Chest Neck and Décolletage Solutions

Décolletage Solutions At A Glance

  • Best Results2-4 treatments
  • Treatment Recovery1-12 days
  • Procedure Time30-40 min
  • Skin SpecialistNurse, Dermatologist
  • Duration of ResultsYears +
  • AnaestheticNumbing
  • Back to Work1-7 days
  • Cost$$-$$

Chest Neck & Décolletage Solutions

Brisbane’s high UV index accelerates photo aging of the chest, décolletage & neck areas. Skin aging in these areas can present as pigmentation, loose skin, wrinkles, redness and uneven skin texture. Treatments are aimed at treating individual problems. I use a variety of lasers to accomplish an even blend & rejuvenate your skin.

FactsFacts on treating the Chest Neck and Décolletage Solutions

  • Skin aging on these areas can present as discolouration and or skin laxity
  • Treatments will depend on the predominant colour of skin aging- either brown, red, or a mixture of both
  • Some patients present with skin laxity and others with neck banding due to overactive muscles
  • Uneven skin texture can be treated with lasers including vascular lasers, fractional lasers, microneedling & IPL
  • Skin tone, sun damage, and wrinkles can be improved with fractional laser resurfacing
  • A tailored approach will give the best results

Chest Neck and Décolletage Solutions

How to approach neck, chest & decolletage rejuvenation?

There are three variables to consider when rejuvenating this area.

Firstly, discoloration. Sun damage is characterized by mottled red or brown areas on exposed skin in this area.

Solution: IPL or broad- band light, vascular laser, or Fraxel laser resurfacing.

Secondly, laxity. This presents as premature wrinkling leading to neck sag & inevitably severe laxity.

Solution: Biostimulatory dermal fillers, lasers, RF microneedling, HIFU

Thirdly: Neck banding due to platysma bands. Changes in muscle tone results in vertical tension bands.

Solution: Anti-wrinkle injections are very effective in reducing banding. 

All treatments are tailored for the type of sun damage or ageing you have around the neck and chest area.

Chest Neck and Décolletage Solutions

Red neck and chest areas can be treated with lasers, however 3-5 treatments maybe need for optimal outcomes.

What can be done about the mottled discolouration on my neck and chest?

Here is the execution of how I do it. Firstly, consider the color of the neck, chest & decolletage. The normal color is white (look under your chin or further below the chest line). We want to normalize the color discrepancy. You will have one of the following combinations; red, brown or a mix of red & brown. We then employ lasers to treat the different colors. 

IPL or Broad Band Light is used most often. The advantage is that IPL can give a better blend than lasers. We employ different filters, depending on the color variation. Most patients require 2-3 sessions for optimal outcomes. 

Vascular lasers are best for treating skin discolourations that are primarily red. This laser requires 3-5 sessions for best results. It can also marginally improve fine wrinkles on the neck.

Fractional lasers such as Fraxel, LaseMD, Hybrid can treat brown discolouration associated with fine lines, wrinkles & early sag/ neck laxity. 2-4 sessions are required for best results. 

Pigment lasers can be effective if there are areas of sun damage & brown discolouration. We use one of five different lasers (more on that later), including Picosure, Picoway Pro, Spectra Hollywood & other lasers. 2-4 sessions for best results.

Chest treatments with Fraxel and BBL combinations work well.

2223
This condition is called poikiloderma. We find IPL is an excellent way to reduce discolouration. Most cases require 2-3 sessions.

How do I approach MILD neck laxity & wrinkling?

Mild cases of neck laxity & wrinkles will respond to new hybrid biostimulator fillers.

2 sessions are typically required with an additional session if you have marked laxity.

This new filler, released in 2022  stimulates new collagen in turn reducing wrinkles, & deep etched horizontal neck lines. Injected with skill & precision, this product can smooth out horizontal lines, & reverse the signs of aging.

neck-sagging
The algorithm for treating neck laxity, ranging from mild to severe.

How do I approach MODERATE neck laxity & wrinkling?

Moderate neck laxity is treated with biostimulatory fillers & devices that increase collagen & tighten the neck. Combinations include-

  • RF microneedling (Genius RF, Infini RF, Morpheus8
  • Laser resurfacing (CO2, Fraxel, Hybrid)
  • HIFU- Ultherapy (Ultraformer)
  • New biostimulatory fillers (Hybrid fillers released in 2022)

Most cases require 2-4 sessions.

Profhilo-neck
Collagen stimulating fillers can improve lax & sagging skin on the neck & face.

How do I approach SEVERE neck laxity & wrinkling?

For extreme cases of neck laxity & sagging, part of the answer is surgical. Surgery improves tone & platysma banding, however if you still have fine lines & wrinkles, biostimulatory fillers are required. Skin quality can be improved with IPL & lasers. 

Powerful CO2 & erbium lasers, RF & HIFU will have minimal impact in cases of severe neck laxity.

laser-neck-lift
Lasers can be helpful in addressing mild to moderate cases of neck wrinkles & laxity. Collagen stimulators are better, more cost effective & have a much faster healing time than laser resurfacing.

Can skin care help?

