Do I Need a Neck Lift for This? 16 Years Old

By this you are probably concerned by the lack of neck definition; the nice tight jawline. Diet and exercise are the key here. You say that you are 16 years old so your body is still changing a lot. I see changes in the body throughout the teens and the 20's. You will definitely see improvement if you are disciplined in this. If, when you have seen a drop to your ideal weight and you still have that problem than you might consider liposuction of your neck. Avoid fad diets and and stick to a sustained change of lifestyle and dietary changes. Eat "clean". If there is a family pre-disposition towards a heavy neck, then this might make the surgeon more inclined to recommend lipo. Give it a couple of years and see what you need then.  Good luck!!

"These are all natural parts of the aging process. What we can do is try preventative treatments or get a neck lift / face lift earlier in the aging process. There are numerous non-surgical options available, and some can be used in combination to get best outcomes, but you would need a consultation with an expert.

Some options for skin tightening include:

- Thermage radiofrequency to heat the skin, tighten it over time, and prevent the aging process
- Ultherapy high-intensity ultrasound to contract the muscle, tighten the face and neck, and prevent the aging process
- PDO NovaThreads or InstaLift threads for immediate lifting without surgery and long-term collagen production
- Sculptra injections for collagen production to areas of the face and neck with crepey skin or early sagging
- BTL Exilis Ultra, Venus Legacy, and Thermi250 for monthly collagen stimulation with facials
- ThermiRF, Renuvion (J Plasma), or Inmode BodyTite for internal heating and tightening with or without surgery
- Fillers (or facial implants) to contour the jawline and chin to improve the appearance of the neck
- Face lift / neck lift with fat grafting and fillers if you need a significant improvement​

​I would suggest getting a formal evaluation with a cosmetic dermatologist. Best, Dr. Emer​​​​"

If in fact you are less than 30 or so years old, for most patients submental liposuction is a good technique for removing the excess fat/fullness under the chin region.    At this young age, your quite elastic skin will contract nicely,  However, you need to meet with a plastic surgeon with whom you feel comfortable.

I would recommend nonsurgical methods first, which include diet and exercise. If not successful, in the future, you should seek a consultation with a plastic surgeon for recommendations. 

There are many factors including excess fat, draping skin, and loose underlying muscles that can contribute to an aesthetically displeasing neck.  In younger patients, the most common culprit is excess fat. My first recommendation is to try nonsurgical methods to improve the contour of your jawline through diet and exercise. Once you have reached your ideal body weight, if there is still excess fat, liposuction can be performed to achieve the "chiseled" jawline that most patients are looking for. For older patients, the problem is usually multifactorial and requires a combination of liposuction, muscle tightening and skin redraping to achieve a natural rejuvenated neck. 

 

 

You definitely don't need a neck lift.  You may possibly (hard to say without better photos) benefit from a chin implant as that can make the jaw-neck angle appear more defined.

While aesthetic procedures in young people are performed, sometimes for excellent reasons, "neck lifting" procedures would not usually be appropriate. At age 16-18 years old, the body is still developing in most people, and  "Nature's refinements" are on the way. Diet & patience are important. Liposuction can sometimes help when non-surgical methods are unsuccessful in reducing unwanted fat that lies beneath the skin. But it would be an extremely rare situation where actual surgery to tighten the neck would be a good idea in a young person. 

Thanks very much for the question and photos. At your age, you should focus on shedding the extra pounds to get down to your ideal weight. Correction of your lifestyle habits (exercise and diet) is really important for your overall health and will improve your appearance as well. At 16, this is a much better option than surgery.

Once you get down to your ideal weight, if you still feel like you have extra fullness under the chin (submental liposis) over the next few years, liposuction of the neck could be appropriate. Generally younger patients have excellent skin elasticity, meaning that the skin tightens up when the excess fat is removed from underneath it. This is a 45-60 minute procedure under light IV sedation, done through two tiny 3 mm incisions under the chin. A neck lift, tightening of the muscle and skin of the neck, is reserved for older patients who, over time, develop loose skin and muscle in the neck and jowls.

Best regards,

Dr. Mehta

Most importantly, you do NOT need a necklift. I recommend that you reach a weight that you are happy with. That might take 6-12 months. Once you're at your chosen weight, you can seek a consultation with a Facial Plastic Surgeon along with your parents (they'll need to be involved in the process). If anything, a conservative amount of liposuction can be performed to improve the neckline. At 16 years old, this should be the most invasive procedure you consider. Anything more invasive should be delayed for 25-30 years until you actually need it. I hope this information is helpful.Stephen Weber MD, FACS

Necklift is an invasive procedure. It is not advisable in teenagers. You should focus on exercise and toning your neck muscles. If you loose a lot of weight and have saggy skin, then you can either undergo laser skin tightening or a neck lift.

I would strongly recommend against any neck surgery at this age.

Regards

Dr. J

Disclaimer: This answer is not intended to give a medical opinion and does not substitute for medical advice. The information presented in this posting is for patients’ education only. As always, I encourage you to see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.