For patients who have been considering a facelift to address drooping jowls or a double chin but are not seeing the same signs of aging in the upper face, a neck lift can be a helpful solution. While a facelift is intended to treat sagging skin and deep creases across the entire face, a neck lift specifically targets the lower face and neck.
Neck Lift
Causes of Changes to the Neck and Jaw
Patients who are unhappy with the appearance of their neck and jaw are often noticing the effects of aging. As we age, our skin naturally starts to lose its elasticity as collagen levels decrease and the skin’s underlying structure is affected. Fatty deposits can also form and hang off the face, causing jowls or the appearance of a double chin. While this is a normal part of aging, you don’t have to stand by and watch it happen. A neck lift can do wonders to tighten and smooth the skin of the jaw and neck.
Another common cause of these issues is significant weight loss. Fat is one of the tissues that give form to our features and keeps skin smooth and tight. When we undergo a significant drop in weight, this fat melts away, but the skin remains. Without the fat to give it definition, the skin may sag and droop. Many of our neck lift patients have recently experienced dramatic weight loss, and are looking for a way to tighten that excess skin.
Options for Neck Lift Surgery
A neck lift is performed through small incisions under the sideburn, around the ear, and into the hair. Depending on specific aesthetic needs, the doctor might also make a small incision under the chin. The actual neck lift procedure consists of some combination of the following elements.
Liposuction
In the case of unsightly fat deposits, the doctor will use liposuction to break up and remove excess fat from the neck and jawline.
Platysmaplasty
This procedure is used to remove and/or tighten the muscles of the neck, which may have loosened to cause the appearance of vertical banding on the neck. Sometimes this can be achieved through the sideburn incisions alone, while other times an incision must be made under the chin to effectively perform this part of the procedure.
Removing Excess Skin
The most basic component of a neck lift, and sometimes the only one necessary to achieve the desired result, is to cut away the excess skin that has been hanging from the neck and jaw. With extra skin removed, the remaining skin can be tightened for a fuller, more youthful appearance.
Getting the Most from Your Neck Lift Procedure
At NYBG Plastic Surgery, our New York City office is proud to help our clients achieve their aesthetic goals in the wake of major weight loss or simply as age begins to have its effects. To learn more about our neck lift procedures and other surgical and nonsurgical cosmetic interventions, contact our office today.
