Ansley is a 25-year-old woman living in McDonough, Georgia, who got a neck lift in October 2021. This is her story, as told to Jolene Edgar, edited for length and clarity.
I was always insecure about my profile, especially when I saw myself in pictures. Whether I lost or gained weight, my double chin was a permanent fixture. My nose was another source of insecurity; I would research plastic surgeons who were highly skilled in rhinoplasty. About eight or nine years ago, I came across Dr. Nayak’s Instagram. [Dr. Laxmeesh Mike Nayak is a board-certified facial plastic surgeon in Frontenac, Missouri.] I used to watch his live surgeries on Snapchat, and I remember thinking he was the only doctor I would ever trust with my face.
A year or so ago, I saw a video he posted of a twentysomething getting a neck lift. I had never considered this surgery for my double chin; I thought my only options were liposuction or Kybella. But I knew, from researching those treatments on RealSelf, that the results wouldn’t be as dramatic as a deep neck lift. I figured, I’d rather invest in a one-time permanent solution than put money into treatments that require multiple sessions or don’t offer a significant improvement.
[Dr. Nayak explains why less invasive options would not have given Ansley the result she was after: “When the layers of the neck that are deep to [or underneath] the platysma muscle are full or oblique, the platysma drapes over them in that same shape. Suctioning away the overlying subcutaneous fat yields no improvement, as the actual problem, deep to the platysma, is left untreated.” He goes on to say that in cases like Ansley’s, he’s not tightening the muscle but rather sculpting the neck into shape. “I separate the platysma like drapes, go behind the muscle, and sculpt away the overgrown structures, to create the ideal angular shape. The platysma is then just passively closed, and it follows the new foundation. Once the foundation is fixed and the platysma repaired, there is often still a little excess subcutaneous fat, which I sculpt meticulously to fine-tune the final form. I aim to preserve as close to 100% of it as possible, because it’s this fat that keeps the overlying skin supple and elastic. Aggressive debulking of that layer by suction or sculpture makes the neck age more rapidly.” Dr. Nayak tells us that he’s always done this procedure on young people with genetic “subplatysmal” neck concerns. “We’re fixing the anatomical issue they inherited,” he says, likening the scenario to a twentysomething getting a rhinoplasty.]
I’m not gonna lie—my friends and family thought it was crazy to get a neck lift in my 20s. They would tell me they thought I was beautiful and that I didn’t need any work done. But they knew my heart was set on it and that no one was going to change my mind. I decided to have a rhinoplasty at the same time. [She also had buccal fat reduction and fat transfer to the cheeks.]
Since I was an out-of-town patient, both my consultation and my pre-op had been done virtually and over the phone. I had an in-person appointment the day before my surgery with Dr. Nayak and his wonderful pre-op coordinator, Gina. At that visit, we went over post-op instructions so that my caregiver, my mom, would know what to do. Dr. Nayak and I also recapped goals and what to expect after surgery.
Honestly, going into surgery, I wasn’t nervous at all. I was more excited than anything. This was something I’d been wanting to improve about myself for so many years. Dr. Nayak and his staff had spent lots of time with me in the weeks before surgery, preparing me for everything.
The night before my operation, I went shopping and ate a huge meal at the Cheesecake Factory. I knew it was going to be my last big meal for a week or two, because while you’re healing, you have to eat only soft foods. I had the hardest time sleeping that night, because I was excited. But I knew I’d have plenty of time to rest after surgery.
The day of my surgery felt surreal. I couldn’t believe I was actually getting my neck done. After watching these surgeries for so many years, it was finally my turn—I was thrilled. I went in that morning, and Dr. Nayak’s staff reviewed my medical history and drug allergies. Then Dr. Nayak came in and talked with me again before his team helped me get ready for surgery. They were so caring and made me feel comfortable the entire time.
Waking up from surgery, I felt groggy and my mouth was really dry. I was pretty sleepy and wobbly, but I didn’t feel any pain, just a little discomfort. I had one incision under my chin from the neck lift and a cast on my nose.
Once I got back to my hotel, I slept a lot. My neck was still numb, and that definitely helped painwise. My mom was amazing, guiding me around so I didn’t trip or fall, since I was still unsteady from the anesthesia. We stayed in a hotel about 12 minutes away from Dr. Nayak’s office. He wanted me nearby for at least seven or eight days, since I would have multiple follow-up visits the week after surgery.
Around 8 p.m. on that first night, Dr. Nayak called to check up on me. At that point, I was feeling surprisingly good and told him recovery was going smoothly. Later that evening, I took one of the pain pills he’d prescribed. It made me extremely nauseous, and I threw up a few times. That was rough, because you’re not supposed to move your neck a lot after a neck lift. That was the worst night of my whole recovery.
The next morning, I remember going to look in the mirror when I first woke up. When I saw my new neck, I was in love. Even though I was swollen and bruised, I could already tell that I was finally going to have the neckline I’d always dreamed of.
Overall, my neck lift recovery was fairly easy. I never felt a ton of pain; the discomfort would come and go. I did have drains in my neck, to help with swelling and bruising. They didn’t hurt, but they were slightly annoying. My long hair would get tangled in them, and they felt weird. They were worth it though—I do believe they helped with healing.
Having a rhinoplasty along with the neck lift did cause a lot more discomfort. I felt like I had a bad cold, really congested with a lot of drainage, which made my throat sore and dry. I think if I’d had just a neck lift and no rhinoplasty, the discomfort would have been minimal.
I started to feel more like myself around day three after surgery. I was able to go on slow walks, and my mom and I would hop in the car and drive around St. Louis, just to get out of the hotel for a bit. I was a little insecure about people seeing me though; because I had a cast on my nose and drains coming out of my neck, I didn’t get out of the car much.
By two weeks post-op, I was home and feeling great. The swelling had come down a lot, and I absolutely loved my profile. The area under my chin was still numb and slightly swollen, but the healing was going well. Dr. Nayak said as the swelling continues to go down, my neck will gain even more definition. I think he’s as thrilled with the results as I am.
My family and friends are amazed by my new profile. They tell me it’s a big difference but that the results are very natural—like, I look like me but better. The biggest shock to me was my Dad’s reaction. He had been very against me getting a neck lift or plastic surgery in general, because he thought I was beautiful just the way I was. But when he saw my new profile, he said it was really pretty and that Dr. Nayak did a great job. [Ansley’s post-op photos were taken at home, hence the subtle difference in lighting. Click here for more views.]
I’m now six months out and can say this procedure has truly changed my life. I’m ecstatic about my new neckline. I no longer stress about how my profile looks or worry about a double chin. I don’t shy away from getting my picture taken anymore. I feel beautiful and so much more confident. My advice to anyone considering plastic surgery is to do what makes you happy. Don’t worry about other people’s opinions—and don’t make this choice for anyone but yourself.
