You can now beautify your neck without surgery thanks to a combination o Profhilo® and botulinum toxin.
Dr Philippe Kestemont
The neck is a key area for assessing a person’s age. Exposed, mobile and delicate, it requires a specific aesthetic approach. Today’s injectable techniques allow us to act efficiently, targeting both the skin quality and the muscle movement.
ANTI-AGE MAGAZINE: Why does the neck age in such a specific way?
DR Philippe Kestemont: Aging presents differently in this part of the body than in the face. This is because of specific physiological and anatomical factors that have aesthetic repercussions, justifying a targeted treatment.
Aesthetic repercussions specific to the neck:
The signs of aging on the neck are often marked and multifactorial:
• Sagging skin, with a loss of firmness and elasticity (loss of the oval)
• Platysma bands, the result of a hypertonic or hypertrophic platysma muscle (vertical cords that are visible at rest or when contracted, more visible in slim or sporty patients)
• Horizontal wrinkles, also called Venus rings, which are often also visible in younger patients.
Physiological and anatomical factors:
The skin on the neck is thinner and less dense than the facial skin, with a thinner, less vascularised and less dense dermis in terms of its support structure (collagen, elastin fibres, glands, follicles). This weakens the skin and exposes it more to the effects of aging.
Intrinsic aging (natural and inevitable) leads to reduced cell activity in the three layers of the skin (epidermis, dermis, hypodermis), which is responsible for:
• Loss of elasticity
• Less hydration
• Reduced density and tonicity
In addition to natural aging, external aggressions speed up the signs of aging in the neck (sun, pollution, smoking, repeated rubbing, prolonged bad posture or “tech neck”, promoting the appearance of horizontal wrinkles and premature laxity).
The platysma muscle, the superficial muscle of the neck, extends from the collar bone to the jaw. It is responsible for the neck’s superficial movements, particularly the lower facial expressions. Its thin structure, which is not well supported by the cervical fascia, makes it particularly vulnerable to the effects of time (appearance of platysma bands, loss of definition in the jawline, etc.).
AAM: What aesthetic treatments are effective for neck rejuvenation?
DR P.K.: Certain medical aesthetic treatments improve the appearance of the neck and they are effective alternatives to surgery. In my practice, combining Profhilo® with botulinum toxin is an insightful and interesting option within the framework of neck rejuvenation.
A. Why Profhilo®?
Profhilo® is a high-concentration, ultra-pure hyaluronic acid (HA) (64mg HA in 2ml) produced using the NAHYCO® technology patented by IBSA1. This technology allows for the creation of stable, hybrid hyaluronic acid complexes of high (1,100-1,400kDa) and low molecular weight (80-100kDA) in a unique way, without any chemical additives.
With this technology, Profhilo® presents innovative characteristics, namely for treating the neck:
• A gel that is easy to inject, even into difficult areas, thanks to its optimal fluidity (despite its high concentration of HA), allowing for homogenous tissue integration in all three layers of the skin (epidermis, dermis and hypodermis)1,2;
• A unique bio remodelling action that improves the vitality of the skin’s cells (keratinocytes, fibroblasts, adipocytes) responsible for producing collagen and elastin fibres3;
• The absence of chemical additives guarantees its purity, its natural state, with a structure similar to endogenous HA, giving the product an outstanding tolerance and safety profile4.
From a clinical point of view, Profhilo® acts upon skin sagging with a visible action on hydration, firmness and skin density. The skin quality is clearly improved, making it more toned, more radiant and smoother. A complete Profhilo® protocol requires two treatments spaced a month apart.
B. Why botulinum toxin?
Regardless of which botulinum toxin you use, the aim is to reduce the hypertonicity of the platysma muscles. This leads to:
• Reduced platysma bands or dewlap
• Less skin movement caused by the muscles, which reduces “necklace” lines.
• A redefined angle between the neck and chin.
Furthermore, botulinum toxin improves the intrinsic quality of the skin, which complements the action offered by Profhilo®.
C. The “Profhilox” protocol
With regard to Profhilo®, the laboratory has developed an injection technique specific to the neck area and the product (BAP: Bio-Aesthetic Points)5. The BAP technique offers up reproducible, standardised and safe injection sites that avoid the vital structures and allow the product to spread across the whole neck area (Fig.1).
With regard to botulinum toxin, four sub-cutaneous injections are carried out per platysma muscle: 4 UI Allergan or 10 UI Speywood per point (Fig. 2), in the same session as the Profhilo®.
AAM: What are the benefits and expected results?
Before/After photos for results after 3 months (Fig. 3) showing:
• Improved skin quality;
• No more platysma bands;
• Improved neck/jaw angle;
• A synergic action by the two molecules.
Protocol: 1 session of Profhilo® and botulinum toxin, then 1 session of Profhilo® after 1 month, as an attacking treatment.
Duration of results: Protocol to be repeated every 6 months, full Profhilo® treatment and a botulinum toxin injection.
Dr Philippe Kestemont
Dr Philippe Kestemont is a renowned specialist in facial and cervical surgery based in Nice, France. Former intern and clinic head, works in maxillofacial surgery at the university hospital. Member of French and European learned societies, he is a worldwide expert in aesthetic medicine and facial surgery.
More informations: docteurkestemont.com
