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Neck Lift Procedure Options

asked 4 years ago by anon
Latest answer by Andres Bustillo, MD
Question viewed 18,611 times
Tags: age 55-64, neck, female

I went to my plastic surgeon to see if there was something I could do about the wrinkles and loose skin on my neck, in the throat area. He suggested I have a facelift or I could just do the neck with the incision straight down the throat area. I looked at before and after pictures and didn't like the looks of the neck lift incision, so I opted for the facelift. It's been about a year now, and I don't think it's holding up like I envisioned. My questions is: is there another kind of neck lift available? I'm 59 years old and was 58 at time of surgery. It was my first facelift, although I've had upper eyelid surgery twice...once at 40 and then at 55.

16 answers to Neck Lift Procedure Options

Sometimes volume restoration, midfacial elevation or resurfacing help as well

It sounds as if you underwent a facelift. For whatever reason, you were unhappy with your results. There are several possible explanations, many elucidated by my excellent colleagues below (expectations too high, sun damaged skin loses its elasticity, possible additional laxity). You should definitely mention to your doctor your dissatisfaction and see if there is any additional tightening that is reasonable to do without causing distortion to anatomic structures. You might also want to... more

Brent Moelleken, MD
Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

www.drbrent.com

Platysma tightening is the key!

It sounds like your facelift did not adequately address the platysma. The platysma is the muscle that creates the neck contour. As you age, the muscle splits into two parts, one on either side of the midline. The free edge of the muscle sags and causes the turkey gobbler that makes you look old. Many people think that the cause of the turkey gobblers is excess skin. This is only partly true. Excess skin can make a neck look old but typically an early recurrence of the neck folds after a... more

Robert M. Freund, MD
New York Plastic Surgeon

Neck Lift Options

I see a large number of patients who are interested in improving poor neck definition and/or loose neck skin only, but who do not want or need a full facelift. Many of these patients are in their 30s and 40s and find that their neck is their only major facial aging issue. However, I will also perform a necklift only for many patients in their 50s and 60s who do not want to change their upper facial appearance and who feel that it is primarily their neck makes them look older or... more

Michael Law, MD
Raleigh-Durham Plastic Surgeon

michaellawmd.com

Excess Loose Skin Makes a Necklift less Optimal

This is a very good question and brings up a number of very good points. The two general types of procedures that would be discussed with you in my practice are a "Minimal Incision Necklift" and a Facelift; I will explain the difference. Direct removal of skin via a Z plasty is also possible but generally only applies to a small sub-category of patients willing to have a mid-line scar. A "Minimal Incision Necklift" involves an incision just under your chin, below the... more

Stephen Prendiville, MD
Fort Myers Facial Plastic Surgeon

Longevity of results varies as do patient expectations

From what you describe, the right operation was done on you. The direct excision of skin in the neck is almost never done except in older men as it can leave an obvious scar that looks unsightly and is permanent. Sometimes a patient expects more than the procedure can deliver. This should have been addressed before your surgery, but you should still discuss this with your surgeon. Sometimes, the elastic nature of a patient's skin has been badly damaged by the sun and this can... more

Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

Necklift aka Platysmaplasty

Hello Imogene, Based on your description of things it sounds as though you would benefit from a neck lift or platysmaplasty. I am assuming that the results from your faclift are still satisfying to you since it has only been a year. That means your jaw line is smooth and your lower third of the face has a more youthful appearance. Think about your anterior neck as the area over your throat and under your chin. This area is covered by the platysma muscle. If you can see muscle bands on... more

Kamran Jafri, MD
New York Facial Plastic Surgeon

Necklift options depend on unique issues of patient

Necklifts can be performed as a stand alone procedure, or as part of a traditional facelift. In many cases, a patient may not want or need a full facelift, but it depends on the unique issues and goals of the patient. In simple terms, with the first option, often excess fat is removed, and the platysma muscle is stitched together in such a way as to keep the proper contour. This is usually done when there is minor sagging in the middle of the chin. With a traditional facelift however, not... more

Scott W. Mosser, MD
San Francisco Plastic Surgeon

Options for correcting an aging neck

A Neck Lift is sculpting and restoring your neck's contour and tightness back to a youthful state. This requires addressing the multiple components involved (muscle, skin, fat, and the ligaments).In youth, the neck skin sticks and clings to the deeper neck muscles and connective tissue layers tightly. As you age, these layers start to disconnect from each other and loosen, which causes the platysma muscle (the major sheet of muscle that covers your neck) to form "BANDS" in some... more

Ashkan Ghavami, MD
Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

Neck Lift Longevity

There are many methods and techniques for facelifts. Some of the techniques are simplistic, while others may involve much more sophisticated knowledge of facial and neck anatomy. In my experience, I have found that simplistic techniques are inadequate in creating neck and jawline definition. Myself and a colleague have created a lift based on the anatomy of the platysma muscle (see link below for more information) which has resulted in more lasting and robust changes... more

Anil R. Shah, MD
Chicago Facial Plastic Surgeon

Neck Lift Options

You have many options for a neck lift. Rarely is a direct excision performed in most comsetic surgery practices. Here in Jacksonville, the three most common variations of the neck lift involve: 1. Neck Liposuction 2. Neck Liposuction with Midline Platysmaplasty 3. Full Neck Lift with Corsett Plastysmaplasty You should consult with a board certified plastic surgeon that can discuss the various options for you. You particular results may have not lasted in work was done on only the skin. IN a... more

Ankit Desai, MD
Jacksonville Plastic Surgeon

There are many different ways to do neck lifts and facelifts

There are many different ways to do neck lifts and facelifts. It really depends on how your surgeon did your lift. There are a lot of shortcuts out there and if you didn't have a really extensive neck lift, you are likely going to have some recurrence. I have done over 1200 face and neck lifts and I know that to really address the neck you need to do direct work there. I prefer to do a corset platysmaplasty. You can go on my blog to read about this in more detail. But you really have... more

Philip Young, MD
Bellevue Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.drphilipyoung.com

Necklift procedures can be done as sole procedures

Necklift procedures can be done as sole procedures depending on what you wish to achieve. If your neck is sagging in the midline only it could be related to fat, skin and neck muscle excess. Sometimes that can be treated by directly excising the fat in that area and sewing the loose muscle together like a corsett through an incision under your chin. If it is due to loose skin, it would have to be excised directly under the chin or needs to be pulled from around and/or behind the ears. If... more

Scott Trimas, MD
Jacksonville Facial Plastic Surgeon

Revision necklift

The problem you are having is common, and may not be related to the expertise of your surgeon. With age, skin looses elasticity and becomes lax. This is probably the reason you are seeing redundacy. The treatment may be a revision of the neck are without having to do the facelift over again. Consult with other surgeons to see what your options are.

Andres Bustillo, MD
Miami Facial Plastic Surgeon

Neck lift

A neck lift requires some work on the deeper layers of tissue beneath the skin including the fatty tissue and the superficial muscle of the neck called the platysma muscle. The platysma is manipulated to create a corsett effect which helps support the cosmetic result long term. Wishing you all the best, Tal Raine MD

Talmage J. Raine, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Neck Lift

It is difficult to tell you without examining you, and knowing what exactly was done in the first surgery. Many times if there is just a little laxity, then a mini neck lift can be done to tighten it up. If the neck wasn't opened the first time, then that may be an option.

Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Neck Lift

Hi, If your neck lift is not holding up as well as you expected maybe you did not have an adequate elevation of the SMAS and Platysma muscle. This can be redone relatively safely. You also might need a platysma plication down the center of your neck. Best, Dr.S