Can the CO2 laser be used on one's neck to reduce the appearance of neck banding and sagging? What are the risks? (photos)

neck SAGGING doesnt improve with lasers. morpheus, facetite, threads can all be used but often a necklift/facelift is what is needed. co2 will help texture and color and fine wrinkles.

if you want a dramatic change necklift/facelift, Implants and fillers will give you that. noninvasive will improve the area and facetite, threads, morpheus, and fillers can be used.  start at home dermarolling to tighten you skin, we recommend MTS roller with anteageMD ampules daily (see dermarolling package).

With significant neck sagging you would need a neck/face lift with muscle tightening (platysmaplasty). at the same time lasers (fraxel,  co2 or erbium( or microneedling RF (fractora, intensif) can be . performed to improve the crepe skin or wrinkles.  You need a formal consultation, as the neck can be treated with a combination approach:
1. micro needling and lasers for texture
2. botox, disport or xeomin to help platysmal bands
3. intensif or fractora RF microneedling for crepe skin and lifting
4. fillers like belotero, restylane silk, juvederm volbella to improve lines and folds
5. neck/face lifting if sagging is prominent or early starting +/- platysmaplasty (muscle tightening)
6. J plasma/Renuvion, thermiRF, inmode facetite for internal tightening
7. ultherapy and thermage for external tightening
8. regular Venus legacy, exilis ultra, or inmode forma treatments with facials to maintain tightness
9. PDO novathreads or silhouette instalift cone threads for lifting and long-term collagen production
see an expert for a full evaluation and treatment plan based on your individual situation and goals.
Best, Dr. Emer

Thank you for your question. I do not typically use the CO2 laser for tightening the skin of the neck. The skin of the neck has no hair follicles or oil glands to regenerate new skin and it is not safe to laser it as aggressively as the face. There are numerous other options that would likely produce a better result for you with fewer risks. To tighten the skin of the neck area, you might consider an energy device like Ultherapy or Thermage. Ultherapy uses ultrasound energy and Thermage uses radiofrequency energy to heat the deep dermal and connective tissue, causing tissue constriction and increased collagen production. The Intracel is another RF device with microneedles delivering the energy to deep and superficial layers of the skin. I use this device to rejuvenate the neck when the skin is crepey.

There are better lasers for treating the neck as well. Picoway addresses unwanted pigmentation, while a fractionated laser like Fraxel Repair produces consistent skin texture and wrinkle improvement. Horizontal banding is typically treated with injections of Botox into the platysma muscle and this is an easy solution. Lastly, these “tech neck” lines created from looking at your device, can be filled with a light-weight filler like Belotero with excellent results. I advise you to schedule a consultation with an experienced, board-certified dermatologist. Through a comprehensive assessment and detailed discussion of your concerns and goals, your doctor can create a treatment plan tailored to your precise needs for the best possible results.

Lasers aren't always the first treatment choice for the delicate area of the neck. To address horizontal banding, I often use Botox injections into the masseter muscle. Skin laxity can be reversed using a nonsurgical skin tightening treatment known as ThermiTight. I recommend scheduling a consultation with an experienced, board-certified dermatologist who can assess you in person and create a customized treatment plan based on your precise needs and goals.

Close up frontal and side views of the neck both at rest and with gritting the teeth would allow for better evaluation of the banding and of the sagging you describe. In general terms, however, ablative procedures, including ablative lasers treatment, of the delicate neck skin carry a significant risk of scar formation. And non-ablative fractional lasers, to date, are far more backed by manufacturer supported marketing hype than hard science. On the other hand, certain interventions, such as Botox for dynamic vertical neck bands (ropey cords) and the use of injectable boosters, like Restylane Skinboosters or Viscoderm Hydroboosters, and bioremodeling injectables, such as Profhilo, have an excellent safety profile for treating crepey, crinkly neck skin, and injectable fillers, such as Belotero Balance can work well for horizontal "necklace" lines. Make sure that you consult with a board certified aesthetic physician and be very cautious when evaluating the use of laser treatments for the neck. Make sure to check out the personal befores and afters of the neck of anyone you are vetting. Best of luck