34 - turkey neck from weight loss. What would be best for my sagging neck? (Photos)

Question

Due to weightloss i have developed a turkey neck quite quickly. Im only 34 and definitely dont feel i should have this level of sagging yet at least. would a fully ablative Co2 laser be a good procedure to help?

Carl Truesdale, MD · Answer

The 'turkey neck' appearance after weight loss at 34 typically involves three things: loose skin envelope (the most common driver), sometimes platysmal banding becoming more visible, and mild residual fat under the chin.
At 34, your skin retraction potential is moderate &mdash; better than 50+, worse than 20s. The honest expectations:
Why non-surgical alone often disappoints:
RF microneedling (Morpheus8, Genius RF): tightens dermal layer modestly. Real but limited effect for true skin redundancy. Best for mild laxity.
Ultherapy: deeper layer ultrasound tightening. Modest improvement over 3 to 6 months. Limited for established skin excess.
Kybella: dissolves fat only. Won't help loose skin and can make laxity look worse by removing supporting fat volume.
Topical skincare: maintains skin quality but doesn't tighten existing redundancy.
For mild-to-moderate post-weight-loss neck:Series of RF microneedling (3 to 4 sessions, 4 to 6 weeks apart) + diligent SPF + retinoid skincare can give 20 to 40 percent improvement. Worth trying if the redundancy is mild.
For moderate-to-significant post-weight-loss neck:Surgical neck lift is the definitive answer. Removes the excess skin envelope, tightens the platysma in the midline (corset platysmaplasty), and re-drapes the neck smoothly. Recovery 10 to 14 days for major swelling. Result lasts 10 to 15+ years.
The 34-year-old surgical decision:
At your age, surgical recovery is faster than at 50+. Skin heals better. Scars heal better. Outcomes are typically excellent.
BUT &mdash; surgery feels like a big commitment at 34 when many patients haven't had children yet or are still in their 'look young naturally' stage of life.
Compromise approach:
Try RF microneedling for 6 to 12 months first. If significant improvement, you've deferred surgery.
If 6 to 12 months of energy-based treatment doesn't get you where you want, plan surgical neck lift. The wait won't worsen the outcome &mdash; sometimes it confirms surgery is the right call.
Honest read for someone at 34 post-weight-loss:
If you can clearly pinch significant excess neck skin or see visible platysmal bands, surgical correction will give you a much stronger result than any non-surgical combination.
If the redundancy is mild and you mostly notice it in photos under harsh light, non-surgical treatments may satisfy.
Get the pinch test from a facelift/neck lift surgeon. The amount of skin you can pinch tells you whether surgery is the right tool.
What I'd avoid: going from one non-surgical treatment to another for years without resolving the issue, aggressive Kybella for the 'fat' when the real issue is skin, promising yourself the redundancy will resolve on its own &mdash; it generally doesn't post-weight-loss.

Kally Papantoniou, MD, FAAD · Answer

CO2 can help with skin texture and some tightening, but it won’t fully address looser, hanging skin on the neck.

For weight loss–related laxity, you’re usually looking at treatments that stimulate deeper tightening, like ultrasound-based devices or collagen remodeling lasers, sometimes in combination. If the laxity is more significant, surgery is the only option that truly removes excess skin.

This is one where an in-person evaluation matters—they can determine how much is skin vs. structure and guide you toward the right level of treatment rather than jumping straight to CO2.

Frank Agullo, MD · Answer

Honestly, no. CO2 laser, even fully ablative, won't fix what you're describing. CO2 lasers are excellent for surface things like fine lines, sun damage, and texture, but they don't tighten loose skin in any meaningful way. After real weight loss, what you're seeing isn't a texture problem, it's a laxity problem, and that's the wrong tool for the job. You'd burn through downtime and money and end up disappointed.

For a 34 year old with a true turkey neck after weight loss, a deep plane neck lift (or an extended deep plane facelift if your jawline has dropped too) is the procedure that actually solves it. It tightens the platysma muscle (the muscle responsible for the cordy hanging look), removes the excess skin, and addresses any fat under the chin in a single procedure. Energy-based devices like Renuvion or Morpheus8 can help if your laxity is on the milder side, but from what you've shared I'd bet you've already passed that point. My advice: book a consult with a deep plane facelift specialist and bring photos from before your weight loss.

#StayBeautiful,

@RealDrWorldWide

34 - turkey neck from weight loss. What would be best for my sagging neck? (Photos)

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