Surgical and Non Surgical Neck Lift – Know Your Options

Many people want a facelift as they age to address lines and wrinkles. But caring for your skin as you get older isn’t just about your face. The skin on the neck also shows signs of aging from sun damage and other factors.

So for many older Americans, an aging neck with sagging skin and wrinkles is something they want to address. Fortunately, a neck lift can eliminate loose, wrinkled skin from the neck to make you look years younger.

Below is detailed information on the types of neck lifts available. Talk to your board-certified plastic surgeon to determine which procedure is the best fit for your goals.

Surgical Neck Lift

Surgical intervention may be the best option for patients with excessive loose skin in the neck – also known as a turkey wattle.

A surgical neck lift also called a platysmaplasty, usually involves incisions under the neck or behind the ears to access the platysma muscle. The surgeon may tighten this muscle and even remove some of it, then trim away excess skin and fat from the neck.

Your surgeon also may use a newer procedure involving smaller incisions and an endoscope. This procedure also can remove excess tissue and tighten the neck muscles, but it’s less invasive and has a shorter recovery time.

Both procedures take several hours, and the surgeon will place pressure dressing on the neck and around the chin afterward. This helps the skin to adhere to the slimmer neck contours.

After surgery, you will have some pain and soreness, and recovery can take two or three weeks. Most patients also have a tight feeling in the neck that resolves on its own after two weeks.

You shouldn’t engage in strenuous activities for about a month, and it may take three months to see final results.

Non Surgical Neck Lift

Surgical neck lifts are the most common way to remove loose skin and tighten what’s left. But there are more patients today who want to change how their necks look without surgery.

There are several non-surgical neck lifts available outlined below. While the results aren’t as dramatic as with surgical options, they still can improve the appearance of your neck.

Some benefits of a non-surgical neck lift are:

• Faster recovery: Recovery with some non-surgical neck lifts can be only a few hours. Most patients have minimal side effects, including irritation, redness, tenderness, and soreness.
• Less expensive: A surgical neck lift can cost about $5,000, but non-surgical options range from $500 to $2,000.
• Short procedure: A non-surgical procedure usually takes less than an hour.
• Fewer complications: These procedures don’t require general anesthesia, so there are fewer risks.

Nonsurgical options include:

Botox

Botox is often used in various facial procedures to smooth lines and wrinkles around the eyes and mouth. But it also can be injected into the neck to reduce wrinkles.

The injections are virtually painless and require no downtime. However, the results are temporary, and you’ll need touch-ups every three months or so.

If you have minor wrinkling in the neck, Botox can be a short-term solution. You can try improving your neck’s appearance with Botox, and if you like it, you may consider surgical intervention later.

This procedure also can be combined with Chicago liposuction to remove fat from the neck.

Laser Treatment

Your surgeon also can use a fractionated ablative laser to treat the top two layers of the skin on the neck. This can make the skin tighter, promoting new collagen growth, making the neck more supple and younger-looking.

According to a 2014 clinical study, patients with jowls and skin laxity in the neck enjoyed noticeable results with laser treatment. The results were found to last several years, as well.

However, laser treatment results on the neck are usually best in mild to moderate aging patients, not severe.

Recovery is about 10 days and requires follow-up at the surgeon’s office.

Dermal Fillers

Chicago Dermal fillers, including Juvederm, Bellafill, and Restylane, can reduce the appearance of neck lines and wrinkles and fill in lost volume.

Dermal fillers containing hyaluronic acid and calcium hydroxylapatite fillers can be used by your surgeon to increase collagen growth in the neck and enhance your jawline definition.

Kybella

Increased fat in the upper neck and chin is common as we age. If you have a small amount of fat in these areas and good skin elasticity, your surgeon may recommend Kybella injections to break down the fat.

This treatment only takes 30 minutes, and recovery is only about one day. However, it can take up to six weeks to see your slimmer chin and neck contours, and you may need several treatments.

As we get older, the skin thins, and this is especially common on the neck. Fortunately, you can undergo a surgical or non-surgical neck lift and significantly improve how the neck looks.

While having a neck lift, you might also consider other procedures so you can get all of your recovery done at one time. Popular options include a Chicago eyelid lift, Chicago rhinoplasty, and brow lift.

Request A Neck Lift Consultation

Thinking about a neck lift in Chicago? Dr. Otto Placik is proud to serve Chicago area patients at his practice. He’ll go over the options, goals, and more to determine if you’re an ideal candidate for a neck lift.

 References

• About Neck Lift. (n.d.). Accessed at https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/neck-lift/about/pac-20384583
• Neck Lift Surgery. (n.d.). Accessed at https://www.webmd.com/beauty/cosmetic-procedures-neck-lift#1
• Nonsurgical Neck Lift. (2020). Accessed at https://www.healthline.com/health/nonsurgical-neck-lift
• Neck Lift Overview. (n.d.). Accessed at https://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/neck-lift/procedure