How long is healing time for a neck lift?

A neck lift surgery is basically the same as a facelift when the majority of the changes involve tightening of the skin and tissue of the lower 1/3 of the face (jowls/jawline) and the neck. There are different degrees of lifting that may be necessary, and the recovery depends on how extensive of a lift that is performed.
A mini lift involves a little liposuction under the chin and tightening of skin in front of and around the ear. The mini lift has a short and rather easy recovery. With a mini you will see a little bruising and swelling that typically fades and subsides in a week to 10 days (although full healing still occurs for 4-6 weeks). Most people are off pain medicine in a couple of days and feel socially acceptable at about a week, but need to stay away from vigorous exercise for at least 3 weeks.

A full facelift involves liposuction under the chin, sometimes adjustment of the muscles in the neck under the chin, removal of skin in front of the ear and around the ear, and also tightening of the deeper fibrous layer of the facial tissues called the SMAS facia (Superficial Musculo Aponeurotic System). This is a stronger layer of tissue attached to the muscles of the cheek and neck. Tightening this gives significantly more lift to the cheek, jawline and neck area and is essential in rejuvenating a more aged face.

This more involved facelift is a larger and more invasive procedure and therefore requires a longer healing time. Patients usually require pain medicine for 3-5 days to alleviate discomfort. The swelling and bruising are more intense and typically require 10-14 days to start to resolve. Most people feel well enough to go back to work at about 2 weeks, but would be fine to work from home (if that’s possible) after the first week. Vigorous exercise needs to be avoided for about a month, but you can walk and do lighter activities after the first week. Usually, it takes 6-8 weeks to feel fully healed.

Finally, sometimes a facelift can be combined with other facial rejuvenative procedures such as blepharoplasty (eyelid lift) and/or brow lift. These procedures do not add a lot of time to the healing process of a facelift, but can make the initial recovery a little more uncomfortable. The added pain, however is definitely worth the benefit of only having to go through one procedure to accomplish all of your aesthetic goals. Imagine only one surgery, one anesthetic and one recovery to achieve a refreshed, more youthful you!

Thank you for your question. Healing time depends on the procedure and patient. The laser-assisted weekend neck lift is an innovative procedure because patients can recover in less than 1 week with an improved neckline and contoured jawline. I suggest that you consult with your board certified facial plastic surgeon.
Best wishes,

I have had physicians go back to work the same day after a jowl lift. More extensive neck lifts take about 10 days to be out in public. It takes 3 to 4 weeks before you can exercise or have vigorous activity. Many patients can interact well over speaker phone in 5 days after the procedure. Good luck...

A neck lift can encompass a wide range of techniques, from liposuction alone to full facelift techniques.  Depending on what needs to be done, the recovery can be very quick ( a week) to a few months.  Most patients will have swelling and occasionally bruising.  I have my patients wear a compressive chin/ head strap for the first week at all times, then at home/ night for another few weeks.  Most are looking good enough after a week that they can be out and about without any worries.  I hope this helps.

Hello and thank you for your question.  The
best advice you can receive is from an in-person consultation.  I advise patients that they will have bruising for 10-14 days after a necklift.   Make sure you specifically look
at before and after pictures of real patients who have had this surgery
performed by your surgeon and evaluate their results.   The most
important aspect is to find a surgeon you are comfortable with. I recommend
that you seek consultation with a qualified board-certified plastic surgeon who
can evaluate you in person.
Best wishes and good luck.
Richard G. Reish, M.D.  FACS
Harvard-trained plastic surgeon

Hello, and thank you for your post! The initial recovery time from a full neck lift is about a week -- this is the typical amount of time it takes before our neck lift clients feel comfortable returning to work or the public eye. You will be able to get up and walk around the same day as your surgery, though you will want to rest and avoid unnecessary activity for at least your first few days post-op. It can take up to four weeks before you are able to resume more strenuous activities including exercise.

There are also other types of neck procedures that have shorter recovery times, such as jowl lifts, neck liposuction or laser treatments. You can learn more about which of these procedures might be right for you by scheduling a consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon in your area. Good luck!

There are many variables  in discussing healing time. In general two weeks is enough time to look sociable. Many patients could return to work at a desk job within a week. The extent of the surgery, the patient's tendency to bruise, and other factors should be considered.

The answer to this question depends on the procedure done. A neck lift that is combined with a facelift is a 7-10 day recovery period. Most people regard healing time as "when can i be seen in public?". This could take up to 2 weeks for some, but is usually shorter. If a cervicoplasty is performed, where only the sagging neck skin and excess fat are adressed, it could be less than a week. This procedure is usually done on men as the scar on the neck is less noticeable.

One of the most common complaints with aging is the excess and sagging skin that occurs with the neck. Often times, this is also accompanied with unwanted neck bands and fat underneath the chin. A neck lift is an excellent option to treat these undesirable features. Though most commonly performed with a facelift, a neck lift can be performed alone in patients who complaints are just of their neck area. With regard to recovery, mild to moderate swelling and bruising is expected and mostly resolves over two weeks. Most bruising can be covered with light make up after a few days. Most patients can resume light social activity after 1-2 weeks depending on their comfort level.  It's important to avoid heavy exercising for at least two weeks. I recommend an in-person consultation with a facial plastic surgeon to further discuss neck lift surgery and the recovery process. Best of luck!

 In our practice, we place drains in the neck to remove the blood from underneath the skin, and they are left in place for two days. Anticipate two weeks of visible bruising and swelling.  Full healing takes approximately 4 to 6 months.  The reason for the extended swelling is because fat is removed from both above and below the platysma muscle in the neck. For many before-and-after neck lift examples,  please see the link and the video below