Neck Lift
Our necks are often one of the first places where we start to show our age. People with muscle laxity under the chin, sagging skin folds in the back of the neck, or lower face can benefit from a neck lift. A neck lift can remove excess skin and fat from your lower face and neck area while lifting or tightening the underlying tissues, transforming your jawline and neck, dramatically rejuvenating your appearance and providing you with a more youthful profile. Having a facelift, PrecisionTx, liposuction, and/or chin enlargement may enhance the result of a neck lift.
Who is a candidate for a neck lift?
A neck lift may be the right choice for you if:
- you are still mostly happy with your upper cheeks and do not feel as if you
need to or want to undergo a full facelift - you have excess wrinkling or creasing across your neck
- you have prominent “cords” or “bands” in your neck
- you have loose skin on your neck (creating the “turkey wattle”)
- you have a “double chin”
- you have jowls (loose skin along the jawline)
- you have lost the distinct jawline that separates your neck from your face
Basically, if you feel that your neck doesn’t match your upper facial appearance, a neck lift may be a good solution. Your skin must also have good elasticity, so that it can conform to your new and improved contour.
Podcast Episode: Everything You Need to Know about Necklifts
Listen as Dr. Normington explains the difference between a Neck lift and a Facelift, and which patients are the best candidates.
Neck Contouring Options
A neck contouring procedure may vary according to your individual needs and goals. At Lewisburg Plastic Surgery we offers several surgical neck rejuvenation options:
A neck lift (lower facelift) addresses both the loose skin and underlying tissues of your lower cheeks and neck, which provides more dramatic results if needed or desired. This procedure not only lifts and tightens deep tissues, but also removes excess skin. It is performed either under general anesthesia or local with mild sedation, through incisions in front of, below, and behind the ear, extending into the lower hairline behind the head, with an additional small incision below the chin.
A neck tightening procedure (platysmaplasty) addresses only the loose underlying tissues along the middle of your neck if you have isolated “cords” or “bands” with very little sagging skin. This procedure only tightens the deep tissues and does not remove any skin. It is performed comfortably under local anesthesia through a small incision below the chin.
Neck liposuction addresses only a deposit of fat beneath your chin. You must have good overall skin quality that is not loose and also have no evidence of underlying “cords” or “bands”. This procedure is performed comfortably under local anesthesia through a small skin puncture below the chin for a nice improvement in contour of that specific area of your neck.
HARMONIC® Technology
Dr. Moya has had great success using HARMONIC® technology for many of his procedures, including facelifts. Whereas the more conventional and widely-used surgical instrument (Bovie) cuts and cauterizes (seals) tissues via electrical current, HARMONIC® devices use ultrasonic vibrations to perform the same tasks. This means that instead of using heat to cut and seal tissues (which can then spread and damage the surrounding tissues not being removed from the body), there is only minimal energy (heat) transfer and thus very little damage to surrounding tissues.
“So what does all of that mean for me?” you might ask. Well, for Dr. Moya’s facelift and neck lift patients, using a HARMONIC® scalpel means that there will be very little post-operative bruising, swelling, and pain, which then results in a much quicker return to your social activities. For certain patients, depending on the degree of surgery and/or length of surgical time needed, the advanced technology allows the procedure to be more easily performed under only local anesthesia with mild sedation, since there is no electrical stimulation of the nerves and muscles (unlike traditional instruments) which could cause muscle twitching and patient discomfort.
Learn More About Harmonic Technology
How is a neck lift procedure performed?
Completed as an outpatient procedure while the patient is under is either under local or general sedation, a neck lift requires an incision under the chin. After an incision is made, fat is then suctioned or directly excised, muscles are tightened, and a small amount of skin may be removed. Skin removal is dependent on individual case.
Recovery after a neck lift
The patient goes home with chin and neck dressings or an elastic sling. Initial discomfort can be controlled with oral medication. Swelling and bruising typically disappear over 2 weeks. The final result should be evident in 1 to 3 months.
Insurance Guidelines
Because this procedure is considered to be cosmetic, the cost is not covered by insurance and must be paid by patient. The cost of a necklift can be determined during a consultation with one of our surgeons.