Neck Lift Surgery in Miami

Considering neck lift surgery in Miami? As you get older, the skin on your neck gets looser. You can also have excess neck skin if you’ve lost a lot of weight. Along with excess skin in the neck area, as you age, the muscles in the area start to weaken and separate. Loose skin, weak muscles and extra fat all combine to produce a look that’s often called “turkey neck,” since it resembles the wattle that turkeys have under their beak.

A neck lift procedure, is often the most effective way to rid yourself of turkey neck. The surgery can involve removing excess skin, a procedure known as cervicoplasty, as well as tightening the muscles of the neck, a procedure known as platysmaplasty.

Platysmaplasty and Cervicoplasty

During a platysmaplasty procedure, the plastic surgeon makes a few small incisions, under the chin and in some cases by the ears. The procedure can be performed endoscopically, meaning a small camera is inserted into the neck, allowing the surgeon to see the area without making large incisions. Depending on the condition of your neck, the surgeon will tighten and adjust the neck muscle or remove a section of the muscle. After the neck muscle is adjusted or partially removed, the surgeon will work to lift the neck by cutting away excess skin.

Other Options for Necklift

Depending on the amount of fat in your neck area, liposuction might be part of the neck lift procedure as well. The surgeon will suction out the fat to improve the look of the area.

You might not need a surgical procedure to reduce the look of turkey neck. In some cases, Botox injections in the neck area are sufficient. The injections relax the muscles and reduce the appearance of bands in the neck. Injections might not last long as surgery but the recovery time is sufficiently shorter.

If you are concerned about the look of your neck, contact us to set up a free consultation and discuss which procedures are most suitable for you.

The delicate skin on our neck is one place on our bodies where age is particularly apparent. Factors such as genetics, loose neck muscles from aging, environmental influences and significant weight loss can cause your neck to look older than the rest of you. But what can be done about it?

What a Neck Lift Can Correct

The neck lift procedure tightens the neck muscles and removes excess, sagging skin from the chin and along the jawline, sharpening the contour of the neck and removing any vertical lines that have accumulated there over time. The result is a smoother, more defined neck that makes you look much younger, and thinner, than before.

Good Candidates for a Neck Lift

In general, you are considered a good candidate for neck lift surgery if you:

• Are in good health
• Are medically cleared by your doctor (especially if pregnant)
• Are a non-smoker (or quit smoking before surgery)

The Neck Lift Procedure

Neck lift is an outpatient surgery that is usually accomplished using a combination procedure consisting of cervicoplasty (removal of the neck’s excess skin) and platysmaplasty (alteration and tightening of the platysma neck muscle). During the procedure, the surgeon typically tightens and adjusts the neck muscle or removes a portion of it (depending on the condition of your neck), as well as removes any excess skin. Liposuction is also often used during the procedure to remove excess fat from the neck.

To get ready for the surgery, you will first be connected to an intravenous (IV) line that administers fluids and medications. You will also be given a general anesthetic (the details of which will be thoroughly discussed with you during the consultation process). Once you are under anesthesia, the surgeon will make a few small incisions under the chin, in some cases by the ears, where an endoscope (a small camera) will be inserted that will visually guide the doctor during surgery. The surgeon will tighten and adjust the neck muscle, possibly removing a section of the muscle. The surgeon will then cut away the excess skin on the neck. Depending on the amount of fat present, the surgeon may also use liposuction. The entire procedure takes two to three hours, though neck lift surgeries that include liposuction may take longer.

Recovering from a Neck Lift

Immediately after surgery, you will experience mild to moderate discomfort in your neck. You will wear a compression bandage around your neck and head for at least one week after surgery, and you may also have a drainage tube to drain excess fluids from under your skin. Some swelling and bruising is common after having a neck lift, and usually subsides within one or two weeks. During this time, it is important to keep your head and neck as still as possible and positioned above your heart to minimize swelling. During the recovery period, and possibly a little longer, exercise will be restricted. You will be able to go to work about one week after surgery (and after three or four weeks for jobs that require physical work).

A Neck Lift Alternative

For some patients, BOTOX injections that relax the appearance of bands on the neck — though not as long-lasting a correction — may be a more desirable alternative to neck lift surgery.

Schedule a Neck Lift Consultation

Is your neck making you look and feel years older than you are? Call Dr. Krau’s practice at (305) 861-6881 to schedule a consultation and find out more about neck lift surgery.