Should my Neck Hurt So Much After Neck Lift?

Question

I had a face and neck lift a week ago. My neck feels as if there is a binder clip on each side, pulling . Is this normal? It is very uncomfortable. How long would this last? I feel as if I am being strangled. I fear that I will always have this horrible pulling and tightness.

Vivek Bansal, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question. The tightness does fade after a week or so. The swelling unfortunately goes the way of gravity, and winds up in the neck. This tends to pass in a couple of weeks, and faster if you wear a compression garment around the chin/neck area. I hope this helps.

Jed H. Horowitz, MD, FACS · Answer

hello no more wattle  While each patient is different, as a general rule, patients can expect to recover from their necklift in about three weeks. You should visit or contact your PS about this concern. #pain #discomfort

S. Ozan Sozer, MD · Answer

After an operation patients experience different grades of pain. The pain is a relative symptom and it differs from one person to another, but after a neck lift, it is normal to feel tightness as if you are being strangled because of the shaping of the muscle in the neck. Abnormal symptoms that may be the cause of pain as well is any fluid collections or any discoloration of the skin that may cause some of the skin necrosis, although there are various complications that can happen and may also cause pain. Those are things that your plastic surgeon needs to rule out. Other than that, discomforts, tightness are normal symptoms after a necklift.

Kurtis Martin, MD · Answer

This sounds fairly normal. Most people describe burning, stinging, pulling, throbbing, etc. Don't worry, the tightness will eventually improve. Try some heat (no heating pad) for relief.

Robert Brobst, MD · Answer

Thank you for sharing. Yes, this is very common and normal. The tightness will resolve over the next couple weeks and your surgeon will likely instruct you on when you can increase the range of motion in your neck soon. If you have frank pain, you should discuss this with your surgeon. The tightness will get better in the near future. I hope this helps. Take care and I hope you enjoy your results.

Todd C. Miller, MD · Answer

It is common to feel tightness following a necklift procedure as there are sutures that are anchoring the muscle in the suspended position. This will gradually subside however it is difficult to predict how long it will take. I would make sure that you address these concerns with your surgeon to ensure that you are healing normally. Occasionally, pain out of proportion to the procedure that was performed can indicate a complication such as a hematoma. Your surgeon should easily be able to rule this out.

Should my Neck Hurt So Much After Neck Lift?

Answers (6)

More Neck Lift Questions

WE SEND PRETTY
EMAILS

Answers (6)

More Neck Lift Questions

Saggy Skin Under Chin Sometimes? (photo)

How So I Find a PS?

Is There Surgery to Make Your Neck Longer?

How is the type of anesthesia determined if you have occasional incidents of afib?

Loose Neck Skin at 35. Options? (photo)

Doctor Ruined my Neck and Jaw Line What Happened? (photo)

WE SEND PRETTY EMAILS

WE SEND PRETTY
EMAILS