What is Involved in a Neck Lift?
When men and women want to look younger, they have a tendency to focus much of their effort on facial rejuvenation. It’s understandable, considering that our face is typically the first aspect of our appearance that others notice. But unfortunately, while focusing on the face, patients often overlook another area which is just as visible and can age just as quickly: the neck. If you’re unhappy with sagging skin throughout your neck, excess fat under your chin, or both, a neck lift might be the ideal solution.
Like any plastic surgery, neck lifts must be tailored to each individual patient. As a result, they can consist of any or all of the elements below:
- Skin Tightening
Typically the most noticeable sign of aging on the neck is sagging, wrinkled skin, sometimes referred to as a “turkey wattle.” Fortunately, a neck lift can address this problem directly. Using subtle incisions either under the chin, behind the ears, or both, the surgery involves removing excess skin and giving the remaining skin a firmer, smoother, and younger-looking appearance.
- Muscle Tightening
Aging might be most visible in the skin, but it certainly doesn’t stop there. The muscle in your neck (called the platysma muscle) also loosens and weakens with age, contributing to the appearance of an unflattering neck where obvious banding is present. To create a more satisfying and natural-looking result, most neck lifts include tightening the platysma muscle in addition to skin tightening, creating an overall smoother look.
- Liposuction
While most people think of liposuction as a way to flatten their abdomen, it’s also highly effective for the area under the chin (sometimes called a “double chin”). Fat in this area is often genetic and can be very difficult to burn off with diet and exercise, and it can play a large role in the appearance of the neck. For this reason, liposuction under the chin is commonly used in a neck lift to offer not only a younger but a slimmer, more contoured appearance as well.
Knowing whether or not a neck lift is the right choice for you can be a bit complicated. Some patients who think they need a neck lift are actually ideally suited for a facelift or liposuction alone, while others can actually achieve the best result with a combination of a neck lift and another cosmetic surgery. To receive an evaluation and recommendation from a double board-certified plastic surgeon, schedule a consultation with me, Dr. Franklyn Elliott. Or, for more plastic surgery tips, health news, and more, follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.