Neck Lift in Memphis
A neck lift, or lower rhytidectomy, is a surgical procedure that improves visible signs of aging in the jawline and neck.
The loss of youthful contours in the face and neck can be due to a variety of factors, including heredity, gravity, environmental conditions and stress.
Some people feel they are not ready for a full facelift because the upper face is still pleasing. However, many patients will note excess wrinkling of the neck skin, a double chin or “turkey wattle” and jowl lines.
When the neck area doesn’t match the upper facial appearance, a neck lift may be a good solution.
Rejuvenation procedures that can be performed in conjunction with a neck lift are: a brow lift, to correct a sagging or deeply furrowed brow, fat transfer, to add fullness to the lips and cheeks and reduce the appearance of wrinkles, or eyelid surgery, to rejuvenate aging eyes.
What neck lift surgery can treat:
- Excess fat and skin relaxation in the lower face that creates jowls
- Excess fatty deposits under the chin
- Loose neck skin
- Muscle banding in the neck, which created abnormal contours
What neck lift surgery can't do
As a restorative surgery, a neck lift does not change your fundamental appearance and cannot stop the aging process.
A neck lift can only be performed surgically; nonsurgical rejuvenation treatments cannot achieve the same results, but may help delay the time at which a neck lift becomes appropriate and complement the results of surgery.
Nonsurgical neck lift
Some people may want to improve the aging appearance of their neck with nonsurgical procedures. Some of the benefits of these nonsurgical options include a quicker recovery time and fewer risks.
Botox can be used on the vertical neck bands to relax the muscle and reduce wrinkling. Fractionated laser treatmen can lead to textural improvements in the skin. Dermal fillers can restore lost volume to the skin, while Kybella can break down fat cells.
Radiofrequency with microneedling can rejuvenate the skin by reproducing collagen. Finally, ultrasound technology can also stimulate collagen to improve fine lines and wrinkles.
Who is a good candidate for neck lift surgery?
In general, good candidates for a neck lift include:
- Healthy individuals who do not have medical conditions that impair healing
- Nonsmokers
- Individuals with a positive outlook and realistic expectations
Some people feel they are not ready for a full facelift because the upper face is still pleasing. However, many patients will note excess wrinkling of the neck skin, a double chin or “turkey wattle” and jowl lines.
When the neck area doesn’t match the upper facial appearance, a neck lift may be a good solution.
What should I expect during a consultation for neck lift surgery?
During your neck lift surgery consultation be prepared to discuss:
- Your surgical goals
- Medical conditions, drug allergies and medical treatments
- Current medications, vitamins, herbal supplements, alcohol, tobacco and drug use
- Previous surgeries
Your neck lift surgeon will also:
- Evaluate your general health status and any pre-existing health conditions or risk factors
- Discuss your rejuvenation options
- Examine and measure your face
- Take photographs
- Recommend a course of treatment
- Discuss likely outcomes of a neck lift and any risks or potential complications
- Discuss the type of anesthesia that will be used
Be sure to ask questions. To help, we have prepared a checklist of questions to ask your neck lift surgeon that you can take with you to your consultation.
It’s very important to understand all aspects of your neck lift. It’s natural to feel some anxiety, whether it’s excitement for your anticipated new look or a bit of preoperative stress. Don’t be shy about discussing these feelings with your plastic surgeon.
What are the risks of neck lift surgery?
The decision to have a neck lift is extremely personal. You will have to decide if the benefits will achieve your goals, and if the risks and potential complications of a neck lift are acceptable.
You will be asked to sign consent forms to ensure that you fully understand the procedure and any risks and potential complications.
Neck lift surgery risks include:
- Anesthesia risks
- Bleeding
- Facial asymmetry
- Fluid accumulation (hematoma)
- Infection
- Numbness or other changes in skin sensation
- Persistent pain
- Poor wound healing
- Prolonged swelling
- Rare nerve injury that could cause weakness of the lower lip
- Rare risk of deep venous thrombosis with cardiac or pulmonary sequelae
- Skin irregularities and discoloration
- Skin loss
- Sutures may spontaneously surface through the skin, become visible or produce irritation and require removal
- Temporary or permanent hair loss along the incisions
- Unfavorable scarring
- Unsatisfactory results which may require revisional surgery
These risks and others will be fully discussed prior to your consent. It is important that you address all your questions directly with your plastic surgeon.
How should I prepare for neck lift surgery?
In preparing for neck lift surgery, you may be asked to:
- Get lab testing or a medical evaluation
- Take certain medications or adjust your current medications
- Stop smoking
- Avoid taking aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs and herbal supplements as they can increase bleeding
Special instructions you receive will cover:
- What to do on the night before and morning of surgery
- The use of anesthesia during your neck lift
- Postoperative care and follow-up
A neck lift may be performed in an accredited office-based surgical facility, licensed ambulatory surgical center or a hospital. Since your neck lift will be performed on an outpatient basis, be sure to arrange for someone to drive you to and from surgery and to stay with you for at least the first night following surgery.
What should I expect during my neck lift recovery?
During your recovery from neck lift surgery, a bandage could gently be placed around your face and neck to minimize swelling and bruising when your procedure is completed.
A thin tube may be present to drain any excess blood or fluid that may collect under the skin.
You will be given specific instructions that may include how to care for the surgical site and drains, medications to apply or take orally to aid healing and reduce the potential for infection, specific concerns to look for at the surgical site or in your general health and when to follow up with your plastic surgeon.
It is important to keep your head elevated above your heart to minimize swelling and to keep your head straight (no excessive twisting or bending of the neck). DO NOT APPLY ICE to the neck as this can compromise blood flow and result in skin death.
Be sure to ask your neck lift surgeon specific questions about what you can expect during your individual recovery period:
- Where will I be taken after my surgery is complete?
- What medication will I be given or prescribed after surgery?
- Will I have dressings/bandages after surgery?
- When will they be removed?
- Are stitches removed? When?
- When is it safe for me to drive?
- When can I resume normal activity and exercise?
- When do I return for follow-up care?
What results should I expect after neck lift surgery?
As you begin to evaluate your neck lift results, please remember that it may take several weeks to months for swelling to fully dissipate and up to six months for incision lines to mature.
Life-long sun protection and a healthy lifestyle will help extend the results of your rejuvenated, more youthful appearance.
As swelling and bruising subside, the visible improvements of a neck lift appear. Your final result should not only provide a more youthful and rested appearance, but also help you feel more confident about yourself.
Although good results are expected from your procedure, there is no guarantee. In some situations, it may not be possible to achieve optimal results with a single surgical procedure and another surgery may be necessary.
Following your plastic surgeon’s instructions is essential to the success of your surgery.
It is important that the surgical incisions are not subjected to excessive force, abrasion or motion during the time of healing. Avoid wearing any clothing that must go over your head.
Robert Wallace MD
“Dr. Robert D. Wallace has been recognized for many years as one of the best plastic surgeons in the United States and has an international reputation for his work in craniofacial, cleft, and cosmetic surgery. He has been on Castle Connelly’s Top Doc list and Best Doctors award for many consecutive years. In addition, he was selected by Newsweek magazine in 2021 and 2022 as one of the top 100 plastic surgeons in the USA on their list for facelift and rhinoplasty surgery. In 2022 he was honored by Memphis Business Journal with the Healthcare Hero award in the physician category for his work in pediatric and craniofacial surgery. He has published multiple medical articles and book chapters in plastic surgery literature.”
Schedule your Neck Lift treatment in Memphis
If you have any questions or want to schedule an appointment, contact us and our team will be glad to support you