Neck Lift (Cervicoplasty, Platysmaplasty)

Unfortunately, one of the most prominent indicators of a person’s age is the neck. If your neck is showing your age before your time, or you’ve recently lost a lot of weight, but your neck just hasn’t caught up with the rest of your body, you might want to consider a cosmetic procedure called a neck lift, which will help you regain your youthful profile.

What exactly is a neck lift?

There are generally two kinds of neck lift procedures - cervicoplasty, used to remove excess skin that you may be plagued with if you’ve recently lost a lot of weight, is one common procedure. Platysmaplasty, which removes or alters the muscles in your neck to give it a sleeker, leaner appearance, is also used in the neck lift procedure. Your surgeon can also perform liposuction on your neck to remove excess fat, or give you botox injections if you have excess fullness or “bands” in your neck that make you look older.

Am I an ideal candidate for a neck lift?

The ideal candidate for neck surgery is someone who is in good physical and mental health. If you are a smoker, you’ll want to quit at least two weeks before the procedure so that you will heal properly and to avoid complications during the procedure. Also, a proper diet must be followed because good nutrition is essential to the healing process. For the surgery to be a success, you must make sure that you eat properly. Those who take medications or vitamins to thin the blood might not be ideal candidates because of problems with excess bleeding. Your physician will go over your medical history and current lifestyle with you to see if a neck lift is a procedure that can give you the results that you are looking for.

How is a neck lift done?

How your neck lift is done depends on what you want the final result to be. Give this a lot of thought. What don’t you like about your neck? What do you want to change? If you have weakened neck muscles, also known as the dreaded ‘turkey wattle’, your surgeon will probably recommend platysmaplasty (tightening the neck muscles). This procedure involves making incisions under your chin and/or behind your ears to access the muscles in your neck. Some muscles may be manipulated or removed, and your surgeon will use sutures to hold the tissues in your neck in place. This is an outpatient procedure and local anesthesia may be used – you can expect the procedure to take about two to three hours.

If you want to have excess fat removed from the neck area, liposuction may be the answer for you. During liposuction, your surgeon will make a small incision below the chin and remove the excess fat. This procedure only takes an hour if it is the only thing you’re having done. Your incision will be stitched and bandaged, and you’ll be able to return home that day.

If you have too much skin on your neck and want some of it removed, then cervicoplasty may be the answer. The same incisions will be made as for platysmaplasty. Your surgeon will then trim the skin and lift it into place, securing it with either tissue glue or stitches. After your surgery, you will be fitted with a compression bandage to wear for at least one week. This procedure takes about two to four hours depending on the complexity; however, it is also an outpatient procedure that requires only local anesthesia unless you would rather be asleep during the entire process.

What should I expect during recovery?

For the first twenty four hours after surgery, you should make sure someone is with you in case any complications should arise. You should have a lot of loosing fitting tops on hand to wear, as you do not want to wear any clothing that is going to rub down over your neck or be tight around it. It’s important to remember that recovery takes time - most patients can resume normal activities, including work, within two to four weeks after the procedure.

Are there any complications involved?

Swelling and bruising are a normal part of surgery and are to be expected. Your doctor will prescribe medications that will help with any pain and the swelling. In addition, you may feel burning or tingling sensations in your neck area, and maybe even some numbness. These are normal for the first couple of weeks after surgery, and you need not be concerned. However, there is always the risk of infection or allergic reactions to the anesthesia. If you start to run a high temperature or have discharge from the incision areas, contact your surgeon immediately.

What results can I expect from a neck lift?

Having a neck lift can give you the appearance of having lost a lot of weight without losing one pound. This makes it a very attractive option for a lot of people, both women and men. In addition, it’s a medical fact that aging starts in the neck - for this reason, a neck lift can give you back a more youthful appearance. Whatever the reason you may have for wanting a neck lift, it can give you more self confidence and self esteem, and make you feel more attractive and young again.

Further information

This web site has been prepared to give a basic understanding of the procedure before a consultation takes place, and to cover many of the questions frequently asked about this type of cosmetic surgery. Final decisions should not be made until an individual assessment has taken place with the surgeon.

There is no obligation on the part of the patient to undergo surgery by attending for consultation.

If you have any further questions or would like to arrange a consultation please fill in the online form or call us on 07590 666 302. All enquiries are always treated confidentially.