Plastic surgeons and their male clients agree on one thing: pick one area of the body that gets the most complaints and the biggest desire for a change, and the neck wins hands down. Fortunately new tools, techniques and even non-surgical options exist for men who want to reel back the passage of time with a neck procedure.
by John Hammarley
The Neck Outpaces the Face in Aging
“Men’s necks age often times to a degree more than their faces,” says Lou Bucky, MD of Philadelphia. Daniel Maman, MD, of New York, agrees wholeheartedly.“The reason why the neck is such a popular issue of concern for men in our practice is that it’s the one area that’s very evident,” Dr. Maman says. “Men will see a picture of themselves on a camera or a phone and they immediately hone in on the neck.”
So what options do men have? A neck lift, technically known as a lower rhytidectomy, improves aging signs in the jawline and neck. Those tell-tale examples of mother nature and gravity include excess fat and loose skin in the lower face (starkly called jowls), fatty deposits under the chin, loose neck skin and muscle banding in the neck.
If you’re thinking about having a neck job, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons says you should be a healthy man who doesn’t have any medical conditions that may impair healing, be a non-smoker and someone who has realistic expectations about the surgery and its results. How much a lower rhytidectomy will cost depends on several factors, including where you live and hospital costs. The surgery is very predictable in the hands of a board-certified plastic surgeon and can be done as an outpatient procedure with very little pain. Most people can be comfortable in social situation in two weeks.
No Taste for Surgery? Non-Surgical Options are Potent
Even so, some men aren’t convinced the scalpel is for them. Kybella™ (deoxycholic acid) injections contours and improves the appearance of moderate “double chins.” It’s not a one-time fix. Each in-office treatment session with Kybella™ is typically 15-20 minutes. Many patients experience visible results in two to four treatment sessions spaced at least one month apart. Up to six treatments may be administered.
Last year, the Food and Drug Administration expanded its approval of CoolSculpting for smaller areas, like the neck, with a new miniature applicator, called the CoolMini. Supporters of this approach claim it can clear a smaller amount of neck fat faster than Kybella. To get a 20 percent reduction in under-chin fat, a man must undergo one or two hour-long sessions. During the session, the cold quickly numbs the area, making pain during treatment negligible, but there can be post-treatment pain, swelling, redness, and bruising.
Whatever option you may consider, talk them over with a board-certified plastic surgeon and then get ready for that dashing neck you haven’t seen in years.