The Aging Neck

Abstract

The isolated necklift is less frequently a focus of scholarly attention. The neck is generally considered to span from the jawline to the clavicle. Signs of aging in the neck often begin to show in the late 30s as the medial platysmal retaining ligaments become attenuated and muscular banding occurs as a result. Other changes of aging include growing prominence of pre- and subplatysmal fat, increasing skin laxity and texture changes, and hypertrophy of the digastric muscles and submandibular glands (which may also become ptotic). As reviewed in this chapter, the aging neck can be dealt with very effectively independently from the face. The ability to uncouple neck rejuvenation from facial rejuvenation is fortunate, as the aging of these regions may not coincide or be of equal concern to a given patient.