What's Necklift
A neck-lift, known in medical terms as a platysmaplasty, is a surgical procedure that removes excess skin and fat from the neck to address age-related wrinkling and creasing around the neck area to provide a smoother and slimmer profile. Depending on the degree of change a patient would like to see and their unique physical profile, neck lift options include a cervicoplasty or a platysmaplasty, and sometimes a combination of both is used depending on the goals of the patient and their surgeon.
The Science ...
A cervicoplasty focuses on correcting limp and sagging skin caused by aging, rapid weight-loss or other similar problems. This procedure is the least complicated of the two and provides a means to rejuvenate the lower face through minimally invasive incisions. This method focuses on removing excess skin around the neck that creates a
sagging look and is best suited for patients with low skin elasticity leading to the sagging of the skin. Through an incision made behind or under each ear the surgeon is able to tighten, remove, and reposition skin over the neck resulting in a tighter neckline.
For a platysmaplasty (Necklift), an incision is usually made under the chin to better access the neck muscles. The surgeon will then either re-align the muscle, partially remove it, or suture them together depending on the type of results and changes the patient would like to achieve. Those with sagging and wrinkling of the neck along with a loss of separation between the neck and the chin or jaw would be ideal candidates for this procedure
Recovery
Overall a neck lift procedure is minimally invasive with a short recovery period. Patients can usually return to work in 3-7 days. Most patients who undergo any type of neck lift surgery will notice results after about two weeks when minor bruising has resolved. Following this brief recovery period, the new contours of the neck and chin will start to become visible. The overall goal of a neck lift is to produce results that lead to a tighter and smoother neck for a younger-looking, more defined appearance. The physical changes that result from a neck lift lead to an increase in a patients self-esteem resulting in a more confident attitude toward their appearance.