How can I tighten skin on my neck?

Question

I'm 44. When I swallow/stretch my neck, I have vertical wrinkles in the center of my neck. I also have a more prominent muscle on the right than the left. If I clench my teeth, the edge of a muscle sticks out in the center of my neck on the left side only. If I tilt my head to the left, the skin is lax and crepey. This doesn't happen on the right because of the large muscle see pic). How can I tighten the skin?

Raffy Karamanoukian, MD, FACS · Answer

Morpheus 8 is a non-invasive skin and soft tissue tightening treatment that is consistently amazing in our patients. We use the Morpheus to exact fractional induced RF into the skin or tissue in order to tighten collagen and stimulate contraction of the tissue. For acne scars, it is quite useful to build collagen in patients who have atrophic scars but is not very productive for ice-pick scars which require TCA Cross. For tissue tightening, Morpheus is ideal for the face and neck and we often combine it with CO2 laser or Ultherapy to further enhance results. Chemical peels and skin resurfacing should be done at least 5 to 7 days after, but can be performed earlier, depending on treatment severity. Avoid exfoliating skin treatments before Morpheus and expect a period of 2-4 weeks for skin contraction to set in.

Best, 
Dr. Karamanoukian 
Realself100 Surgeon

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

​A combination of non-surgical options like Kybella, PDO NovaThreads, Ultherapy and Thermage would do well in combination for skin tightening for the neck. VASER Liposuction (with ThermiRF, Renuvion and InMode FaceTite) is a great alternative for contouring and tightening the chin and neck and can be combined with a neck lift at the same time, if you're a candidate. I suggest getting a formal evaluation with a cosmetic dermatologist to develop a long-term treatment plan that works for you. Best, Dr. Emer.​

Amir Nakhdjevani, MBBS, MRCS, FRCS(Plast) · Answer

Thank you for your question. Neck Rejuvenation is often used in conjunction with a Concept™ Facelift, in order to provide rejuvenation to the whole area. Neck Rejuvenation can include tightening the platysma muscle which can be an extra procedure which some patients may need to ensure a tight contour neck.  Tightening of the platysma muscle (also know as platysmaplasty) will require a small incision under the chin away from direct view to gain access to the front edge of the muscle on the neck; they are sutured together with permanent stitches.  The muscles of the neck are the foundations and building blocks of the neck are fundamental to achieving a tight and toned result. Alternatively, some patients may need neck liposuction, for those who have excess fat under the chin.  Overall, to obtain the best results a combination of neck rejuvenation procedure maybe needed. Neck Rejuvenation is often used in conjunction with a Concept™ Facelift, in order to provide rejuvenation to the whole area. I perform my facelift and neck lift under local anaesthetic, meaning minimal bruising and swelling is experienced by patients.  This significantly reduces the recovery time experienced, therefore patients being able to return to their daily lives with public view within 5-7 days.  This is why it is important to have a comprohensive consultation with a reputable and qualified plastic surgeon who can assess you properly to give you a realistic idea of what outcome can be achieved.Best Wishes

David Shafer, MD, FACS · Answer

From your description, it sounds like you have two issues.  1) loose skin and 2) asymmetric and prominent muscles.  Let's start with #2.  For a non-invasive way to reduce the appearance of the muscles, you can try having Botox injections into the muscles.  This will weaken the muscles and make them less prominent.  Botox is temporary and you will need to have injections two to three times per year.  Alternatively, you could have a neck lift.  In this procedure, the muscles are tightened.  At the same time, it will address your other concern (loose skin).  If the loose skin a primary concern for you, then you want to choose the neck lift option as there are not any good non-invasive procedure which cause significant skin tightening.

	 

	Good Luck.

Robert Applebaum, MD · Answer

At 44 years old I would investigate using radiofrequency energy treatments for skin tightening. Deep horizontal or vertical neck lines can be very difficult to remove. Make sure you are using sun screen and limiting sun exposure because this will make the lines worse.

How can I tighten skin on my neck?

Answers (6)

Answer: Tightening Skin / Muscles of the Neck

Answer: Tightening Skin / Muscles of the Neck

Answer: How to tighten the skin on the neck

Answer: How to tighten the skin on the neck

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Everything you need to know about Skin Tightening

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How can I tighten skin on my neck?

Answers (6)

Answer: Tightening Skin / Muscles of the Neck

Answer: Tightening Skin / Muscles of the Neck

Answer: How to tighten the skin on the neck

Answer: How to tighten the skin on the neck

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Skin Tightening

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.