A neck lift, also known as submentoplasty, is a procedure that lifts and rejuvenates a sagging and/or full neck and jawline.
With aging, or following massive weight loss from bariatric surgery, skin can gather in a flap that hangs from the front of the neck, causing jowls and the undesirable "double chin." Neck lift surgery can effectively tighten sagging skin, and give your neck a slimmer, shapelier contour.
People who complain of having a fleshy neck, "jowls", "neck banding", or a "turkey wattle" can benefit from this procedure. If you have had significant weight loss and are searching for a way to tighten subsequent sagging skin, this is also a good procedure. These are also traits that result from the aging process, which causes laxity and the pull of gravity. The best candidates are women and men whose unwanted fullness or fleshy neck creates a poorly defined jawline.
A neck lift can be combined with a number of procedures, including a facelift, brow lift or liposuction.
For a cervicoplasty, the procedure used to remove excess skin, incisions are generally placed inconspicuously behind the ears. Some skin is removed and the remainder is lifted up and secured into the new location with stitches. For a platysmaplasty, which removes or alters neck muscles, additional incisions are made under the chin.
The procedure takes between from two to three hours, depending on exactly what is being done. If liposuction is being performed as well, a short incision is made just below the chin. Stitches are removed after a week to ten days.
For a neck lift in a male, sometimes an incision is made under the chin to remove the excess skin in a more direct approach. This technique eliminates any scars near the ears and may be more appropriate for men with thinning or very short hair, or when facial hair is present.
Patients may experience some pain, but this can be alleviated with medication prescribed by your surgeon. Following a neck lift, patients are advised to sleep with the head elevated to minimize swelling. In addition to possible swelling and bruising, a patient may experience a tight feeling in the neck. These symptoms fade with healing and when the neck becomes more accustomed to its new shape. Most patients are able to return to work within seven to ten days following a neck lift, sometimes sooner for those who experience only mild symptoms. Light exercise may be resumed within ten to fourteen days after the neck lift and more strenuous activity within three to four weeks.
