A neck lift is a cosmetic procedure that can improve the appearance of the neck. You could be a candidate for a submental lipectomy or lower rhytidectomy of the neck, depending on your needs.
Either of these neck rejuvenation procedures will trim away sagging skin and eliminate folds and wrinkles, giving your neck a younger, smoother appearance. In some cases, a neck lift can be combined with a facelift, but it can be a stand-alone procedure if you are pleased with how your face looks.
If your surgeon decides a neck lift is a good option for you, your procedure may feature the following:
- Liposuction to remove excess fat on the neck and under the chin
- Removal of loose, excess skin (skin laxity)
- Tightening or removing neck muscles
- Botox injections to make the neck look smoother
- Kybella injections to reduce fat under the chin
Reasons To Get A Neck Lift
As you age, you may notice that your neck skin is getting looser and older in appearance. Sagging skin is something that comes with age and a double chin is something people always want to avoid. You should check with a board-certified surgeon promptly to decide if something can be done with a neck lift surgery. Some of the most common reasons people want a neck lift is to address:
- Turkey neck that leaves much loose skin around the neck, making it hard for a man to button a dress shirt
- Sagging skin around the neck
- Excess fat around the neck
Plastic Surgeon Consultation For A Neck Lift
During your plastic surgeon consultation, you’ll talk about what you want to get out of a potential neck lift. Also, your doctor will find out about your general health, the medical issues you have, and the medicines you take.
Also, your plastic surgeon will review what the risks of different neck rejuvenation procedures are and what you can expect. Most people have great neck lift results, but any surgical procedure has risks and potential complications.
Overview Of Neck Lift Procedure Options
Turkey Wattle
If you suffer from a turkey wattle around the neck, your surgeon may recommend a neck lift surgery that makes incisions under the chin or behind the ears to get to the platysma muscle. In some cases, it may be beneficial to remove this neck muscle. This is a typical type of traditional neck lift surgery.
There are newer neck lift surgery procedures that allow the plastic surgeon to make smaller incisions and even use an endoscope for this cosmetic surgery. You should talk to your surgeon to see what your neck lift will be like in detail and how large the incisions will be.
Botox
Your surgeon also may decide to use Botox injections in your neck as a non surgical neck lift to reduce the look of bands in the neck. This is of the very popular neck options available today. These injections can be done in combination with surgery or instead of it. Botox injections only take about 15 minutes, and you’ll need them repeated every three to six months.
The surgeon also may use liposuction to eliminate excess fat pockets in the neck and under the chin. If you have other cosmetic procedures, such as a brow lift or eyelid lift, your surgeon may start with liposuction.
Dermal Fillers
Dermal fillers such as Juvederm can be used to eliminate wrinkles and fine lines in your neck temporarily. Fillers also can replace lost volume under the neck sin.
Some surgeons use hyaluronic acid and calcium hydroxyapatite fillers to enhance the jawline’s definition and promote collagen production in the neck. This is often considered a type of a non surgical neck lift.
Kybella
A common sign of aging is increased fat pockets under the chin and high in the neck. If there is a small amount of excess fat in the chin and neck, your surgeon may recommend Kybella to enhance your neck contours.
Kybella has deoxycholic acid that breaks down excess fat and makes the body absorb it.
Ultherapy
This device uses ultrasonic energy to penetrate the deep skin layers to treat the skin layers in the neck. It is practical to use on some patients for a non surgical neck lift to improve fine lines and wrinkles on the neck.
This procedure aims to encourage the neck tissue to produce collagen and make the neck and chin area look younger.
After this procedure, it can take two or three months to see the extra collagen lift the chin and neck.
RF With Micro Needling
This is another popular non-invasive procedure that reduces loose skin and wrinkles in the neck. It uses micro needling and radiofrequency to help the skin produce hyaluronic acid, elastin, and collagen.
The advantage of micro needling is it penetrates the top skin layer with tiny needles, and in concert with radiofrequency energy, stimulates more elastin and collagen production.
Questions and Answers
What is the difference between a neck lift and a mini neck lift?
The mini neck lift requires less dissection, yielding results comparable to a standard neck lift, albeit with a shorter duration.
What is a micro neck lift?
As one ages, sagging skin may lead to a “waddle,” often corrected through surgery. A micro neck lift addresses issues such as weight loss or reduced elasticity in the lower face and neckline.
How long does a neck lift last?
Wondering about the longevity of a neck lift? Typically, results endure for approximately a decade, providing a tightened and toned neck before signs of aging may gradually reappear.
Summary
As we age, the skin gets thinner. As a result, many older people try to hide their necks with scarves and sweaters. But there are several surgical and nonsurgical procedures that you can try that can improve the appearance of the neck by tightening skin and boosting collagen and elastin production in the neck skin.
Have a detailed conversation with your plastic surgeon about these options so you can decide the best way to treat your neck with cosmetic procedures.
Request A Neck Lift Consultation
Considering a surgical neck lift procedure? Dr. Smita. R. Ramanadham can help you obtain the results you want. Dr. Ramanadham of SR Plastic Surgery in New Jersey will go over your options, goals, and more to determine if you’re a good candidate for a variety of cosmetic procedures on the neck.
References
Neck Lift Surgery. (n.d.). Accessed at https://www.webmd.com/beauty/cosmetic-procedures-neck-lift#1
How And Why To Get A NonSurgical Neck Lift. (2020). Accessed at https://www.healthline.com/health/nonsurgical-neck-lift
Neck Contouring Guide. (n.d.). Accessed at https://www.americanboardcosmeticsurgery.org/procedure-learning-center/face/neck-contouring-guide/