If you have loose, sagging, or hanging skin on your neck, you may be interested in neck lift surgery. Neck lift surgery can tighten the loose skin on your neck and create a more youthful appearance overall.
At Maryland Plastic Surgery and PURE MedSpa, we offer neck lift procedures for patients in and around Glen Burnie, MD.
Learn about some of the most common questions that clients have regarding neck lifts.
What Is a Neck Lift?
Also known as “turkey neck surgery,” a neck lift is a plastic surgical procedure that smooths and tightens the skin on your neck. During a neck lift, loose and hanging skin on your neck is removed or lifted upward to create a more youthful appearance.
Who Is a Candidate for Neck Lift Surgery?
Neck lift procedures are intended for patients with more mature skin that shows significant signs of aging. As time goes by, the natural decline in collagen and elastin that occur in the skin can cause sagging, hanging, and wrinkles. This can give the neck a more aged appearance than you’d like.
Most candidates for neck lift surgery are in their late 40s and older. It’s around this time that many people start to see age-related changes in their skin. In some cases, clients in their late 30s and 40s can have a neck lift performed to resolve early signs of aging along the jaw and neckline.
Are There Alternatives to Neck Lift Surgery?
Some clients want to tighten up their necks without surgical intervention. While there are non-invasive alternatives to neck lift surgery, they don’t produce the same results.
Skin tightening treatments that use radiofrequency energy or other technology can reduce mild sagging, but they cannot resolve significant signs of aging. These procedures are meant for patients with minor sagging and shallow wrinkles.
Botox injections can also act as an alternative to neck lift surgery for some patients. If you have mild to moderate wrinkling along your jawline or high along your neck, Botox injections may help produce smoother, tighter skin.
Can A Neck Lift Be Performed with a Facelift?
To see more pronounced results, certain cosmetic procedures can be performed together, including a neck lift combined with facelift surgery. Many patients choose to have these two procedures performed at the same time to see major anti-aging benefits and a more noticeable transformation.
Are Patients Under Anesthesia During a Neck Lift?
We perform neck lifts using general anesthesia so that you are completely comfortable throughout the process. This also makes it easier for us to perform your surgery with advanced precision.
All surgeries that use general anesthesia require advance medical clearance for the patient. This confirms that you are healthy enough to be put under anesthesia for your procedure.
Where Are Incisions Made When Performing a Neck Lift?
Your neck lift incisions will be made starting at the bottom of the ear lobe and extending behind the ear to the bottom of your hair. This allows us to lift the skin of your chin and neck upward to create a tighter appearance.
If there is any excess or loose skin, we can remove it at these incision points and pull the remaining skin upward in a firmer, tighter position.
How Long Does Neck Lift Surgery Take?
Depending on your individual needs, neck lift surgery can take anywhere from two to three hours to complete. If you are combining your neck lift with a facelift, it may take around five to seven hours to complete.
What Is Recovery Like After a Neck Lift?
Once your neck lift is complete, we will monitor you in our aftercare center for several hours. Most patients can return home the same day as their procedure, but you may be asked to stay overnight if there are extenuating circumstances.
You will be discharged to go home with sutures in place along the back of your ear and around the bottom of your hairline behind the ear. These sutures can be removed about one week after your surgery.
For the first four to six weeks after your surgery, you should avoid anything that can strain your neck or that puts direct pressure on your skin in the treated area.
Most people can return to work several days after their surgery. The recovery process is minimal after a neck lift, and you should be able to resume your normal activities about one week after the procedure.
Are Neck Lift Results Permanent?
Your neck lift results will not be permanent, but they will be long-lasting. If you practice proper skin care and avoid things like sun exposure and other irritants, your neck should stay youthful and firm for about 10 to 15 years after surgery.
With that being said, you will eventually see age-related changes re-occur over time. While you continue to age, collagen and elastin production will still decline in your skin. This can cause wrinkles, sagging, and looseness to develop again. To maintain a more youthful look, you can seek additional skin tightening treatments or Botox injections.
Neck Lift Surgery in Glen Burnie, MD
Are you looking to have a tighter, more youthful appearance overall? Getting a smoother, younger-looking neck is one way to transform your appearance.
Neck lift surgery is one of the many procedures we offer at Maryland Plastic Surgery and PURE MedSpa. We work with patients in Glen Burnie, MD, and the surrounding cities.
To find out more about turkey neck surgery, call us today and schedule a neck lift consultation with one of our surgeons.
