How does MyEllevate® compare to a neck lift? Our Chicago-based Whole Beauty® Institute team is often asked this question by patients who are considering different options to address aging at their neckline.
The neck has a major impact on the facial profile, and restoring this area is an essential aspect of facial rejuvenation. Although many people spend significant time caring for their facial skin, the neck area is often overlooked. Before delving into how various cosmetic treatments can enhance the neck, it’s important to first understand how this area is affected by aging.
The platysma is a thin, superficial sheet of neck muscle that helps to support the neck and participates in some facial expressions. If you position your fingers around your neck and grimace, you can feel the platysma activate as it contracts. With the aging process the platysma loses its tone, many patients experience two strips of muscle that run vertically down each side of the neck, known as platysmal bands. The neck may develop other cosmetic concerns such as sagging skin, a double chin, neck creases, and “turkey neck”—the name for sagging or wrinkled skin on the neck area.
The skin above the platysma weakens and sags as it loses elasticity, while the muscle itself can become lax due to aging, contributing to the loss of a cleanly-defined neck. Moreover, the skin on the neck is much thinner than that of the face, so signs of aging may look more prominent here.
Neck bands are very common and natural, but if you dislike the way they look, there are ways to improve the area’s appearance. Fortunately, there are two highly effective treatment options to restore the neck area: MyEllevate® and a surgical neck lift. The best choice for you depends on your specific goals and needs.
Here’s what you should know about these two treatments to help you decide which option is right for you.
MyEllevate®
MyEllevate® is a minimally invasive procedure that involves the use of an ICLED® light-guided system to insert and position sutures through tiny openings to elevate and set underlying structures in the neck. This treatment is ideal for relatively young patients who don’t have too much skin laxity. The structure of their cheeks and jawline may still be in good condition, but they may be experiencing sagging of the platysma muscle. If you’re experiencing changes that are not only in the skin but affecting the underlying platysma muscle, other minimally invasive options such as radiofrequency treatments may not adequately address these concerns.
In the past, a surgical facelift or isolated neck lift was the only way of correcting these issues, but now there’s a new option: MyEllevate®.
MyEllevate® releases tightened neck muscles, improving the appearance of pronounced neck bands. The treatment weaves a supportive hammock to support the muscles and the area below the chin, helping to improve the definition of the jaw and neckline. Unlike a neck lift, this procedure does not require incisions, open surgery, or the removal of skin.
While the treatment is not the same as a facelift or neck lift, MyEllevate® provides natural-looking and long-lasting results. Patients will generally have an easier recovery after MyEllevate®. This procedure is usually completed in a little more thanan hour with local anesthesia, there is minimal downtime, and most patients resume light activities within a few days.
Neck Lift
A neck lift (platysmaplasty) is the gold standard for addressing loss of tone in various zones of the neck area. It restores a firmer, smoother, and more contoured neckline via surgery.
If you haveloose, heavy skin on the neck, a neck lift will be more effective for tightening this skin when compared toMyEllevate®. The procedure is ideal for improving a double chin, turkey neck, excessive fat or sagging skin, and excessive wrinkling.
Simply put, neck lift surgery tightens loose skin and muscles and restores them to the natural position of youth. The goal is to smooth the neck and sculpt a sharper jawline, creating a more streamlined profile and youthful appearance. Unlike MyEllevate®, a neck lift can remove loose skin around the neck area. This can be ideal for patients who want dramatic results. A neck lift is performed as an outpatient procedure under local anesthesia, and there will be around two to four weeks of recovery time. Often a neck lift is combined with jaw border lifting for a balanced rejuvenation of the lower portions of the face. With this power comes the need to accept surgical incisions, but these can usually be well-hidden by an experienced surgeon. Results can last for years since the surgery essentially “resets” the clock. In other words, facial tissues will continue to age, but from the new, more youthful-looking point established by the neck lift.
Our Chicago-based Whole Beauty® Institute team can help you decide which type of treatment is best for enhancing your neck area. Call us at (Chicago Gold Coast Office) or 847-446-7562 (North Shore (Winnetka) Office), or