Aging is something everyone has to experience sooner or later. It’s inevitable. Aging causes a lot of stress, partially due to the changes that occur in the body. A common change is the sagging of the tissues in the neck. This sagging can lead to a lack of neck definition, along with the formation of a turkey wattle and a double chin.

Luckily, there are many cosmetic surgeries available to reshape the parts of your body that you may not feel comfortable with. One of these surgeries is the neck lift.

What Is a Neck Lift?

A neck lift is a surgical procedure that removes excess fat and skin from your neck. It also tightens the sagging neck muscles. This improves the neck’s structure in order to give it more definition, leaving you looking younger and in better shape.

A neck lift is usually performed as an accompaniment to a facelift, creating more comprehensive overall rejuvenation. However, you can also get this procedure done on its own if you prefer.

There are three main techniques that may be performed as part of a neck lift: cervicoplasty, platysmaplasty, and liposuction.

1. Cervicoplasty

One indication that you’re a good candidate for a neck lift is sagging loose skin on your neck. Cervicoplasty is the technique used during a neck lift to remove this excess skin. A scalpel is used to carefully trim away the excess drooping skin, and the remaining skin is then tightened.

2. Platysmaplasty

The platysmal muscles are muscles stretching from your chest all the way up to your chin. When a person has sagging platysmal muscles, this can negatively affect the look of their neck and can cause the appearance of a turkey wattle.

To address these, platysmaplasty is performed during a neck lift. This technique involves rejoining and tightening the platysma muscles using internal sutures.

3. Liposuction

Excess fat deposits along the jawline and the neck can result in the look of a double chin. During the neck-lift surgery, liposuction can be used to remove these stubborn fat deposits.

Liposuction involves the use of a small tube called a cannula. When inserted into an incision, the cannula can loosen the fat cells from the surrounding tissues and can then remove them from the body with medical suction.

The Process of Neck-Lift Surgery

Dr. Espinosa will go through the surgical plan with you before you get on the operating table. During this, the two of you will decide on which neck-lift techniques are needed to recontour and sculpt your neck.

The surgery itself starts with incisions along the jawline. After the initial incisions have been made, Dr. Espinosa will have access to the underlying tissues. She will then remove tissues and tighten tissues as needed. Finally, she will close up the incisions using sutures.

Although it will not halt the process of aging completely, a neck lift offers long-lasting rejuvenation for several years to come.

Find Out More Today

Talk to experienced reconstructive plastic surgeon Dr. Nashielli Espinosa for more information about the neck lift. To get started, contact us and arrange your consultation.