We all tend to forget about our neck even though it has the pretty important job of holding up the 11 pounds that is our head.
But gravity doesn’t forget about our neck. Just look what it does — the jawline can slacken, jowls appear, and folds and fat deposits appear around the neck. Gravity isn’t solely to blame with that aging neck; sun exposure and the stress of daily life also play a part.
But Dr. Beaty can perform a neck lift, either alone or in conjunction with related procedures such a ProLift™ or eyelid surgery, to correct the visible signs of aging. He does this by removing excess fat, tightening the underlying muscles, and then redraping the skin of your neck.
Neck lift surgery
In a neck lift, Dr. Beaty usually makes incisions beginning near the earlobe and extending in a natural line behind the ear toward the hairline. Another small incision may be made under the chin.
Once the incisions are made, he separates the skin from the fat and muscle below. Fat may be trimmed or suctioned from around the neck and chin to tighten the contour. He typically includes submental jowl liposuction to target fatty deposits. Next, the underlying muscle and membrane are tightened. This will remove neck banding. Then the skin is pulled back and the excess is trimmed. Stitches secure the layers of tissue back into their proper place and close the incisions.
Recovery
Neck lifts don’t usually create serious pain during recovery. There will be numbness in the skin that has been separated from the underlying tissue. This is normal and will gradually pass with a few weeks to a few months. You’ll wear a compression facial garment for several days after your surgery. Dr. Beaty will advise you to keep your head elevated as much as possible to help lessen the swelling.
Bandages will be removed anywhere up to five days. When they are removed, your skin will be pale, bruised and puffy. But don’t worry, this is just the body’s reaction to the trauma of surgery and in a few weeks all of this will have passed.
There’s no need to live with a saggy neck. Call Dr. Beaty at (770) 753-0053 and let’s discuss a neck lift.
