"It was just very loose looking," Connie Fee, 52, of Oreland, Pennsylvania said. But because she's a receptionist at Philadelphia Institute of Dermatology, she started with something easy, $60 cream called Nectifirm.
"It's a product I absolutely love." The ingredients are said to hydrate and tighten the skin. Connie has been using it for two years but is now looking for something she doesn't have to use nightly.
So she's getting a treatment with the pixel laser. It costs about $500- 800 dollars per treatment... And you'll need three. The laser fires deep down in the skin regenerating skin cells.
Dr. Algrid Mameniskis of Rittenhouse Plastic Surgery said the laser, some chemical peels and even botox can work if you're looking for mild to moderate results. Some exercises can also make a small difference.
Recently another product has come onto the market. The 'Neckline Slimmer' is featured on an infomercial. A spokesperson says using the $20- device just two minutes a day you can smooth, lift and firm your neckline.
As a plastic surgeon, Dr. Mameniskis is skeptical that the Neckline Slimmer can producer dramatic results. "Just the way it's designed, how it works, I think there's really no way it's going to help," he said, adding the models seen in the before and after pictures appear to have had some cosmetic-type surgery.
But the company owner says the models did not have any surgeries and the photos are not photoshoped. He says the device does work by improving muscle tone in the neck.
But if you are looking for quicker, more dramstic results, other more invasive options include surgery.
Traditional or less invasive 'smartlipo' gets rid of the fat but skin tightening may be unpredictable. That's why this procedure is better for younger patients. It costs $3,500 to 4,500 dollars.
Lipo. can also be combined with other procedures such as a mini face or neck lift to help with sagging skin. This adds about $1,000 dollars, totalling to $4,500 -5,000 dollars.
More involved procedures can cost up to $8,000 dollars. It all depends on the area and what you want.
Connie, who can expect results within a few weeks from her first laser treatment said, "I'm not trying to look 30 again, I would just like to look as good as I can look at my age."
Obviously the downtime for that procedure is much less than the more involved surgical procedures. As for other simple exercises, there are some yoga moves that are said to help. "The Yoga Face" by Annelise Hagen is a good resource for some of these exercises that are said to have some effect over time.
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