kel3 this is not what you're after but I'll tell you the conversation I just had with my dermatologist. When I was in for my regular cancer screening, she wanted to check my eyes for an eyelid dermatitis she treated me for last fall. It's been an ongoing problem and there is tissue damage that will not resolve so I will likely have surgery pretty soon. But I asked about what to do in the meantime and she said there is no cream that will do anything and not to believe any of the claims as they are all bogus. She said you can moisturize and take preventive measures for sun damage but can't outrun genetics or past damage. Pretty discouraging but I think she's right.

Some of the women in Hollywood look like they do excessive neck exercises (Victoria Principal comes to mind). Maybe that in moderation would help? Other than exercises possibly tightening things up a bit, I think something like a Lifestyle lift would be the only way to manage that type of problem.

Candice Bergen had that problem in her forties. She used to wear her clothing to minimize it. Still a beautiful woman!

I had some lines and discoloration on my neck about a year ago. I know that in your fifties, this is not really a shock, but I didn't like it at all. I started using the Neutrogena rapid wrinkle repair every night (I use the night cream in silver bottle buy at Target or Ulta Beauty or drugstore approx. $20) on my neck as well as my face. Well, in a few weeks I saw a REAL improvement. I am a skeptical kinda girl over quick fixes but this was undeniable. All the redness is gone, much of the small wrinkling is gone.
It's $20. Use it every night and see. If it doesn't help YOU, then, you are out $20 and you can shoot me a boo-hoo comment.
I think it works very well, but perhaps you have more happening than I did at the time.

Red

Scarfs have become very popular not only in the winter months, but gauze-y ones to wear in warmer weather. I see many young women wearing them, and it's the perfect fashion accessory for us older women with a not-so-pretty neck. There are also chiffon, silk-like and lace types, in a variety of color, as well as various ways of wrapping/tying. You may feel 'strange' the first time you wear one, but you get used to it.

Check out some of these....

Here is a link that might be useful: these

Thank you so much for your responses!

dlm2000--I worry that your dermatologist is right. I'm still willing to try things as I haven't given up complete hope....yet. ;)

snookums2--I'm interested in exercises. Would love to hear from someone that has seen results from doing neck exercises. And trust me, I watch those Lifestyle lift commercials--just not quite ready to go there yet. :)

redbazel--I'm heading to Target tomorrow and going to buy some of the Neutrogena product. This made me recall reading about this in a magazine. Thanks for the recommendation!

patty cakes--I do love scarves! Thanks for the link. My problem with them is hot flashes!! Anything around my neck sends me into a serious hot flash that doesn't stop. I know I'm in menopause which I'm sure is contributing to my aging skin.

Thanks again everyone--really appreciate your responses and ideas!

Yeah, just when you're at that age when you want to cover your neck, you can't because of hot flashes! How frustrating. But this topic reminded me of Katherine Hepburn who always wore high-necked stuff in later years because she didn't like how her neck looked.

Nora Ephron wrote a charming, funny and witty account of her thoughts on aging titled: "I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts on Being a Woman" She was on Oprah on afternoon and had everyone laughing as she commented on aging and her neck.

Her solution ----scarves!

She was a remarkable woman, journalist, screenwriter (Sleepless in Seattle, You've Got Mail, Julie & Julia, When Harry Met Sally and more)

Here's the description from Amazon.....
"With her disarming, intimate, completely accessible voice, and dry sense of humor, Nora Ephron shares with us her ups and downs in I Feel Bad About My Neck, a candid, hilarious look at women who are getting older and dealing with the tribulations of maintenance, menopause, empty nests, and life itself.

Ephron chronicles her life as an obsessed cook, passionate city dweller, and hapless parent. But mostly she speaks frankly and uproariously about life as a woman of a certain age. Utterly courageous, uproariously funny, and unexpectedly moving in its truth telling, I Feel Bad About My Neck is a scrumptious, irresistible treat of a book, full of truths, laugh out loud moments that will appeal to readers of all ages."

