Neck Lift


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Neck Lift

Average Cost

$10,500 - $12,500

Downtime

Up to 14 days

Some neck lifts can be performed under local anesthesia if minimal correction is needed. It is not uncommon for a neck lift to be combined with chin augmentation, liposuction of the chin/neck, or a facelift.

Newport Beach plastic surgeon Dr. Joseph T. Cruise has been performing face and neck rejuvenation procedures for over a decade. He wants all patients to be well informed about which face and neck lift options will best address their concerns, which is why he and his staff have provided these pages as a resource. In addition to answering some of the most common questions about face and neck lift, Cruise Plastic Surgery gives you access to a number of before and after neck lift pictures, so you can see the kinds of patient concerns that Joseph T Cruise, MD is able to address, achieving natural-looking, effective results.

Please see below topics related to neck lift:

Many patients considering face and neck rejuvenation have similar concerns and questions. Joseph T Cruise, MD is dedicated to providing understandable, straightforward information that helps you make the best cosmetic surgery decisions for you. The topics he covers include:

  • What causes the neck to sag?
    The neck begins to sag with age as supportive tissues deteriorate. Joseph T Cruise, MD takes a custom approach to face and neck lift that directly addresses the underlying causes.
  • What does a neck lift do?
    Many patients have concerns with loose skin on their neck – “turkey neck” – as well as the definition along the jaw line. Find out how a neck lift can help these concerns.
  • Do I need a face lift, a neck lift, or both?
    Find out how to best achieve the results you want.
  • Neck lift before and after pictures
    Take a look at people who had similar concerns about their neckline, and the results they achieved from plastic surgery with Joseph T Cruise, MD.
  • What are some potential complications, risks, and safety concerns? Although complications are rare, you should be aware of them, and what you can do during recovery to keep them minimized.
  • How affordable is neck lift?
    What financing options are available?

Joseph T Cruise, MD knows that each face is different, which is why he takes a unique approach to face and neck rejuvenation. Joseph T Cruise, MD meets with each patient individually in his Orange County, CA location for an extensive consultation to discuss the patient’s concerns and examine the patient’s face and neck. Together, patients and Joseph T Cruise, MD decide which facial rejuvenation procedures might be right to achieve the look the patient desires.

The underlying causes of aging cannot always be addressed by one procedure – while a neck lift may leave you with the results of tighter skin along the neck and jaw line, it may not be the most permanent solution. Joseph T Cruise, MD can discuss with you how his CustomLift approach can be organized to use as many or as few procedures as you need to obtain the face and neck rejuvenation results you want.

Overview of Neck Rejuvenation

Over time, the muscles, soft tissue, and skin of the face and neck begin to lose the elasticity and fullness of youth. Eventually, this creates loose, sagging skin, wrinkles, and other common effects of aging on the face and neck. Facial rejuvenation procedures are some of the most popular to address these concerns, but the neck also must be rejuvenated in order to maintain a youthful appearance.

A youthful, ideal neck has skin closely adherent to the neck, creating a defined jaw line and a sharp angle at the center of the throat (for men, at the “Adam’s Apple”). Both men and women want to appear youthful, with tight, wrinkle-free face and neck skin, and the  neck rejuvenation procedures offered at Cruise Plastic Surgery in Orange County, CA, help patients address their biggest concerns and achieve the results they want.

Neck Lift Suspension Technique

This graphic demonstrates how the platysma muscle is suspended under the jaw bone, creating a well-defined jaw line and a youthful neck angle. All sutures in a neck lift are under the skin and invisible. The midline platysma muscle suture eliminates “turkey neck.”

Diagram of neck lift using suture suspension

Joseph T Cruise, MD’s method of re-suspending the muscles of the neck is advanced: he uses a technique called a “suture suspension” to produce dramatic results and secures the muscles to their proper location.

Notice how the suture suspension technique for this neck lift has dramatically improved the jaw line and the neck angle.

How Aging and Weight Loss Affect the Neck

In youth, the angle of the neck at the throat is pronounced and sharp. With age, the muscles and other soft tissues begin to lose their ability to support themselves, and they become lax and sag. Muscles and skin can form cords that drape down from the chin and create the “turkey neck” appearance that causes many patients to seek out cosmetic surgery to achieve a tighter, more youthful look.

