Neck Sculpting Without Surgery—Here’s How It’s Possible

Ultherapy

Harnessing the power of high-intensity focused ultrasound energy to reach deep below the skin’s surface, Ultherapy jump-starts collagen production for a tighter look. Short Hills, NJ facial plastic surgeon Alexander Ovchinsky, MD says younger patients with minimal skin laxity are great candidates for Ultherapy. 

Ultherapy is a micro-focused ultrasound that targets the platysma, and deep dermis in the neck, which helps tighten skin, explains Duxbury, MA plastic surgeon Christine Hamori, MD. One thing to note: the best results surface about three to six months post-procedure, and experts recommend getting the treatment once a year to help maintain results.

SkinTyte

Concord, CA plastic surgeon Eric Mariotti, MD employs SkinTyte using the Sciton BBL device to combat sagging neck skin non-surgically. “SkinTyte uses infrared light to heat the deeper layers of the skin. This heating is what leads to collagen synthesis and contraction,” he explains. “The device also has a cooling crystal to protect the surface of the skin while allowing the energy to heat the deeper layers of the skin. The light energy is delivered in short, rapid pulses, which leads to the appearance of increased skin tightness.”

Thermage

In addition to Ultherapy, Arcadia, CA, plastic surgeon Art Yu, MD also recommends Thermage for beginners. “Thermage uses radiofrequency energy and can reduce the fine wrinkles, making the skin texture smoother and tighter,” explains New York plastic surgeon William Lao, MD.

Botox Cosmetic

Various injectables can help take the neck back in time a few years. “If the patient has vertical bands in the central portion, which usually are separated platysma muscle bundles, I would offer botulinum toxin injection, which usually requires anywhere from 30 to 60 units, unless the bands are too heavy,” says Dr. Yu. “For horizontal lines or wrinkles, some botulinum toxin injection might also work.” In general, Botox Cosmetic in the neck is best for younger patients with less prominent lines.

Kybella

New York plastic surgeon Daniel Y. Maman, MD suggests Kybella injections. “Kybella is an injectable to dissolve submental fat,” explains Troy, MI, plastic surgeon Anthony Youn, MD. “This is great for people who have double chin fat and want an effective solution.” Each Kybella injection contains a synthetic form of deoxycholic acid to permanently kill fat cells in the targeted area.

PRP injections

Dr. Lao says PRP (platelet-rich plasma) injections can work for deeper neck wrinkles. Although it’s often used for wound healing or hair restoration, it has some volume augmentation effects that may be beneficial for the neck, he explains.

Morpheus8

Dr. Ovchinsky says he usually offers Morpheus8 or ThermiTight to his patients with moderate to severe laxity who are not interested in surgical options. “Morpheus is a combination of radiofrequency with microneedling and usually requires three treatments for the full result,” says Dr. Ovchinsky.

ThermiTight

ThermiTight is unique in that it is “injectable radiofrequency.” Dr. Ovchinsky explains that during a ThermiTight treatment “a small radiofrequency needle is used to deliver the energy directly to the undersurface of the skin.”

PDO threads

While technically not surgical, PDO thread lifts are a bit more invasive than other treatments on the list. However, it’s worth noting that Dr. Yu says, in certain cases, PDO threads could be very useful in tightening up the neck.

CoolSculpting

Dr. Lao notes that CoolSculpting is a solid option for achieving a more sculpted look. “Coolsculpting can reduce the thickness of subcutaneous fat in the submentum,” says Dr. Youn. “This non-invasive treatment uses cold [temperatures] to target fat and destroy it.” Once the fat has been destroyed, the body gradually removes it by natural means. It’s important to note that CoolSculpting does not tighten the skin, so it’s best for people with unwanted fat and relatively tight skin.

Microneedling

Some experts suggest trying microneedling, which Pittsburgh plastic surgeon Leo R. McCafferty, MD notes was recently approved by the FDA to treat wrinkles on the neck. “Microneedling treatments work well for necks with mildly loose skin where patients are not quite surgical candidates but want to be proactive about keeping their necks as young-looking as possible,” says Dr. Maman.

Filler

Another injectable option for the neck: fillers. These hyaluronic acid-based injectables work by adding volume to lines and wrinkles, therefore plumping them out for a smoother appearance. While filler won’t fix sagging in the area, it will give the neck a more youthful, sculpted appearance.

Lasers

“Lasers are also a good in-office treatment, but may require a little more downtime of four to seven days,” says Dr. Attenello. “Certain lasers have slightly lower settings to address the skin of the neck—this can improve sun or age spots, fine lines, as well as improve the skin’s elasticity.”

Studies have shown that fractional CO2 lasers are an effective treatment for improving skin laxity and jowling together with skin surface pigmentation. This carbon dioxide laser removes top-level skin cells so new skin can surface. At the same time, it penetrates the deeper skin layers to stimulate collagen production, which ultimately tightens and plumps the skin.

As Dr. Attenello mentioned, these lasers can have quite a bit of downtime. Lasers with less downtime, like Clear + Brilliant, typically need multiple sessions in order to see visible results. Regardless of which laser you decide to choose, those with medium to deep skin tones should proceed with caution.

Creams

Whether you want an after-care cream to maintain results or you’re looking to see if a product is enough to tighten your skin on its own, experts have a couple of recommendations. Dr. McCafferty, MD suggests Revision Skincare Nectifirm ($94) and PCA Skin Perfecting Neck and Décolleté ($84) and Dr. Hamori suggests Alastin Restorative Neck Complex ($110).