Neck Lift in Raleigh, NC

For many people, the neck is the first place to really show aging. Excess wrinkling, neckbands, jowls, even the dreaded “turkey wattle” all come into play. These are the visible signs of aging that a neck lift addresses:

• Fat pockets and relaxed skin in the lower face
• Loose neck skin
• Fatty deposits under the chin
• Muscle banding on the neck
• Jowl lines
• Double chin

The realization of the need for a neck lift often comes in warmer weather here in North Carolina when we (particularly women) are exposing our necks and upper shoulders with summertime fashions. Suddenly it’s obvious that the neck has aged faster than the face. If that’s the case, you’re a good candidate for a neck lift with our team at Specialists in Plastic Surgery.

Patients often combine these procedures with a facelift, as well.

Neck lift surgery is a safe and effective way to tighten or remove underlying neck muscles to improve muscle tone. After a neck lift, your skin will appear tighter and smoother — creating a more attractive, youthful-looking contour.

Despite its many advantages, a neck lift may not be for everyone and, instead, a full facelift is needed. The best way to determine if you’re an ideal candidate is to schedule a consultation with a board-certified cosmetic surgeon.

A neck lift takes between two to three hours to perform under general anesthetic or intravenous sedation. Your surgeon will begin by making two incisions behind or under the ears. The skin is lifted and trimmed away. An additional incision may be made underneath your chin to access the platysma (neck muscle). Your surgeon will manipulate or remove some of the muscle to improve contour.

Liposuction may be performed to remove excess fat from the neck area. The skin is then redraped tightly across the neck to give the lower face a more youthful appearance. The incisions are closed using fine stitches for minimal scarring.

What Will My Recovery be Like After a Neck Lift?

Recovery from neck lift surgery will take time. You will have elastic bandages around your lower face and neck when you return home. This will help minimize swelling and bruising. With this surgery, it’s important to keep your head elevated (a good rule to follow is to keep your head at a level above your heart), and you cannot twist your neck or bend it forward. You may think icing the area would be beneficial, but do not apply ice as this can restrict blood flow and damage skin recovery.

It’s important to try and minimize anything that elevates the blood pressure to your neck and facial areas. Doing so can impede your healing. That’s why you need to avoid strenuous activity for a few weeks.

Most patients can return to work in 10 to 14 days. Your results will be fully visible when the swelling has fully dissipated. This can take up to six months, however, so don’t expect instant gratification with a neck lift. Sports and strenuous exercises, particularly those involving any twisting of your neck, need to be avoided for at least six weeks.

Pain after a neck lift is minimal. We prescribe pain medication, but you probably won’t feel you need it after more than a day or two. The tissues of the neck aren’t nearly as sensitive as areas such as the facial skin. These are not overly painful recoveries. As mentioned above, there is some degree of awkwardness due to the fact that you can’t turn or bend your neck, but the pain typically isn’t an issue for our patients.

Depending on your unique situation, we may place a mixture of permanent and dissolving stitches. You can expect any stitches that need removal to be taken out after about one week.