Neck bands are vertical bands which run up the neck from the chest and fan upward and outward to the jaw. They are caused by the ‘platysma’, a muscle tissue that runs vertically up the neck. Once the platysma muscle is contracted during a grimace or by clenching the teeth, then bands may become prominent. Age, genetics, weight fluctuations, and sun damage can cause these neck bands to be more or less prominent in an individual.