Procedures
Neck Lift
What to Expect
- Anesthesia: General or IV sedation
- Length of surgery: 3-6 hours
- Outpatient/inpatient: Outpatient
- Adjunct procedures: Brow lift, upper blepharoplasty, lower blepharoplasty, fat grafting, liposuction
- Recovery: 2 weeks
Your neck is a part of your body that is among the most prone to show signs of age. Various factors influence this: your genetics, lifestyle, the sun and gravity are several factors that can ultimately impact the way your neck appears over time. Additionally, a lot of skin care in the past, has focused on the face. Many people may have ignored the skin on their neck and decolletage for decades, resulting in aging of this area relative to the face, which can become quite noticeable.
With normal aging, the main neck muscle, known as the platysma, or strength tissues, stretches and weakens. Combine this weakening of the main neck muscle with loss of skin laxity, aging, increased fat deposition and fat redistribution, jowls along the jawline, a double chin and an undesirable “turkey neck” can develop. Loss of fat from lower portion of the neck can also cause platysma bands, known as vertical bands, to form across the neck, while relatively fat is deposited beneath the chin and in the top portion of the neck. These flaws can, unfortunately, lead to self-consciousness, preventing your confidence from truly shining. If you have any of these cosmetic flaws, there’s no need to worry – a variety of procedures may be indicated depending on your specific issue.
A facelift is a surgical procedure that can improve your neck and lower facial appearance by restoring the smoother, sharper contours associated with a youthful neck and jawline. Further contouring of the face and neck with liposuction and fat grafting helps redistribute fat to a more youthful position.
By definition, A full facelift includes a neck lift. More minimal facelift procedures, like short scar facelifts or mini facelifts, often will not address the neck. It is unusual for a patient who requires contouring of the neck, because of a turkey neck, for example, not to also need contouring of the lower face. Many patients have misconceptions about what a facelift can address. A facelift is mainly used to rejuvenate the lower face with focus on removing jowls along the jawline. The procedure also improves the nasolabial fold area and lower midface. The incision of a full facelift allows access to address the neck.
If you are a resident of Edina, MN, or surrounding communities and aren’t pleased with your neck’s appearance, please contact Edina Plastic Surgery by calling 612-688-3177 or visit our contact page. We can schedule a facelift consultation with you, during which a personalized approach toward neck and lower facial rejuvenation can be devised.
Personalizing Your Neck Lift Procedure
A variety of different procedures may be appropriate to achieve a more youthful neck, which depends on the patient’s age, overall skin quality and what he or she would like to change about the look of their neck. We’ll describe three options below based on some of the most common neck complaints. All of these procedures can be performed on an outpatient basis.
Patients with excess skin on their neck, which creates a turkey neck, and jawline, causing jowls, will benefit from a full facelift. This procedure involves an incision beneath the chin and around the ears, possibly extending into the hairline to address excess skin. This approach also allows tightening of the platysma muscle. Tightening the platysma muscle allows a tighter angle to be recreated beneath the chin, which is a hallmark of a youthful appearing neck. With aging, fat also redistributes in the neck. Liposuction beneath the chin may need to be performed to reduce a double chin. It is usual with a full facelift that patients also address the eyes at the same time with upper or lower lid blepharoplasty to give a comprehensive, rejuvenated look.
Younger patients with good skin quality and a double chin, for example, may benefit from liposuction alone. This can be done through three small incisions – two behind the earlobes and one beneath the chin. The procedure involves removing fat from beneath the chin and then, with time and compression, the overlying skin tightens over the platysma muscle, which is still in a good position with good support in younger patients.
Botox alone may be a good option for you, if your main concern is vertical banding of the platysma muscle of the neck. Botox is an injection that must be repeated every three to six months. Platysma banding can be addressed in a full facelift as well, but will often reoccur over time, requiring Botox for long-term management of the issue.
Your surgeon can help you decide what procedure is the right one to help you achieve your goals. We will always recommend the least invasive option that will deliver the results you desire.
Preparing for Neck Lift
Your neck lift begins with a meeting with one of our board-certified surgeons, during which any questions and concerns you may have can be addressed. Our surgeons are friendly and compassionate, so don’t hesitate to ask them any questions. We want to ensure your neck lift journey is a pleasant one.
Your initial meeting is an excellent time to review additional procedures that may work well with your neck lift, creating a holistically rejuvenated face. Other procedures that may be reviewed include a brow lift, which treats deep creases along the forehead, or blepharoplasty, which is performed to treat eyelids that sag. Combining your neck lift with other procedures can save you time and money and allow you a comprehensive revamping of your image.
In some cases, patients with severe sun damage, which can result in ‘crepey skin’ may benefit from a skin care regimen that improves the texture and quality of the skin before the neck lift procedure. Our Facelift+ package can be beneficial if you have sun damaged skin. Ask your surgeon if Our Facelift+ may be appropriate for you. This is often recommended for a couple of months prior to surgery and will help improve your outcome as well as help prolong your results.
Surgical procedures in facial and neck lifts can help remove excess skin and increase or decrease volume in key areas, but they do not get rid of wrinkles or affect skin quality. This is accomplished through skin care that increases collagen deposition in the skin an, in the long-term, by wearing sunscreen daily. Even (and especially!) in the winter time in Minnesota, sunscreen should be applied daily!
Neck Lift Recovery and Results
After your neck lift, your neck will feel tight, sore and numb, which are normal side effects that typically last for several days. Moderate bruising and swelling will also be present. After your procedure, you will be given post-operative instructions to ensure your recovery process is a success. Follow-up appointments for full facelifts are scheduled the day after your procedure, so that your hair can be washed and drains may be removed. After this appointment, another appointment in five to seven days will be scheduled for suture removal. If you’ve had neck liposuction, you will be wearing a compression garment around the face to help the skin contour to the new shape of your neck. Another appointment two week after surgery and four to six weeks after surgery are scheduled.
Your follow-up appointments will depend on your particular surgeon and what exact procedure was performed. You should sleep with your head elevated for up to one week to prevent your treated area from swelling more. You should avoid any activities that may elevate your blood pressure for two weeks after surgery, including moderate to intense exercise, lifting or sex. You should also avoid strenuous activities that will activate your neck muscles for at least one month.
Your results will become more apparent as the swelling goes away a few weeks after your surgery. It can take up to three to six months to attain your final results as your neck continues to heal and swelling resolves. Your final results will give you a flattering, rejuvenated and well-rested image. Our goal is for you to look natural – like the most well-rested version of yourself!
Request a Neck Lift Consultation in Edina
Our board-certified surgeons are well adept at performing a neck lift. They’ve helped many patients regain their sense of self and confidence by making their necks more taut, youthful and beautiful. If you are interested in achieving a more attractive neck, please contact Edina Plastic Surgery of Edina, MN, at 612-688-3177 or visit our contact page.