Weight gain creates a softer, flatter angle of the neck because of excess subcutaneous fat rather than the loose, sagging skin seen in people with aged necks. Newport Beach plastic surgeon, Joseph T Cruise, MD, uses different approaches to correct  concerns of the face and neck related to weight gain. He believe s a customized approach to neck and facial rejuvenation is the way to give patients the best results possible.

Joseph T Cruise, MD uses a variety of neck rejuvenation techniques to correct the underlying causes of each individual’s signs of aging or effects of weight gain. Some people have more severe concerns and therefore may require more extensive surgery than simply a neck lift in order to address all the underlying causes of their sagging skin and aged appearance.

This patient had banding of the platysma muscles (below the chin) before neck lift surgery. After the procedure, this was eliminated, in addition to the patient’s jowls. Joseph T Cruise, MD used the suture suspension technique to achieve these neck lift results. Click the before and after pictures to see them enlarged.

Custom Approach Provides Best Neck Rejuvenation Results

If a patient has gained weight and their neck angle is flattened, Joseph T Cruise, MD normally contours the neck with liposuction. Joseph T Cruise, MD removes the subcutaneous fat with liposuction; then during healing, the skin naturally tightens against the neck to create a leaner, more youthful appearance.  The patient may not need a neck lift in this situation, so it’s important that Joseph T Cruise, MD consults with each patient individually about their needs.

Joseph T Cruise, MD has found that the best neck rejuvenation results come from tightening the underlying muscles that have lost their tight supportive structure. When this central issue is addressed, and the patient’s skin has been re-draped and contoured appropriately, the best neck lifts create a well-defined jaw line, a tight appearance across the center of the throat (the “Adam’s Apple” area), and a smooth, natural neck line.

As one of the top plastic surgeons in Orange County, Joseph T Cruise, MD knows that neck rejuvenation is more than simply a skin tightening procedure – the issues that cause the effects of aging must be addressed in order for the results to be lasting, natural, and effective. The custom face and neck lift approach taken at Cruise Plastic Surgery is one that allows each patient to prioritize concerns and tailor an approach to achieve their desired results, all with the help of hundreds of before and after photos and 3-D animations of procedures to visualize the results. The first step is scheduling an individual consultation with Joseph T Cruise, MD in his Newport Beach office, so you can discuss your cosmetic surgery options.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does a neck lift last?

Following a neck lift procedure, the results can last up to 15 years, depending on factors such as genetics, healthy lifestyle habits (minimal drinking and no smoking), stable weight, use of sunscreen, and proper skincare. Neck lift cannot stop the effects of gravity or aging that may occur after your procedure, but it can slow down the appearance of sagging, drooping, and laxity. One thing to note is if you feel you look 10 years younger after your neck lift, you will always look 10 years younger than you would have had you not had the procedure done.

What is the best age for a neck lift?

For most patients, the visible effects of aging may not occur until middle age. For this reason, the most common age for a neck lift procedure is between the ages of 45-65. A common reason for a neck lift sooner is due to significant weight fluctuations.

Is a neck lift very painful?

A neck lift may be offered under local anesthesia or general anesthesia. In either case, you will not feel any pain. During your neck lift recovery, the pain should not be too intense and can be managed with medication for the first few days.

How long do you wear a chin strap after a neck lift?

Most patients are instructed to wear a compression garment that fits around their chin and neck for two or more weeks after surgery. You will be able to remove the garment to shower or clean your incisions. The compression garment helps to reduce swelling and encourage the healing of the underlying tissues for a nice sculpted appearance.

Are you put to sleep for a neck lift?

Depending on the severity of the neck lift, you may have the option of local or general anesthesia. With general anesthesia, you are completely asleep. With local anesthesia, a sedative is used which may relax you enough to fall asleep. If you don’t fall asleep, you are sedated enough to not be aware of what is going on and you don’t feel the procedure at all.

Does a neck lift include jowls?

A neck lift may help reduce the appearance of jowls, but the procedure alone cannot completely get rid of them. Depending on the severity of your jowls, a lower facelift may be recommended.