Scarves, turtlenecks or surgery. There aren't too many other solutions. I'm in my mid sixties and my neck is shot to hell. My mom has one of those flesh bubbles under her chin and I can see I am on my way to the same thing. The only thing stopping me from having a neck lift is the expense. Otherwise, I would do it in a heartbeat.

Another option is to age gracefully, like Maggie Smith.

I'm thinking of all the years of not wearing sunblock in my youth, surely that contributed to the old neck area.

I try not to think about it too much, and I try not to move when I look in the mirror, and I also elevate my chin slightly when I'm photographed, I lost weight recently that does not help the neck areaâ¦

The Huffington Post had a short article on Nora Ephron's scarves, turtlenecks and high collared tops. There are some really interesting photos here.

Here is a link that might be useful: Nora's look - lots of photos

Kel--my mom gave me and my sisters the same problem.

My youngest sis and I don't fret too much about it although I hate how I look when I am Facetiming. But, my oldest sister hated it so much that she fell for the commercials for the Lifestyle Lift and had it done without telling me. It was a disaster. It didn't help and she now has an area under her right earlobe where it looks like the skin has been "gathered", permanently.

Don't get a Lifestyle Lift, please.

Spend the extra money and get a real facelift. By someone that won't ruin you.

I disagree with dlm's derm. Prescription strength retin a creams/gels do help eliminate fine lines and improve the texture of skin. It has been shown to improve sun damaged skin. It wont work for sagging skin though. About 3 years ago, I had lipo done under my chin. I am not over weight by any means but did have this little bit of fat collect there. The lipo took out the fat but left the skin a bit loose (I was 56) I had a series of radio frequency treatments done and it helped shrink the skin. I have treatments done once a year now to help maintain my skin. The treatment stimulates the body to produce collagen. Finals results are 4-6 months after last session. Might not work for everyone, depends on the health of your skin, but works well for me. That is one area I find really ages a woman, next is the hands. . ..

Roseabbey, do you know if it was Zerona lipo laser or Sonoma? I don't have a clue what the difference is, but there is a dermatology center in my area that does the Zerona. TIA

No, the lipo was your regular lipo procedure, there was no laser involved. The radiofreqency treatments are not laser treatments either. I have heard of these new machines that do combine lipo and laser in one but I have not had any expereince with them. .

Thanks rose. I may be the guinea pig for you. ;o)

As a hairstylist, I often have my clients, over forty, ask me jokingly,( or not!) what I can do for their necks! Their hair can look gorgeous, but they only see the flaws in their necks. Like others have said above, your choices are basically cover it up, remove it, or embrace it!

I agree with the warnings regarding the Lifestyle Lift. One client had it done and regrets it. She is experiencing numbness and poor results. Research it well before going there.

Exercising? I've done a little thru the years but not long enough to see results so don't know if it actually works.

One that isn't listed is tilting the head back and moving the bottom jaw toward the top, opening and closing your mouth. You can feel the pull in the neck and chin, so i'm guessing if enough exercise is done consistently, it would work. it might be a good idea to start the exercises before anything starts to sag. Mine really isn't too bad and it could be from doing constant sit-ups when I was in my 40's-50's~definitely can be felt in the neck also.

This might help..........

Here is a link that might be useful: neck exercises

Thanks everyone!! So this is what I've done today--went shopping with a scarf around my neck (got overheated and couldn't wait to get it off-ha!), bought the Neutrogena rapid repair, and did the neck excercises shown in the video!! Next, I'm going to order Nora's book :).

Roseabbey--I really think that sounds like what I need to have done eventually. I've seen a dermatologist in the past for skin cancer screenings but she doesn't do anything like that. What kind of doctor does these types of procedures?

Also forgot to add that I did more research on the lifestyle lift (thank you red lover) and all I can say is yikes!! Don't want to go there!! Many scary stories once you start digging.

Thanks again! You are all a wealth of information! :)

kel -I went to a plastic surgeon because of the lipo procedure, but there are derms that do provide non invasion procedures like radio frequency. Good luck...

Thanks for the information roseabbey!