What Is The Neck Lift Procedure?
Dr. Lin utilizes two methods for his neck lift procedures, depending on the degree of change you want to see in your neck and chin area. These can be added to any facelift procedure, making for a single recovery.
- Traditional neck lift – A traditional neck lift incision originates below the sideburn area and continues down below the ear, terminating in the hair at the back of the scalp. The skin is pulled away and the fat is usually re-sculpted or redistributed, particularly from the jowls. Usually the platysma muscle (which runs from the upper parts of the pectoral and deltoid muscles all the way up onto the jaw) is tightened. The skin is then pulled up and re-draped, and the excess skin is trimmed away. If there is a good deal of fat under the chin, Dr. Lin usually will opt for a second incision there. He can tighten the muscles and use liposuction to remove fat pockets.
- Limited Incision Neck Lift – As the name implies, rather than a single relatively lengthy incision on each side of the face, here small incisions are made only around the ears. As you would expect, more extensive tightening and skin removal cannot be accomplished with the limited neck lift.
Who Are The Ideal Candidates For Neck Lift Surgery?
For many people, the neck is one of the first areas to show signs of aging with excess wrinkling, neck banding, jowls, even the dreaded “turkey wattle.”These are the signs of aging that a neck lift addresses:
- Fat pockets and relaxed skin in the lower face
- Loose neck skin
- Fatty deposits under the chin
- Muscle banding on the neck
- Jowl lines
- Double chin
With our cold Boston winters, it can be easy to forget about the neck and upper shoulders, but come summer you’ll see firsthand why a neck lift is a good addition to a facelift.
When Will I Be Able To Return To Work And Normal Activities After A Facelift And Neck Lift?
Because there are various methods that Dr. Lin may use for your facelift, your return to work and normal activities can vary. Most patients can return to work in one or two weeks, but this varies by the individual. It may be as long as three weeks.
Vigorous exercise, any lifting where you elevate the blood pressure to your face and neck, and sexual activity will need to wait for at least two weeks, but probably more like four. Strenuous exercise and twisting can return in a month and a half.
When Will I Fully See My Results From My Facelift And Neck Lift?
You need to be patient in this regard. There is some extensive tissue trauma involved in these procedures, and this leads to bruising and swelling. This swelling, especially on the face, can return for months, often at the end of the day. You’ll have an initial idea of the improvements from Dr. Lin’s surgery immediately, but the swelling won’t give you the final picture for up to several months. Still, once all the swelling resolves, there is usually the younger appearance of your face and neck that appears.
Neck Lift Before & After Photos
Combining Neck Lift With A Facelift
It’s interesting how many patients focus so much of their attention on the signs of aging they are seeing in their faces. While the sunken cheeks, smile and laugh lines, and other signs of aging on the face are prevalent, they don’t exist in isolation.
People often overlook what’s going on just below the chin — aging on the neck. Unfortunately, the neck can be one of the first areas to show extensive aging through banding on the neck and looseness under the chin. While a facelift with Dr. Lin will address the jowls to a degree, a neck lift is often a good addition to a facelift.
Face & Neck Lift Patient Questions & Testimonials
Schedule A Neck Lift Consultation
To learn more about a Neck Lift procedure or to schedule an appointment with a specialist, give us a call today at 617.632.7827 or fill out an online contact form and our office will be in touch with you. Our practice serves Bryn Mawr, PA and the surrounding areas!