Perfecting that often hard-to-treat area of the neck isn’t easy but, as seen on an upcoming episode of The Kardashians, Kim Kardashian may have found her solution via “neck Botox.”
As reported on by Page Six, the reality star—who is often quiet when it comes to admitting most aesthetic treatments—revealed she couldn’t use her neck muscles to sing because “half of mine are probably Botoxed…” when discussing an upcoming family album on the show’s teaser.
A Trending Procedure
While injecting neurotoxins in the neck isn’t necessarily new, Troy, MI plastic surgeon Anthony Youn, MD predicted it was “a big trend that is only getting bigger” when we picked his brain about the procedure a few years back.
Is Neck Botox Safe?
Doctors have been doing neck Botox for awhile, and the FDA has approved Botox One (not to be confused with Botox Cosmetic) for treating cervical dystonia—a movement disorder that causes involuntary muscle spasms in the neck—in adults. “We’ve been doing botulinum toxin in the neck for more than a decade,” New York dermatologist Heidi Waldorf, MD shared with us in an earlier interview. “It’s not really brand-new, but it is being talked about in the media again.”
How Does Neck Botox Work?
According to Dr. Youn, injecting Botox into the vertical neck bands (called platysmal bands) can cause the bands to smooth, and you will usually see the results in about a week. “This is because the bands are caused by the platysma muscle, which can become stretched out and droop with age. When this muscle contracts—like when you grimace or make certain facial expressions—it can cause vertical bands to form. Botox prevents the platysma from contracting, thereby smoothing the bands and the neck.” Adds Dr. Waldorf, “The areas between the bands can also be treated with microinjections of dilute botulinum toxin to soften it further.”
An added bonus: Treating the neck and along the jawline is part of what is sometimes called the ‘Nefertiti lift’ because. in addition to improving the neck, it can help define the jawline, Dr. Waldorf explains.
Who Is a Candidate for Neck Botox?
While Dr. Youn says the injections are very effective, he emphasizes that they will not successfully lift a sagging neck. “The treatment is best suited for someone who doesn’t have significant sagging skin or submental (under chin) fat, but who has prominent platysmal bands and/or neck rings,” Dr. Waldorf says.
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