Whereas the face can appear younger than one’s actual age through make-up or simple aesthetic procedures, the neck and hands betray one’s age rather honestly. This may be because the unwanted creases that form on the neck are not easy to remove. Important structures such as the esophagus, bronchus, thyroid, carotid artery, jugular veins, and nerves, etc. pass through the neck. Patients are not always seeking treatment in this areas as they think the neck is not as noticeable as the face. Dr. Park Hyunjun of Maylin Anti-aging Clinic will lead this series on neck wrinkle removal, focusing on treatments such as dermal filler, botulinum toxin, HIFU, RF and laser, etc.  

 

Neck wrinkles may the new niche market in the area of anti-aging medicine. I would like to have in-depth discussions of neck wrinkles and treatments over six articles in this series. The series will cover the following topics;

 

1.     Anatomical characteristics of the neck and unique techniques for addressing the aging process of the neck

2.     Minimally invasive procedures (dermal filler, botulinum toxin)

3.     Thread lift

4.     Pressure therapy

5.     Energy based technology (EBT) such as high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) and radiofrequency (RF)

6.     Selective cryolipolysis for removal of submental fat 

 

Patients’ Attitudes Toward Neck Wrinkles

 

Anatomically, the neck stretches from the jowl line to clavicle and is internally passed by important organs such as the esophagus, bronchus, thyroid, carotid artery, jugular veins, and nerves, etc. Five aesthetic conditions of a beautiful neck are as follows:

 

Figure 1. Five conditions of a beautiful neck.

 

1.     Distinct interior mandibular border from mentum to angle, no jowl over hang.

2.     Cervicomental angle between 105° and 120°.

3.     Visible thyroid cart.

4.     Visible SCM.

5.     Subhyoid depression.

 

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Along with the hand dorsum, the neck shows off one’s age quite candidly and is often used as an indicator of a person’s real age. However, there are some cases where visible neck wrinkles form at a young age. Neck wrinkles worsen when the neck skin thins, losing subcutaneous fat, and starts creasing from the dynamic movement of the platysmal muscle. Intrinsic aging and photoaging also contribute toward deep creases in the neck.

 

-To be continued