Like the face, the neck is one of the first areas of the body to show the most visible effects of aging due to sun exposure and laxity of the skin and its underlying muscles. Over time, the neck begins to sag and develop creases, and excess fat often accumulates in this area, as well. In a neck lift procedure, the muscles of the neck are tightened, tissues are repositioned, and excess skin and fat are removed to restore a youthful, well-defined contour to the neck and jawline.

Benefits of a Neck Lift Procedure:

  • Restore a smooth, youthful contour to the neck
  • Correct the appearance of a double chin
  • Eliminate loose skin under the chin
  • Diminish sagging and neck creases
  • Reduce fatty deposits to create a leaner, chiseled angle between the neck and jawline

In a neck lift procedure, small incisions are commonly placed on the underside of the chin or around the earlobes. Following liposuction to remove any excess fatty deposits, your plastic surgeon tightens and suspends the underlying muscles, and they reposition the tissues. After trimming away excess skin, the skin is then redraped, lifted, and sutured into place. The length of surgery varies between 1-3 hours, depending on whether a neck lift is performed alone or in conjunction with liposuction and/or a facelift.

Liposuction of the Neck

If your skin is relatively smooth and firm, but you have an accumulation of excess fatty deposits beneath your chin and /or along your jawline, liposuction may be all that is needed to restore a smooth, defined contour to this area.

In this procedure, our plastic surgeons use a thin hollow cannula to suction out fat through small incisions made on the underside of the chin or in the crease around the earlobe. Removal of this excess fat diminishes the appearance of a double chin and restores a firmer, chiseled angle to the neck and jawline.

Recovery time for a neck lift varies depending on the number of procedures that are performed. Sutures are removed in about a week, and most bruising fades in two weeks. Most patients can return to work in one week and resume exercise in 3-4 weeks, depending on the doctor’s recommendations.

Contact our plastic surgery center in Virginia Beach to learn more about neck surgery (neck lift and neck liposuction). Schedule a cosmetic consultation with one of our surgeons today.