What Do Neck Lift Incisions Look Like?

As with any facial plastic surgery procedure, the surgeon should do their best to minimize the size of the incisions as much as possible. With necklift procedures, incisions are usually made behind the ears, which is easily concealed by hair for both men and women after surgery. The more experience the surgeon has with necklifts, the better they are able to strategically make the incisions to minimize scarring in visible places. If you are considering a necklift, it's important to consult with a board certified physician who will be able to assess you and show you exactly where the incisions would be made for you specifically. Every procedure should be customized to the face and neck of each particular patient.

Most of the incision for a neck lift is very well hidden behind the ear and following the hairline down toward the base of your scalp.  There is a very small portion of the scar may extend in front of the earlobe.  Typically, the tension that is created by the lift is placed on the scars that are most well hidden and, therefore, the scar in front of the ear is lighter and more difficult to see, even for those patients with short hair.  These are typically easily concealed by hairstyle and makeup.  Often an additional incision is made below the chin to tighten the platysmal muscle or remove fat. Those scars tend to be minimal and very inconspicuous.  Be sure to do your research and have a board certified plastic surgeon with extensive experience in facial surgery perform your neck lift and you will most likely be very satisfied with your result.  Good luck.

Thank you for your question.  The neck lift scar are placed neatly in the contour behind the ear starting from below the earlobe, behind the ear and on the edge of the hairline.  Every PS will have a different method of where they place them.  I do not go into the hairline as 30% patient of patients can suffer from hair loss if the scar is placed into the hairline.  If you may require muscle tightening, also known as platysmaplasty then a small incision is made under the chin hidden from view to suture the platysma muscle together than you often see as two vertical lines in front of the neck. This tightens and pulls back the neck.I use dissolvable stitches which are placed under the skin to create a nicer scar.  The scars will take about 3-6 months to mature.  All The Best 

There are many different types of neck lift procedures. Neck lifts may range from a full facelift technique to a submental midline neck approach. In the traditional cheek/neck (facelift) technique, the incisions are hidden around the ears and into the hairline. Each surgeon's incision will vary slightly. There is often a second small incision hidden in a natural crease under the chin in order to access the central part of the neck.In a direct submental approach, or direct neck lift, the incision tends to resemble a "T" shape and lies in the vertical midline of the neck. While this incision is not ideal for every patient, it can allow the surgeon to produce extremely long-lasting results. The downside of this approach is that it leaves a more visible scar and does not address the cheeks or the jowls/jawline.Be sure to ask about incisions during your consultation with your surgeon as they will vary somewhat from one surgeon to another.All the best,

Whether or not you will require an incision under your chin is dependent on what procedures you will need for the best outcome. The best recommendations to improve your neck appearance depend on your needs, desires, and most importantly an examination to determine the best procedure for you. Your plastic surgeon will evaluate you for five main features that will determine your best options for neck line improvement:
1 Amount of excess fat typically found beneath the chin, and in the upper neck. This requires liposuction with small cannulas or direct removal especially if the fat is beneath the platysma muscle.
2 Presence of Significant (Platysmal) Banding – this requires bringing the muscles together in the upper/mid neck to a more youthful position and occasionally their release. This procedure is called a platysmaplasty or platysma plication. Mild banding can be treated non- surgically with Botox or Dysport but this requires injections 3-4 times a year for maintenance.
3 Amount of excess/redundant skin (cutis laxa) and condition of your skin. In advanced stages this is called a Turkey Waddle or Gobble deformity. For example, younger age, darker skin colors and no large weight loss history most likely means there will be better elasticity and therefore better post-surgical contraction. In milder cases if not too much fat is present there will be enough skin shrinkage with just lipo alone. Mild to minimal skin tightening using non-surgical means like the Sciton Laser SkinTyte procedure, Ultherapy or Thermage could also be considered. My personal preference for non-surgical skin tightening of the neck is the Sciton Laser BBL SkinTyte® procedure as there is no down time, more comfortable procdure, is effective and is a more targeted treatment. For redundant upper and mid excess neck skin: I prefer the LiteLift® (lower facelift ) procedure or MACS for skin re-draping for mild to moderate excess skin management as there are minimal scars and the skin is lifted vertically allowing for minimal hidden scars resulting in a natural appearance “non pulled” appearance. However: for moderate to severe skin redundancy , a neck lift or traditional lower facelift (e.g.Lite Lift®, MACS and others) is needed with or without lipo for best results. For advanced Turkey Waddle correction wither a traditional facelift or posterior neck lift often with a platysmaplasty is required with more extensive scars that extend at the hairline behind your ears. The advantage of a facelift procedure rather than a posterior neck lift is that your lower jawline (e.g. jowls and marionette lines) are also improved at the same time.
4 Chin deficiency. If you have a weak chin then you will not have adequate chin support to your neckline skin which affects your entire neck line. Sometimes especially in younger individuals this is all that is required and this can be done in the office under local anesthesia. There are a number of different sizes and shapes and your plastic surgeon will pick the optimal one for you.
5 Presence of prominent Digastric Muscles or Submandibular gland fullness from laxity or enlargement. Although not a major concern for most patients, if present then partial resection is usually the best solution.

hello As a general rule, a necklift incision starts right in front of or within the hairline on the temple, follows the curve of the front of the ear, travels underneath the earlobe, and ends at the hairline behind the ear.  There are also shorter scar techniques preferred by many patients, which do not have incisions in the hairline. #scar #neck

Neck lift incisions are well hidden behinds the ears and along the hairlines. It will take a couple of months for the incision lines to be inconspicuous. Be sure to consult with a board certified facial plastic surgeon. 

Incisions are usually under the chin and in front and behind the ears. They are designed to be well hidden. Your surgeon can help show you exactly where the incisions would fall on your face.

Neck Lift procedures are usually
performed through an incision placed beneath the chin.  In some cases additional incisions are
placed behind the ear as well. 
These incisions are relatively short and tend to heal nicely.  Scars are initially red, but over the
course of time fade and become less perceptable.  The vast majority of patients who undergo neck lift surgery
are happy with their incisions and their result. 

A neck lift means different things depending on your underlying anatomy:


Small incision under the chin

Limited incisions behind the ear only

Incisions along face and neck


It is important that the surgeon adjust the surgery depending on the patient's individual anatomy and goals.