of reasons. Some of the causes of a sagging neck include:

• Less collagen and elastin – When your skin loses elasticity and the connective tissues that keeps skin firm start to weaken, you’re left with a drooping and sagging neck.
• Genetics – Your genes determine your skin type (thin or thick), as well as how it ages. If you have naturally thin, dry skin, you may have more neck issues than those with thicker skin.
• Weight gain or loss – Weight fluctuations cause changes in your skin – gaining can stretch the skin, while losing can cause excess skin and sagging.
• Smoking – Cigarette use damages collagen and elastin, both from the chemicals in the cigarettes as well as the smoke itself. Nicotine also causes blood vessels to constrict, reducing the healthy flow of blood that is necessary to bring vital nutrients to your skin.
• Sun damage – Sun damage from UV rays negatively affects the collagen in your skin, which results in visible signs of aging showing up earlier than it normally would.

While a few of these factors are preventable, some may be inevitable. No matter the cause, you can treat your aging neck successfully, and regain your confidence in your appearance in the process. The good news is that there are a variety of nonsurgical options available to address the problem, because the demand for a fix to an aging neck has resulted in several noninvasive advancements and technologies.

Treating an Aging Neck Nonsurgically

Depending on the degree of sagging on your neck, there are several nonsurgical treatment options available. At Houston Center for Plastic Surgery, we offer Ultherapy®, a noninvasive procedure that uses ultrasound technology to tighten and lift the loose or sagging skin on your neck. Ultherapy® has also recently received FDA approval to treat aging skin on the decolletage area.

The purpose of Ultherapy® is to stimulate your skin and boost its production of collagen. The Ultherapy® applicator is calibrated precisely to deliver focused ultrasound energy all the way to the foundational layer of your skin – deeper than any other nonsurgical treatment can safely reach. The ultrasound imaging technology allows Dr. Rappaport to see the tissue layers targeted during treatment so that he can ensure that the energy is deposited where it can have the most benefit. Because Ultherapy® triggers a regenerative response at such a deep level in your skin, the treatment boosts the production of collagen in the areas you need it most, and the result is skin that is tighter and smoother – all without incisions, sutures, or damage to the surrounding tissue.

What to Expect From Your Ultherapy® Treatment

For Ultherapy® to give your neck the tighter, smoother look you desire, the optimal candidates are in their mid-thirties or older, and show mild to moderate signs of aging on their neck. Ultherapy® is an ideal choice for those who need a bit of a lift, but are not quite ready for surgery, and patients looking for a way to further enhance the effects of a previous cosmetic procedure. Keep in mind that while Ultherapy® is an effective treatment, it is not a replacement for a surgical neck lift, and so keeping your expectations realistic is important.

The Ultherapy® procedure is non-invasive and virtually painless, and your treatment only takes about an hour depending on the number of areas treated. There is no downtime for recovery, and minimal side effects (if any), and it offers results that look and feel beautiful and natural. After your treatment, you may see some immediate tightening effects, but because Ultherapy® depends on the natural processes of your body to generate healthy new collagen and achieve the most dramatic rejuvenation, it can take two to three or more months for your final results to be visible.

If neck creams and other treatments have failed to give you the smooth, more youthful neck you desire, Ultherapy® may be the treatment you’re looking for. Call Dr. Rappaport at the Houston Center for Plastic Surgery today at 713-790-4500 to schedule an appointment for a consultation.