Do you struggle with the appearance of loose skin sagging beneath your jaw or around your neck? The dreaded “turkey neck” look is one that can affect anyone later in life and can distract negatively from your appearance. You will be relieved to know that these problems can be addressed with our neck lift surgery at Pacifica Cosmetic Surgery Center.
When looking to address issues like a turkey neck, sagging jowls, wrinkles, and loose skin around the neck, it is important to undergo the correct type of procedure. Cosmetic surgery on the face, neck, and décolletage is extremely delicate and should only be performed by an expert plastic surgeon, like triple board-certified Newport Beach surgeon Dr. Hendricks.
What Is a Neck Lift?
A neck lift is a cosmetic surgery procedure that, similar to a facelift, works to address loose skin that can accumulate over time, due to aging, weight fluctuations, loss of collagen, and more. The procedure consists of various techniques that can be used to help address the issues individually for each patient.
Our Newport Beach neck lift is designed to tighten and tone the lower face, chin, neck, and throat area. When performed by expert plastic surgeon Dr. Hendricks, patients can see a natural-looking result that doesn’t look over-corrected or “fake” and can help to naturally accentuate your facial profile.
What Are the Different Types of Neck Lift?
There are two basic types of necklift: the deep necklift and the mini necklift. Generally, the two main differences between deep and mini neck lifts involve the depth of the targeted tissues and the number (and size) of required incisions. Within each of these broader approaches, there are several techniques that surgeons rely upon to more accurately accommodate each patient’s unique presentation and concerns.
For example, cervicoplasty is a relatively straightforward technique that involves the removal of excess skin. A platysmaplasty involves the tightening of the platysma muscle, which leaves the neck musculature looking tighter and smoother while reducing the appearance of neck bands.
While the deep necklift addresses more extensive signs of aging by refining the underlying muscle structure for a more pronounced transformation, the mini necklift provides a subtler, less invasive option, targeting minimal sagging and skin laxity for those seeking a more restrained enhancement.
Choosing the right approach is a comprehensive effort that, when done correctly, integrates patient feedback, the provider’s expertise and experience, and of course, the nature of the concerns affecting the neck area. By assessing your unique facial anatomy, we can recommend the most suitable approach for your aesthetic goals.
What Are the Benefits of a Neck Lift?
While there are non-invasive skin tightening techniques, correcting loose skin in certain areas of the body, such as the neck, can be much more difficult without surgery. After our neck lifts in Newport Beach, patients experience many neck lift benefits, including:
- Tighter skin and muscle tissue around the lower face and throat area
- Correction of drooping around the jowl
- Sharpened chin, jaw, throat, and neck contouring
- Eliminated double chin
- Reduced vertical banding and lines that develop in the neck
- Diminished appearance of wrinkles and fine lines in the lower face region, chin, and neck
Thanks to continued refinements in both deep and mini necklift procedures, patients can recover more rapidly, with less discomfort, and with smaller and more discrete incisions. Unlike noninvasive techniques that often require touch-ups or additional procedures within months, neck lifts can last for a decade or significantly longer when the results are well-maintained.
How Is a Neck Lift Performed?
The necklift procedure begins with the careful administration of anesthesia to ensure comfort throughout the process. Incisions are strategically placed under the chin and behind the ears, remaining discreet to minimize visible scarring.
This surgery typically spans several hours, during which excess skin is removed, and underlying tissues and muscles are meticulously tightened and repositioned. Our approach is designed to rejuvenate the neck area, resulting in a smoother, more defined contour. Throughout this precise process, we focus on creating natural-looking outcomes that align with the patient’s aesthetic aspirations.
What Should I Do After a Neck Lift?
As with any anti-aging surgery, the duration and nature of your downtime are both highly dependent on a number of individualized factors, including your age and health status, the procedure(s) performed, and more.
In any case, some post-treatment swelling, discomfort, and discoloration is highly common. We will provide you with instructions regarding proper aftercare, including managing these acute symptoms with cold compresses, bandages and wraps, and other aftercare recommendations.
It’s important to avoid heavy activity per your provider’s instructions (usually for at least 3 weeks), yet walking early is recommended to prevent blood clots. Additional aftercare recommendations include protecting the treatment site from extreme temperatures and physical contact, sleeping with extra pillows, and more. As you progress into later phases of recovery, activity restrictions and other guidelines are relaxed until you’re fully healed.
Can a Neck Lift Be Paired With Other Procedures?
Yes, a neck lift can be integrated with other procedures for comprehensive neck contouring and facial rejuvenation. Patients often choose to combine it with facelifts or eyelid surgeries for a more cohesive transformation, addressing various areas for enhanced results. The following is a quick and non-exhaustive overview of treatments popularly paired with neck lifts:
- Facelift + Necklift: Combining these two procedures allows for a more seamless and comprehensive aesthetic improvement that covers a larger area. While the necklift enhances the tissues of the neck and jaw, the facelift enhances the mid- and lower face, including the cheeks and above the jawline.
- Liposuction + Neck Lift: While neck lift procedures significantly tone and enhance the soft tissues of the neck, there is still a limit to how much soft tissue can be removed and repositioned with this anti-aging surgery. When there is both sagging skin and excess fat to be addressed, combining a neck lift with liposuction allows for improved contouring and a more dramatic, yet natural-looking result.
- Injectables + Neck Lift: Finally, injectable wrinkle treatments like dermal fillers and Botox can provide precise enhancement where it is needed, reducing fine lines around the neck and face for a more completely rejuvenated appearance.
If you’re considering pairing one or more of the above treatments or any others with your neck lift, Dr. Hendricks and the rest of our team at Pacifica Cosmetic Surgery Center will help you along the process. We will partner with you to create a completely customized treatment plan that delivers the results you’re looking for safely and effectively.