Creams have a minimal impact on established cases of laxity & pigmentation. The use of fruit acids, combined with bleaching agents can marginally improve brown discolouration.

A simple anti-aging routine for the neck & chest is-

AM: Ascorbic + Ferulic acids, SPF

PM: Retinoids as tolerated

skin-tightening-cream
Good brand include Obagi, Skinceuticals, La Roche Posay, Aspect Dr, & more.

How can neck bands be treated?

Vertical neck bands are associated with age. They are due to overactive muscles known as the platysma. This muscle is superficially placed in both the neck & face. Though highly visible when you say ‘eeeeee’, platysma is not a powerful muscle. It responds well to anti-wrinkle injections that reduce muscle tone. 

Neck bands; summary

  • As a guide, anti-wrinkle injections: 
  • Take 3 minutes to perform
  • Takes action within a week or two
  • Lasts 3-4 months
  • Can provide a non-surgical neck lift in some cases
  • Are often combined with collagen stimulation dermal fillers. 
neck-botox

Before and after treatment with anti-wrinkle injections. Treatment takes 5-10 minutes and is virtually painless. It last for 3-4+ months.

What can dermal fillers do, & why are they so important in neck & chest rejuvenation?

The most common dermal fillers (as of 2022) are made from a synthetic form of hyaluronic acid (HA), a naturally occurring substance in the skin. HA’s can function in two ways; 

Firstly by adding volume, rehydration & subtleness to the skin as it attracts moisture. 

Secondly by stimulation of dermal collagen, skin & fat cells. This new filler was released in September 2022 in Australia. This groundbreaking dermal filler can markedly reduce skin laxity & wrinkles in only two sessions. Unlike lasers, there is no downtime associated with dermal fillers.

In some cases I also use older technology fillers such as poly-L-lactic acid, & hyper diluted calcium hydroxyapatite. Fillers can be combined with other collagen stimulating procedures such as fractional lasers, RF & HIFU/Ultherapy.

non-surgical neck tightening
The ideal treatment depends on what aspects of neck ageing you have.

 

Can new biostimulation fillers be performed on the same day as laser?

In most cases, yes. Filler is placed in the lower dermis & fat. Lasers target the upper layers of skin. The caveat is when there are deep wrinkles or marked skin laxity, in this case we separate the procedures 5-7 days apart.

dermal-filler-neck
Dermal filler can be combined with superficial treatments on the same day.

How to know what is best for me?

Neck, chest & decolletage rejuvenation follows a very complex algorithm based on key factors such as-

  • Clinical findings- degree of red/brown & mixed discoloration 
  • Degree of laxity- mild, moderate or severe
  • Degree of wrinkles, fine lines & sun damage
  • Your age
  • Your ethnicity
  • Your expectations

To ensure the highest probability of success, a clinical examination is required. You can book an appointment with my senior nurses, or with myself.

Davin-lim-laser-dermatologist
It all starts with an accurate clinical assessment.

How do I approach double chin/s with or without neck laxity?

Double chins are usually due to pre-platysmal fat. The most effective procedure that has the shortest downtime is neck liposuction. This is performed in our operating theater under conscious sedation. 

Neck Liposuction

  • Is effective in over 90% of cases
  • Tightens the neck
  • Sharpens the jawline
  • One session only
  • 48 hour recovery
  • Can be combined with RF microneedling or HIFU for better results

Other less effective treatments that my nurses perform include; 

Coolsculpting Mini

  • 2-3 sessions depending on the amount of chin fat
  • Recovery of 2-5 days
  • Some tightening, especially if inflamed

Deoxycholic or fat dissolving injections

  • 2-4 sessions
  • Marked swelling for one week
  • Nerve damage in 1-3% of cases (self resolving in most)
  • Can tighten the area due to inflammation

Davin’s viewpoint on treating the décolletage, chest and neck areas

Living in Brisbane, the Sunshine State’s capital exposes us to marked UV indexes, as a result, sun damage to exposed areas of the face, neck, chest & décolletage is a very common condition. With the event of new lasers, this once ‘impossible to treat’ condition can now be safely and effectively managed with excellent results that look natural. The flip side? Unlike facial skin, the chest, neck and décolletage areas take many more treatments to achieve the same result.

Patients will present with a combination of either pigmentation and/or skin laxity. A detailed examination will reveal what lasers will be best suited to the skin type. Lasers such vascular lasers will target redness, whilst fractional lasers will target skin laxity, sun damage and brown areas. Most patients will require a combination of treatments for best results.

In late 2022, introduction of a new biostimulatory dermal filler has taken neck & chest-decolletage rejuvenation to a whole new level. It has surpassed lasers & other devices as the treatment of choice for skin laxity as it can tighten mild to moderate cases of neck sagging. Unlike lasers, Profhilo has no downtime. Treatment typically takes 10-15 minutes to perform. With the marked sun damage seen in Queensland, about one quarter of patients require a third dose. 

To summarize, my team & I perform bespoke treatments, tailored to clinical findings. We use various fillers, energy devices, injectables & lasers to improve skin laxity & quality of the chest, neck & decolletage areas.

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