What Can a Neck Lift Do for Me?

You might be surprised to learn that the neck lift was the sixth most performed cosmetic surgical procedure in 2020. This is according to the latest statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgery. In three short years, neck lift procedure numbers in the country surged by a dramatic 199%. From just under 54,000 in 2018 to 160,235 in 2020.

Given the rising popularity of the procedure, you might wonder, “what can a neck lift do for me”? Well, the skilled cosmetic surgeons at Southwest Florida’s Naples Plastic Surgery Can certainly answer that question, as Dr. Paul M. Gardner, Dr. Leo M. Baccaro, Dr. Mark Walsh, and Dr. Andrew Bonett have experienced this surge in demand first-hand. Read on to learn what a neck lift entails and what aesthetic benefits it might provide you.

What is a Neck Lift, and What Aesthetic Concerns Does It Address?

Plastic surgeons developed neck lift procedures to address an assortment of conditions that tend to become noticeable well before the emergence of other visible signs of aging. These conditions include sagging jowls, double-chin, loose skin, creases, and the dreaded turkey neck, with its signature crepey texture and excessive wrinkling. Such early signs of aging occur because the neck’s skin and underlying tissues are among the thinnest and most delicate in our bodies, making the neck area the most prone to the impacts of gravity and the breakdown of collagen and elastin. Additionally, the neck tends to experience plenty of sun exposure, yet many people fail to give it the same level of SPF protection that they do for their face.

A neck lift procedure recontours the neck by removing sagging skin and excess fat. It is also by tightening the underlying neck muscles via discrete incisions. These incisions also allow your surgeon to further enhance the contours by re-positioning the remaining skin and tissues for the best aesthetic results. Some patients opt to combine the neck lift with other procedures to further optimize results. For example, combining liposuction with the neck lift provides a more comprehensive decrease in the appearance of the turkey wattle.

What Are the Benefits of a Neck Lift?

Now that we’ve addressed what a neck lift is and the conditions it treats, let’s turn to what a neck lift can do for you. For starters, a neck lift can take years off a patient’s appearance, absent any noticeable signs of surgery. The immediate aesthetic improvements typically gained from a neck lift include:

• Reduction of stubborn fat, double chin, neck banding, and turkey wattle
• Decreased sagging of the jowls
• Smoother, younger-looking skin
• Tightened skin
• Better appearance when seen or photographed from the side

The neck lift can also preclude or delay the need for other cosmetic procedures. Because the neck area tends to display visible signs of aging earlier than other parts of the body, many patients opt to undergo the neck lift procedure at an earlier age than other procedures. The dramatic youthful results that a neck lift can produce for those in their mid-30 to early-40s make the inevitable signs of facial aging less apparent during the ensuing years. This, in turn, can forestall the need to seek corrective facial procedures later in life. In fact, many women who undergo a neck lift before they turn 40 decide that they don’t need a complete facelift at 50 or opt for the less-invasive mini facelift.

Combining Your Neck Lift with a Facelift

Those already displaying visible signs of aging on the face, as well as the neck, may want to consider combining a neck lift with a facelift. When combined, the two procedures complement each other and provide a more natural look and smooth flowing contours from the face to the neck. The dual procedure also reduces the time needed for recovery when they are performed separately.

Recovery and the Reveal

On average, neck lift patients need at least two weeks of downtime before resuming all normal daily activities. During the first few days, soreness can typically be controlled with over-the-counter pain medications, and bruising and swelling usually begin to subside after the first week. Within two weeks, pain, bruising, and most other aftereffects are manageable. Still, it may take another four weeks for all swelling to subside. The incision scars to fade into hardly noticeable lines.

Speak with the Experts About Your Questions

If you would like to learn more about neck lift surgery at our Southwest Florida-based surgical center, Dr. Gardner, Dr. Baccaro, Dr. Walsh, and Dr. Bonett would be pleased to answer any questions you might have. For all your aesthetic concerns, contact Naples Plastic Surgery today at 239.566.2611 to schedule your initial consultation.