For patients who lack definition of the
neck due to excess fat deposits or who have excess skin
(“turkey gobbler”) of the neck, a neck lift
procedure may benefit you. If the primary problem is fat
which obscures the lines of the neck, then liposuction
can be done to sculpt the neck into a more youthful shape.
This procedure is done more typically in younger patients
(under 40) where the skin is still tight and no excess
skin exists. The procedure is done under general or twilight
anesthesia through three small incisions, (about 1/8 inch),
one located under the chin and one behind each earlobe.
Following the procedure,
you can expect to have to wear a light compression
garment around the neck to secure the skin in its new
shape.
If your problem is Excess Skin of the neck,
creating
the turkey gobbler look or simply bands under the chin,
then surgical tightening of the skin will be necessary.
A neck lift is almost always combined with a lower facelift,
since the cheek skin and the neck skin are essentially
one and the same. It is difficult to lift the neck without
also lifting the cheeks at the same time. On occasion
for patients with earlylaxity, an isolated neck lift can
be performed. The incisions for a neck lift are in front
of and behind the ears and a 1 inch incision under the
chin. The surgery is done under twilight anesthesia or
general anesthesia and is performed in Dr. Barber’s
office surgical suite. Let us evaluate your problem and
come up with an individualized plan to correct the area
in the neck which bothers you.
