What Are the Benefits of a Neck Lift?

“As we get older, our necks are an area that can actually prematurely age us,” says Dr. Kimball Crofts, a top plastic surgeon in Utah. “Our skin begins to relax, creating jowls, or the turkey neck that can make us look older than we really are. The contours we took for granted in our youth can begin to slip away, but a neck lift can help you gain back that youthful appearance

Neck lifts are increasing in popularity for many patients because they don’t feel they are ready for a complete facelift yet, but are unhappy with how their neck ages them. If you have excess wrinkling in your neck, a turkey wattle, double chin or other neck issues that you want to get rid of, cosmetic surgery can help.

The average patient seeking a neck lift procedure is between the ages of 30 and 70. There are a few ways plastic surgeons can contour the neck area, so after a consultation with Dr. Crofts, he can discuss with you the best way to achieve your desired results.

If you have weakened or loosened skin or muscles, Dr. Crofts may recommend a platysmaplasty. This procedure will involve incisions made either under your chin or behind your ears. This will allow Dr. Crofts to tighten or remove some of the muscle. No skin will need to be removed, but rather, Dr. Crofts will simply manipulate the platysma muscle to achieve the proper goal.

In other cases, Dr. Crofts may opt to remove skin through incisions made at the ear. This is similar to how a surgeon would approach a facelift, but without the long recovery time. This procedure, called a cervicoplasty, trims the excess skin and then closes the incision with sutures or medical glue.

If your problem is excess fat in your neck, liposuction can easily help. The incision for the liposuction procedure will typically be under your chin. You can also combine liposuction with another procedure to achieve the best results.

“We’re seeing a large increase in the number of patients seeking out these types of procedures,” says Dr. Crofts. “There are a few reasons for this. Many patients want to take years off of their look, but have busy lifestyles. While a facelift can provide amazing results, many patients simply can’t take that much time off of work or from their busy lifestyles. For others, they still love the reflection they see in the mirror, they just have one tiny area that is prematurely aging them. A neck lift can solve that.”

Neck lift procedures have become more sophisticated and offer beautiful, long-lasting results. There is minimal scarring and short recovery times, meaning in no time, you can be right back to your active lifestyle. Typical recovery time is about two weeks, but patients should avoid strenuous activity for three weeks.

The ideal candidate is a non-smoker who is in good health, and who has a realistic expectations. It may take several months for swelling and incisions to heal completely in order to see the final results.

If your neck doesn’t match the still youthful appearance of your face, call Dr. Crofts today for a consultation.