Excessive fat and loose skin exposed to years of gravity combine to create a sagging neck. Exercises can help to build the muscles that hold up the neck, fill in some of the space left by fat that you've lost and provide support to the remaining skin. Procedures that range from minimally invasive lifts to major plastic surgery commonly are used to remove and lift sagging neck skin, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Step 1
Receive Botox injections in the main muscles that run from under the chin to the base of the neck and often stand out when loose skin begins to form. According to the Cleveland Clinic, Botox injections are performed on an outpatient basis and require little or no downtime.
Step 2
Go under the knife for a cervicoplasty, the medical term for a neck lift. You'll typically receive liposuction to remove any excess fat from the minor incision made under your chin and behind your ears at the hairline. Muscles are pulled taut and sagging skin cut off. Recovery from a neck lift usually takes 10 days to two weeks, although intense physical activity typically is curbed for about three weeks.
Step 3
Consider a procedure that utilizes sutures with tiny barbs on them to pull up the sagging skin. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, the procedure is performed in a doctor's office in less than an hour with effective results. Once the sutures are in place, collagen rushes to the area to heal the damage, adding to the firmness of the area. It is a minimally invasive procedure that requires only local anesthetic. Patients return to normal activities within a couple days.
Step 4
Sit or stand and lift your head so that you are looking at the ceiling to build muscles under the chin and reduce the amount of sagging skin that develops. According to Shape Your Face, all the muscles in your neck tighten when you press your tongue on the roof of your mouth while it's tilted. Hold for a couple seconds and then lower your head while maintaining the pressure of your tongue. Relax and repeat 10 times a day.
Tips and Warnings
- While many over-the-counter sagging skin treatments are ineffective and costly, a dermatologist can prescribe a topical application that could relieve some of the looseness of your neck skin, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Talk to a specialist before undergoing any drastic procedure to see if she can provide a less intrusive treatment first.
- Choose an experienced doctor to provide Botox injections because serious complications can occur if done incorrectly. The toxins can spread to other parts of your face and cause paralysis and botulism, according to the Mayo Clinic. Other risks include nausea, vomiting, pain at the site of the injection and redness.
Things You'll Need
- Botox
- Neck Lift
- Skin-tightening prescription
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