A Nonsurgical Neck Lift That Actually Works! - New York

So, with the benefit of several years post-procedure, here’s my update:

If your platysmal bands show when you speak, smile, etc., botox can be great. If your skin elasticity is still good, this may help *a bit* with some skin slackness. It’s not cheap and you will need to repeat/supplement every 2-5 months. (Most docs offer 2-week free touch ups - take advantage of this!!!) After several treatments, you may find that you need them less frequently. But, you should know that unless you are very lucky or have very minimal banding, you will not get 100% reduction. More like 75 to 80%.

I would not recommend fillers in the lower face or neck. They are hydrophilic and did not look great in the long run, and I think their “anchoring” ability is overrated. I’d recommend silhouette threads (which I’ve tried) or pdo threads (which I haven’t tried) in place of fillers. These are also temporary and not cheap, but much more effective than fillers (for me) and don’t add bulk.

I’d also recommend micro-needling, prp-treatments, red-light therapy (lllt), and a number of facial oils. I also take a number of supplements and eat a lot of good fats, like avocado. And I try to avoid ‘text neck’.

(I do not feel confident about heat-based treatments, because I’ve seen some disappointing and even disturbing results. My understanding is that they work best for people whose problem is excess fat in the area.)

My neck looks better now than it did at 40 (and still no surgery), but I’ve spent a lot of money and time discovering what works for me. For a number of people, surgery is probably the easier/less expensive solution in the long-run.

For what it’s worth, I still think Dr. Novick is a good dermatologist with good ideas. I really was happy with my results at the time and for several months afterward.

I went back to the doctor last week ready for the second step of the procedure, which I assumed would allow me to sail out of the office with a neck that would get me ID'd by bartenders. Alas, it doesn't work quite that quickly, although I'm confident that the final result will be great.

Part 2(a) of the procedure is what's known as a Nefertiti lift, which is actually Botox injections all along the jaw and platysmal muscle. The results take 1-2 weeks to become evident. At day 10, I'm just starting to see the changes, and I suspect I'm going to need a bit more Botox. But I'm trying to be patient.

Fillers will not be added for at least 2 more weeks. The reason is twofold: first, it's possible that the Nefertiti lift alone will be adequate. So, you want to give that a chance to work. Second, even if the Nefertiti lift alone is not sufficient and I do decide to add fillers, there's a big benefit to minimizing the movement of the platysmal muscle. Specifically, the less the muscle moves, the longer the fillers will last. Anyone familiar with how long fillers last in different parts of the face will understand that.

I suspect that I'm going to want to do the whole shebang and add the fillers. I do see even more improvement in my neck bands since the Botox, but I can still see loose skin when I turn my head. So I'm looking forward to Part 2(b) of this procedure, which I'm hopeful will accomplish what I want, which is a neck so youthful looking that it can shop in the juniors section.

I don't know why this review has attracted posters who insist that it's fake or a plug. It isn't. But I have a few points I want to make in response:

1) Yes, the lighting in the pictures is different - because they're my personal pictures that I took with my phone and not formal before and after pics. The before pic wasn't taken with the intention of posting - it was taken for the sole purpose of seeing if my neck looked as bad on camera as I feared (it did).

2) I'm 40 (which is still on the younger side for anti-aging treatments) with generally very good skin elasticity. So if the results aren't dramatic enough for the liking of some, perhaps it's because my neck wasn't that bad to begin with.

3) I'm not trying to convince anyone that this is a substitute for a surgical neck lift or any other treatment. It appealed to me, so I tried it and I liked it. Your mileage may vary.

I found a good before picture, so I figured I'd go ahead and post my results after the first procedure. As you can see, I still have some visible loose skin, but now I can only see it when I raise my chin, whereas before it was evident even with my chin down. I expect or procedure 2 to minimize the appearance even more.