Sinclair Tatler talks about the use of Silhouette Soft to treat saggy necks
Non-invasive facelift treatment Silhouette Soft threads can be used to lift sagging skin in the neck area, according to journalist Mary Killen. In an article for Tatler, she describes the procedure, in which polylactic-acid threads are sewn into her skin before being gently pulled to lift the skin. The treatment stimulates the body's production of collagen, adding to the firming effect. Killen said the procedure was pain-free and took an hour, with no recovery time.
The exercises required me to throw back my head, attempt to touch my nose with my tongue then smile broadly. I should do this for five minutes a day, three days a week. 'It's never too late to start,' she assured me. I believed her, but she hadn't taken my laziness into account.

I decided to look for a solution independent of self-discipline. Surgery? The irreversibility puts me off. I don't want to lose the ability to convey a nuanced glance. But then someone said: 'Things have moved on since the Bride of Wildenstein. You wouldn't need a full facelift, just a neck and lower face. Go and see Rajiv Grover - he's the best in the business.'

Mr Grover has honed the schmoozing to a fine art. I enjoyed every second in his Harley Street rooms, listening to his philosophy, his reservations and his reassurances - to the extent that I almost wanted to submit to his knife, just to spend more time with him.

And this was before I'd seen his before-and-after photographs. First, we see the patient in his or her prime, then 10 years on, then before and after Grover's intervention.

He will not consult without seeing these

early photos. It's clever of him to require this, because then the surgical skill can be combined with his artistic talent, along with a sort of clairvoyance. The 'after' pictures show patients who are recognisably themselves - just smoother, but not stretchedly smoother, versions. They are perter. Perter in the sense of happier and more confident. Grover has lifted not only their jawlines but also their spirits.

He accepts my congratulations but tells me: 'It's not just about the skin. There are muscles in the neck that form a hammock and we very carefully tighten these in different directions according to their vectors [the natural lines of the face that the skin and muscles follow]. There really is no non-surgical way to do this.'

In pursuit of a less invasive option, I consult Dr Tracy Mountford. She has me make faces while she studies me and pulls at my face and neck. Then she talks frankly: 'Surgery is almost always the best option, but a lot of people don't want to run the risk. We could do a good job if we combined Ultherapy and CoolSculpting.'