But many of the goals of a neck lift can be achieved with a nonsurgical facelift. Not only does this allow for a more defined jawline, it also tightens the skin of the neck, without a need for surgery.
What Causes Loose Skin in the Neck
Loose skin in the neck could be caused by accumulated fat. Fat accumulating in this area can be hard to remove once it’s begun to accumulate.
But if you have loose skin in the neck without fat accumulation, it’s due at least in part to a loss of volume in the mouth and jaw, either because of bone loss or worn or lost teeth. Bone loss in the jawbone is natural with age, and for many people, tooth wear, damage, or loss is, too.
As your jawbone shrinks, it can lose the width and some of the shaping that helps define your jawbone. As your teeth shrink, your jaw will close upward, creating an empty area under the chin where the jaw used to be. The skin from this empty area will sag and drape.
Two Solutions to Loose Skin in the Neck
The problem with the neck is that the balance between the jaw and the skin has been disrupted. There are two basic solutions to this problem. One is to remove the “excess” skin. Another is to restore the lost volume in the jaw.
A neck lift is used to remove excess skin and and other tissue from under the chin. This involves incisions behind the ear and under the chin. Skin and the layer of muscles in the neck are trimmed and then stretched to be tight over the new chin line. This can be combined with neck liposuction to remove fat.
A nonsurgical facelift, on the other hand will restore the volume lost in your mouth because of tooth wear, tooth loss, and bone changes. Your jaw will be restored to its youthful position, and your smile to its youthful healthy brilliance.
Which Is Right for You?
So how do you decide which is the right rejuvenation procedure for you? If you have problems with other tissue hanging loose under your neck, such as the platysma or extra fat, then a neck lift might be the right choice.
On the other hand, if the loose tissue under your chin is primarily skin, then a nonsurgical facelift is the right choice for you. And if you have badly damaged teeth, worn teeth, or missing teeth, a nonsurgical facelift can restore them while providing rejuvenation.
In marginal cases, the benefits of a nonsurgical facelift (no surgery recovery time or risks, no worry about deformation that might occur with skin stretching) mean that it’s probably the better choice.
Do you want to learn how a nonsurgical facelift in Hilton Head might be able to help you rejuvenate the appearance of your neck, please call (843) 706-2999 today for an appointment with a cosmetic dentist at Beyond Exceptional Dentistry.
