Neck Lift

Neck lift also known as lower rhytidectomy, is one of the cosmetic surgical procedure wherein the person’s jawline and neck area is altered in order to:

• Enhance appearance of a person
• Improve visible signs of aging
• To remove the excess amount of fat and skin around the jawline
• To remove the excess amount of fat that is deposited under the chin
• To lift loose skin structure of the neck
• Muscle banding in the neck, which created abnormal contours

These all signs may occur due to environmental factors or can be inherited. The patient may not see any effect on the face but one can observe wrinkles in the neck area and the skin of neck does not match with the skin of the face. The neck lift is one of the solutions which can be very helpful for such patients.

Other reconstruction procedures that may be performed in combination of the neck lift are:

• Brow lift: This is done in order to improve the sagging or deeply furrowed brow, for transfer of fat, in order to add fullness to the lips and cheeks, and finally to reduce the wrinkles.
• Eyelid surgery: This procedure is mainly performed to improve the texture of the aging eyes.

Here are the most common reasons to undergo a Neck Lift procedure. The neck lift is performed in patients whose neck ages before their face but, aging is not the only responsible cause for older looking skin.

It may occur if the patient has lost weight or any genetic cause is involved.

Some of the reasons to undergo the neck lift procedure may include:

• If the patient is having turkey wattle, which results in older looking skin than the patient’s real age.
• If the patient observes that he/she is having an excess amount of fat in the neck region.
• If the patient wants his/her skin to be improved
• If there are an excess amount of wrinkles and skin on the neck region.

Only the patients, who are non-smokers, have no kind of medical condition and have a positive attitude and expectations are considered for the surgery.

Along with undergoing Neck Lift comes potential risks. The decision if undergoing neck lift is totally personal and the patient will have to decide that if the goal is achieved or not and whether the patient is ready for the risks and complication associated with the procedure.

The patient will have to sign the consent form that contains the procedure description and the risks related.

The risks may be as following:

• Bleeding
• Hair loss that may be temporary or permanent.
• In a rare condition, injury to the nerve that may result in weakness of the lower lip.
• Accumulation of fluids
• Any kind of infection
• Swelling that may stay for a longer period of time.
• Skin loss
• Reduced wound healing capacity
• Risk associated with the use of anesthesia

For the preparation to undergo neck lift surgery, the doctor may ask the patient for lab testing or a medical evaluation.

Doctor will ask the patient to take some medicine and to quit smoking and will advise the patient to avoid taking the medicines like aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs or herbal supplements as they may result in an excess amount of bleeding.

The doctor will also advise the patient about what is to be taken on the night and morning before the surgery, the use of the anesthesia will also be informed by the doctor and the care tips post-surgery and the follow ups.

Here you can find out what to expect from your neck lift procedure. The procedure for the surgery may include the following steps:

Anesthesia: In this step, anesthesia is given so that the patient is comfortable during the surgery.

The incision: This step may include two types:

Traditional neck lift incision: This type of incision is often done from the hairline and continues down and around the ear to the end of the posterior hair. The fats may be shaped or reorganized from the jaws and neck and the tissue that is under the skin of the neck is also repositioned.

A limited incision neck lift: This type involves an incision around the ear. The incision made is shorter and the results may also be limited.

Closing the incisions: Once the procedure is completed, the incision is closed with the help of sutures and a skin glue. The sutures may get dissolved or need to be removed post-surgery.

A bandage will be placed around the face and neck in order to minimize swelling and bruising post procedure. A thin tube may be placed so as to remove the excess blood or fluids that are collected under the skin.

The doctor will provide patient relevant information regarding taking care of the surgical site if any kind of medicines is to be applied or taken orally to reduce the risk of infection.

Before assessing the result of a neck lift surgery, the patient should remember that it will take up to some weeks in order to remove the swelling completely and around six months for the incision lines to mature.

The protection from the sun throughout the life and opting for a healthy lifestyle will result in long lasting results of the surgery. As soon as the swelling is decreased the improved skin will start to appear.

In spite of expecting good results, there are chances when the patient will have to opt for the procedure second time as the desired result are not obtained from the first surgery. The incision made during the surgery, in any case, should not be exposed to an excess force, abrasion, or motion during the time of healing.