Neck lift surgery addresses excess fat and contour irregularities below the jawline to help produce a toned, tight, and smooth appearance on the neck and throat. If your neck is obscured by stubborn fat, loose and sagging skin, or other unappealing conditions, the board-certified plastic surgeons at Altos Oaks can help by using neck lift surgery to:
- Remove the excess fat and skin responsible for double chin and jowls
- Address muscle banding (turkey neck) to produce a firm and smooth appearance
- Eliminate loose neck skin
If you live in or around Los Altos and are interested in learning more about the benefits of neck lift surgery, please call Altos Oaks Plastic Surgery at 650-934-7020 to schedule a consultation today. We welcome patients from Palo Alto, San Jose, and all surrounding California communities.
Who is a Good Candidate for Neck Lift Surgery?
Good candidates for neck lift surgery should have excess skin or fat below the jawline that is detracting from the overall appearance. In addition, good candidates for this procedure should be:
- Nonsmokers
- In good health
- Prepared for surgery
- Able to take time off to recover
- Realistic about potential outcomes
Neck lift surgery can smooth the throat and produce a firmer and more youthful look, but it cannot stop the aging process. As with any facial plastic surgery procedure, a neck lift can take years off of your appearance, but the results will not be permanent. However, with maintenance, such as daily skin care, a neck lift may continue to produce pleasing results for ten or more years.
During your time in our care, we will provide you with information on maintaining and improving the duration of your results.
How is a Neck Lift Performed?
Neck lift surgery may include removal or tightening of the skin and the removal of excess fat deposits.
Fat deposits are eliminated through liposuction. This is traditionally done with tumescent liposuction, a method that utilizes a medical solution to assist in complete fat removal while helping to reduce trauma to adjacent muscles and structures. Liposuction will be needed to eliminate double chin and may be necessary for the removal of jowls, but is not needed for every neck lift procedure.
Skin tightening and skin removal are needed for issues including muscle bands, turkey neck, and creepy skin. For these procedures, incisions may be placed behind the ears or underneath the chin, allowing your surgeon to tighten muscles and lift the skin for a more youthful contour. Which of these incisions will be necessary for your procedure will be based on your specific needs.
What is Recovery from Neck Lift Surgery Like?
Some bruising and swelling are to be expected following neck lift surgery. Skin tightness is common as well. These things will subside on their own. You can help reduce their presence by carefully following all of the pre and postoperative directions provided by our office.
Most neck lift recipients can resume working within two weeks. More advanced and demanding activities may need to be avoided for six to eight. We will help you determine when it is safe to resume normal activities during your follow-up visits.
Results from neck lift surgery will be visible as soon as swelling and bruising subside. This may take four to six weeks. During this time, we will continue to work with you to help ensure you are healing appropriately and everything is progressing as planned.
See What Our Patients Are Saying...
"The entire team of physicians and nurses are top notch. Dr. Talley did my surgery and I couldn't be happier. He listens, he's kind and very skills. Heidi is a physician assistant and she is also highly skilled and professional. I recommend these professionals for anyone considering reconstructive or cosmetic surgery." - G.S.
How Long Does a Neck Lift Usually Last?
Results from neck lift surgery may last for 10 to 15 years. Much of this depends on the care you take immediately following surgery, the long-term care you take of your body and skin, including nutrition, and factors beyond your control such as genetics. We will discuss ways to prolong and maintain your results during your time in our care.
Neck Lift - Before & After
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Are There any Risks to a Neck Lift?
There are general risks associated with any surgical procedure. These include poor reaction to anesthesia, excessive bleeding, infection, fluid accumulation, and poor incision healing. These risks are reduced when you follow all pre and postoperative care instructions. They are further reduced when you choose a plastic surgeon who performs the procedures in an accredited surgical facility where appropriate care is taken to protect your health.
Risks specific to neck lift surgery include over or under-correction, asymmetrical or inconsistent results, and unfavorable scarring. These risks are reduced when you choose an experienced and board-certified plastic surgeon who takes time to both perform the procedure and provide proper education on aftercare.
Is a Neck Lift Painful?
Neck lift surgery is performed under general anesthesia to help ensure optimal comfort. There may be some soreness and skin tightness following surgery, but these things can be handled with over-the-counter medications and careful adherence to our care instructions. We can discuss pain management in greater detail during your time in our care, but serious and lasting discomfort is not to be expected with this procedure.
Can You Combine A Neck Lift With Other Procedures?
A neck lift can be performed on its own to smooth and contour the neck, throat, and jawline. It can also be combined with other facial procedures to address signs of aging throughout the face.
Neck lift is complementary to:
- Facelift surgery - our plastic surgeons offer full and mini facelift procedures to correct sagging skin, hollow cheeks, and other impacts of aging throughout the mid and lower face
- Forehead lift - this procedure is used to smooth deep creases across the forehead. It can also be used to lift sagging eyebrows and to eliminate the wrinkle in between brows
- Eyelid lift - also known as blepharoplasty, eyelid surgery removes the dark and puffy skin from below the eyes and raises the lids to produce a more alert and appealing appearance
In some cases, a neck lift will need to be combined with more than one of these procedures for optimal results.
We take time to personalize every procedure we perform. Our plastic surgeons will listen intently to your concerns and provide you with honest information about the procedure or combination of procedures that will best help you reach your goals.
Contact Altos Oaks Plastic Surgery
To schedule your neck lift consultation at our Los Altos office, please call 650-934-7020 today. You can also click here to send our staff an Email Contact Form. Our team of skilled plastic surgeons serve Santa Clara, Mountain View, and all surrounding areas of California.