What do you do to cover up the signs of aging on your neck? Have you embraced turtlenecks? Do you never leave the house without a scarf, even though you live in Tampa or Miami? If you’re concerned about a double chin or a turkey’s wattle, you don’t have to spend the rest of your days covering your neck area.
A neck lift might be what you need to get a more youthful-looking neck and chin area and to restore the contour of your jawline. Dr. Bared performs several popular neck lift techniques at his practices in Miami and Tampa, allowing patients to love their necks and say good-bye to their scarves and high-necked tops.
Types of Neck Lift
No one ages in the exact same way. Your neck might develop signs of aging in a way that’s completely different from the way your friend’s neck ages. The most commonly used techniques for neck rejuvenation are:
Submental Liposuction
Even people who are not overweight can develop some fatty deposits in the chin area. Depending on the amount of fat in the submental (aka chin) area, the jawline can be less well-defined or a person might look as if they have a double chin.
Submental liposuction in Tampa focuses on removing the extra, unwanted fat from the chin area. The technique can help to define the jawline or reduce the size of a double chin. During submental liposuction, a plastic surgeon makes a few small incisions under the chin. The location of the incisions means that any scars will be well-concealed.
The surgeon then inserts a small tube, called a cannula, into the incisions. The excess fat is suctioned out through the tube. Once the fat is gone, it won’t come back.
Depending on your wishes and the state of your neck area, submental liposuction might be the only neck lift technique you need to rejuvenate the area. If you also have sagging skin or loose muscle, two additional neck lift techniques might be appropriate.
Cervicoplasty
A cervicoplasty is a type of neck lift technique that focuses on removing excess skin from the neck area. At the start of the procedure, a surgeon might make incisions behind the ears and under the chin. A cervicoplasty focuses on tightening the skin and leaves the muscles in the neck area alone. Depending on a patient’s goals, excess fat might also be removed from the area during the surgery.
Platysmaplasty
The large muscle in the neck area is the platysma muscle. It’s a large, sheet-shaped muscle that stretches from the clavicle area up the sides of the neck, to the lower jawbone. Among the things the platysma muscle can do are open the mouth and pull the corners of the lips down.
As people get older, the platysma muscle can become loose or weaker. A loosened and sagging platysma muscle can create wrinkles across the neck.
The goal of platysmaplasty is to tighten the large neck muscle, smoothing neck bands or wrinkles, and rejuvenating the overall appearance of the neck. During a platysmaplasty, a surgeon is also likely to tighten and remove loose skin and extra fatty deposits.
Different types of platysmaplasty exist. For example, a corset platysmaplasty focuses on tightening the muscle in the under chin area.
Non-Surgical Neck Rejuvenation Options
If you are concerned about the way your neck looks, but aren’t ready for surgery, you still have options. Botox injections can help to smooth the platysma muscle, keeping it from contracting, and reducing the appearance of vertical bands across the neck.
Botox in the neck area isn’t right for everyone. It won’t help if you have sagging skin or if the platysma muscle is very loose. It also won’t do much for a double chin or fatty deposits under the neck. But if you’re just beginning to see signs of aging in the neck area, a non-surgical, short-term option might be right for you.
Are You a Good Candidate for a Neck Lift?
If you have sagging skin or a weakened muscle in the neck area, and you see visible wrinkles, neck bands or have a “turkey’s wattle,” a neck lift might help you. A neck lift can also be a good option for people who have lost a considerable amount of weight and who now have sagging skin below the chin.
To be a good candidate for any type of neck lift, you should be in good health. It’s also important that you not smoke or that you be willing to quit smoking weeks before surgery. Dr. Bared can review your medical history to help you determine if a neck lift is the best option for you at the moment.
Which Neck Lift Technique Is Right for You?
You’re a candidate for a neck lift: How do you know which technique to choose? The neck lift technique that would work best for you depends on your overall goals and your reasons for wanting a neck lift.
For example, if your primary concern is a bit of fat under the chin, liposuction will likely be the right option for you. If you have more substantial signs of aging under the chin or in the neck area, such as a pronounced turkey wattle or visible neck bands, surgery to rejuvenate the muscle in the neck might be best. Your plastic surgeon will examine your neck area and listen to your wants and needs before suggesting a technique.
Can a Surgeon Combine Neck Lift Techniques?
For the most part, a surgeon can perform multiple techniques on the same patient during a neck lift procedure. For example, it’s fairly common for a surgeon to perform chin or submental liposuction at the same time as a cervicoplasty or platysmaplasty.
It’s also sometimes the case that a surgeon will combine a neck lift with another facial rejuvenation surgery. A combined facelift and neck lift is rather common. A facelift focuses on rejuvenating the lower third of a person’s face.
Another popular combination is a neck lift with a chin implant. A chin implant can enhance the shape of the face and improve its balance. If you’re considering a neck lift to define your jawline or increase definition in the chin area, a chin implant combined with a neck lift can be particularly effective.
Want to learn more about neck lift techniques? Schedule a one-on-one consultation with Dr. Bared at his practices in Tampa or Miami today. Call 800-943-7295 to book your appointment today.
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