As people spend more time on their smartphones, tablets, and other digital devices, a new condition has been bringing people into plastic surgery practices around the country.
Tech Neck (or Text Neck) Explained
As you look down at those devices, you strain the skin of your neck. This causes a crease that will eventually start to show permanently. The more time spent staring down, the more pronounced your tech neck symptoms can develop around the neck, chin and jaw.
Symptoms, or signs of signs of premature aging, include:
• loosened, sagging skin
• horizontal lines and wrinkles
• skin folds and creases
• often a double chin.
Preventative Steps to Reverse the Effects of Tech Neck
There are some simple ways you can prevent tech neck.
If you take the right steps, tech neck can largely be reversed or at least diminished in appearance. Of course, these steps are only preventative measures against future problems.
- Break your tech habit, limit the time spent staring down at your phone or tablet.
- When you do use them, try holding them at eye level.
The Help of a Facial Plastic Surgeon
Some of the symptoms related to tech neck are a natural part of the process of aging. But this process can accelerate with the use of handheld technology. To erase the damage that has already been done, you’ll need the help of a facial plastic surgeon.
Treating Tech Neck Non-Surgically
If you aren’t experiencing skin laxity then there may be some non-surgical options for you to choose.
- Injectable dermal fillers. There are several types that can create volume and plump creased areas, diminishing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Fillers are biocompatible and safe to inject into the skin, although they will only last for six months to a year on average.
- Botox and Dysport work to freeze the muscles that cause wrinkles in the skin. Depending on where your creases are located, you might be able to treat them temporarily with Botox injections for a smoother, more youthful look.
Treating Tech Neck Surgically
Typically those who have a neck lift (platysmaplasty) performed are in their 30s and 40s. But with the prolific use of technology among young people, patients as young as their 20s seek out the procedure.
The Neck Lift Procedure
During your surgery, most often performed under local anesthesia with sedation, Dr. Bustillo will address the aging-related (and tech) concerns of your neck.
- Small incisions will be placed along the lower hairline (mimicking those used for facelift surgery) and then beneath the chin.
- The neck will be lifted and wrinkles and creases will smooth out.
- The neck muscles can also then be tightened and excess fat cells will be removed or redistributed.
- Finally, excess skin will be trimmed away and your incisions will be sutured closed.
A neck lift procedure, which mostly concentrates on the lower face and jaw line, is the perfect complement to a facelift procedure. By combining these two refining procedures, patients are able to receive a complete facial rejuvenation. The sagging skin and tissue of the lower face are removed, the chin and jaw are defined, and the neck is smoothed. Skin folds, excess fat cells, and deep wrinkles can all be a thing of the past.
The Neck Lift Consultation
Before your surgery you will have a consultation with Dr. Bustillo. During this appointment he will review your medical history, current lifestyle habits, and any past surgeries. He will then take a look at your neck and lower face to determine what changes will be needed. Your desired results for the procedure are always discussed so that the two of you can work together to create an effective treatment plan.
Contact Us for a Complimentary Consultation
Dr. Andres Bustillo, M.D., F.A.C.S. is one of a select few double board certified facial plastic surgeons. He is board certified by both the American Board of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery and the American Board of Otolaryngology — Head & Neck Surgery.
Because he is a facial specialist, he does not perform surgery on any area of the body other than the face. This specialization and experience has allowed him to get results for patients with a range of facial shapes, features, and skin types. By continuing to build his experience and keep up on the latest advancements, Dr. Bustillo has built his reputation as someone who produces natural, long-lasting results.
- Over 50 percent of his practice is dedicated to rhinoplasty and revision rhinoplasty. The rest is devoted to other types of facial rejuvenation surgery.
- He performs over 300 nasal surgeries a year.
- Twenty-five percent of his patients come from outside the United States.
- Twenty percent of his patients are other doctors and their families.
He and his team can be contacted by phone at 305-663-3380 or by email through the contact form. The office of Dr. Bustillo is here to answer your questions, and help you to plan your initial consultation. You can also directly contact our patient care coordinator, Jessica, by email. Dr. Bustillo is committed to total patient care and support through his practice based just south of Miami, in beautiful and historic Coral Gables, Florida.
