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Houston
Neck Lift Surgery
There are a number of
procedures available to
enhance the appearance of
the neck. They range from
very minimal in-office
treatments with no down
time, to more invasive
procedures requiring
anesthesia and time off
for recovery. Aging of
the neck is usually a
combination of loose skin
and muscle and some
excess fat.
Neck lift procedure
Sometimes called a
cervicoplasty or neck
lift with platysmaplasty,
the procedure will last
two to three hours. Of
course, if you are having
a neck lift in
conjunction with
liposuction, facelift,
forehead lift, or other
surgeries, the time will
vary accordingly. Your
exact procedure will
depend on your desired
results and your own
personal circumstances.
In order to undergo a
neck lift, you must be in
good general health, both
physically and mentally.
Your surgeon will make a
small incision under your
chin and possibly in
front of and/or behind
your ears. These
incisions allow access to
the platysma (neck
muscle) and any fat in
the neck. The neck
muscles can then be
tightened and any excess
fat removed. Your surgeon
may choose to remove the
fat with liposuction or
by cutting it out. The
incisions near the ears
also allow for removal of
some excess skin.
Once the muscle has been
tightened and any excess
fat removed the skin is
re-draped over the neck.
Any excess skin is
removed and the incisions
are closed with sutures.
Your surgeon will let you
know if the sutures will
need to be removed or if
they will dissolve on
their own. It is possible
your surgeon may place a
drain under the skin on
the neck to collect any
fluid that would increase
your post op swelling and
discomfort. If you
surgeon chooses to use a
drain it might remain in
place only a day or two.
You would be instructed
on how to care for the
drain if it needs to stay
in for a longer period of
time.
You and your surgeon will
discuss what type of
anesthesia to use,
depending on your level
of comfort. If you want
to remain asleep during
the procedure, you should
request general
anesthesia. Otherwise,
your surgeon can use
local anesthesia with
sedation. It’s up to you
and your surgeon to
decide what is best for
your comfort depending on
the exactly what surgery
will be done.
Your surgeon might fit
you with a compression
bandage that you will
have to wear to help
reduce post-operative
swelling. This is usually
worn night and day for at
least five to seven days
and then only at night
for a longer period of
time. It’s important to
follow instructions to
ensure proper recovery.
Neck Lift Recovery
Time
Recovery takes time, and
it’s important that
you’re patient with the
process. Most people can
return to work in 10 to14
days. If you participate
in other sports or are
physically active, you
will have to wait at
least three weeks--if not
longer--to resume those
activities.
Other
Neck Lift Treatment
Options
Botox injections
The vertical bands that
extend from under the
chin to the base of the
neck are caused by the
neck muscle called the
platysma. Botox can be
injected into the muscle
to temporarily reduce the
appearance of these
bands. This is a simple
in office procedure that
requires no anesthesia
and allows you to get
right back to your normal
activities.
Neck liposuction for
fat removal
During liposuction, your
surgeon will make a small
incision below the chin,
and the excess fat will
be removed. This
procedure is often done
alone are may be
performed as part of a
neck lift or facelift. If
this is the only
procedure you’ll need,
you should plan to spend
approximately an hour
undergoing the operation.
Your incisions will be
stitched and bandaged.
This procedure requires
an anesthetic and you
should allow five to ten
days for recovery. It’s
very important to follow
your doctor’s
instructions on properly
caring for any stitches
and bandages in the days
following surgery.
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