Botox Being Used for Mini-Neck Lift

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I read in the January issue of Oprah magazine that, "according to NYC dermatologist David Colbert, 'injectables such as Botox and Radiesse can soften the appearance of ropy neck muscles.'"

I had the Botox procedure done last October. There won’t be any before and after pictures just yet. I’ll tell you why later.

The condition of two very prominent rope-like muscles running down from the jaw to the clavicle is called platysmal banding.

Doctors offer various explanations because each case is different.

Platysmal banding is ascribed to:

1. Loss of tone and muscular atrophy of the medial platysmal borders;

2. Stretching of the platysma muscle and the fascia (connective tissue binding muscles together); or

3. Splitting of the platysma muscle which causes a distinct depression in the center and accentuates the appearance of the muscular ropes.

All of these causes can be addressed by surgery. However there are other options that may help postpone a surgical neck lift in many cases.

You’ll find a good discussion about the Botox procedure by physicians on RealSelf.com.

Dallas facial plastic surgeon D.J. Verret, MD notes that, "Great caution must be used as injection in the neck area can lead to difficulty swallowing. This will resolve once the Botox Cosmetic has worn off."

Problems with swallowing occur if injections are given too deeply and inject Botox into the swallowing muscles beneath the platysma.

Please come back tomorrow for why Botox May Not Be Enough for Ropey Neck.

[Disclaimer: This article should not be taken as medical advice. Consult a physician to decide what's right for you.]

Tags: neck lift, Botox mini-neck lift, causes of platysmal banding, causes of ropy neck, exercises for neck muscle atrophy, Botox plus filler mini-neck lift