Archive for the ‘Neck Lift’ Category

Neck Lifts

Too many times, the neck of an aging individual begins to sag before any of his or her other body parts. An easy solution to this problem is a neck lift.

Neck lifts are becoming a more and more common procedure these days. These surgeries help remove excess sag in the neck region that might contribute to a larger bodily appearance. Neck lifts provide the patient with a thinner, more youthful appearance. Oftentimes, people will combine a neck lift with a face lift in order to create a more uniform appearance above their shirt collars.

What is a neck lift?

Neck lifts are procedures that reduce either excess skin or fat in the neck region in order to leave the patient with a thin, taught appearance. There are three main types of operative processes that are considered neck lifts:

· Cervicoplasty is a procedure that specifically targets excess neck skin. This phenomenon can be caused by a genetic disposition to the condition or a recent drop in weight.

· Platysmaplasty is a procedure that tightens up, removes, or reconstructs loose neck muscles that give the area a droopy appearance. This operation is recommended for people who have “turkey necks,” which are conceived when an individual’s neck muscles start to loosen.

· Neck Liposuction is a procedure in which extra neck fat is removed from the area. Neck liposuction is recommended for individuals who simply may be overweight and have excess fat in this region.

While these three operative procedures are common neck lifts, there is another method of tightening up the neck region without having to undergo anesthesia. Botox injections in the neck area may be used to reduce the appearance of a “bands,” which are full-looking areas that run vertically between the chin and the base of the neck. The Botox attacks the platysma muscle, which reduces the emergence of these bands.

Neck Lift Logistics

A neck lift alone will commonly take roughly two to three hours to complete, with a ten to fourteen day recovery time after the operation. Should the patient opt to combine the neck lift with another procedure, the operative and recovery times may vary. Prior to surgery, it is recommended that the patient pre-arranges time off from work in order to accommodate for his or her recovery. Patients are also asked to halt smoking and the ingestion of blood-thinning medications about two weeks prior to the surgery.

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If you would like to learn more about neck lift procedures, please visit http://dr-apo.com/

Joseph Devine

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Like any surgical procedure, a neck lift inherently has a few possible risks or complications associated with it. The chances of these risks vary in degree depending on how much work needs to be accomplished as well as your past medical history.

It is perfectly normal to have some swelling after receiving a neck lift procedure. This may or may not be a complication depending on how severe the swelling is as well as how long you neck stays swollen. It is important to discuss this possibility with your surgeon during the complication so that you have a clearer understanding of your chances of having excessive swelling.

It is also common for someone who has just undergone a neck lift procedure to feel some tightening or pilling of the neck as this is an effect from the swelling that occurs after the procedure. Unfortunately this too may turn into a complication in the event that the neck lift was a botched procedure and the skin of the neck was pulled too tight when stitching you up.

As with any injury to the body, you may also incur some pain as well as numbness at the same time. This basically comes down to the various nerves that are located in the neck area. While some irritation may cause pain or discomfort, other irritations may cause numbness. This should not worry you too much as it is still a natural effect of the procedure. In the event that you incur excessive pain or the numbness lasts too long you should contact your surgeon to get scheduled for a check-up.

It is important that with any type of surgical procedure that you watch your body’s temperature closely after receiving a neck lift. The reason for watching your temp is because it may be an early sign of a possible infection that may be occurring under the skin of the neck.

Please remember to discuss these concerns with the surgeon during your consultation so that you will have a better idea of how they may affect you as well as how you may be able to prevent them from happening. This is important as it allows you to weigh the risks to the outcome of the procedure thus allowing you to make a well informed decision regarding you upcoming procedure.

Dr. Jim Greene would like to provide you with more valuable information that will help you make a sound decision regarding neck lifts and various other plastic surgery procedures.

Neck lift

Neck lift recovery

Neck lift before after pictures

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I just saw an older gentleman who had a direct neck lift just one week ago. What impressed me, and continues to do so with each male patient that undergoes one, is how well the neck scar looks. The great fear, and understandably so, is the scar that runs down the middle of the neck from a direct neck lift. If it were not for the consideration of the scar, the direct neck lift has a lot of advantages over a traditional facelift in the older male.

The direct neck lift offers simplicity, a quick recovery, no pain other than some initial tightness, and its tremendous effectiveness at reshaping the neck. The neck lift is much more effective than the more common facelift because it is removing the problem directly, rather than ‘chasing’ it back to the ear where it is removed. Because the operation is smaller and only treats the actual loose skin in the neck, it has none of the bruising and swelling that comes from raising long skin flaps.

Carving out the neck directly produces a much sharper neck angle above the adam’s apple and will have little, if any, rebound relaxation. (mild loosening of the lifted and tightened neck and jowl skin) Because the operation is in the neck, it can be performed in any older male, regardless of his hair pattern around the ears and the back of the neck.

Because the direct neck lift creates a scar, one has to carefully select the patient who may find a neck scar objectionable. (there is no magic eraser afterward!) While one can debate all day long whether the neck scar is a good cosmetic trade-off or not, and many plastic surgeons have their opinions, the reality is that it is a patient’s choice. My experience has been that the patient’s select themselves. Given the alternative between a bigger facelift procedure or a more limited direct neck lift, the patient has to choose between each procedures advantages and disadvantages. This choice will be easy in most men under 60 as the thought of a neck scar is objectionable for most. But for the 60 or older male with a neck waddle, a fair number are more interested in a simpler procedure than they are concerned about a neck scar.

And there is even a simpler method to determine about the concern about a neck scar…watch the patient’s expression. If they say, what do I care about a neck scar when I have this? (pointing or grabbing their neck waddle) Or if they are slowly shaking their head or are unsure if a neck scar might be a problem, or even have to think deeply about it, then a neck scar is likely not to be a good choice. Using this method, I have yet to have a male who has ever regretted their decision.

Dr Barry Eppley is a board-certified plastic surgeon in private practice in Indianapolis, Indiana at Clarian Health Systems. (http://www.eppleyplasticsurgery.com) He writes a daily blog on plastic surgery, spa therapies, and medical skin care at http://www.exploreplasticsurgery.com

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As with any surgical procedure there is a high chance that you will have numbness as well as swelling. A neck lift is no different and one can have many expectations that cannot be completely fulfilled until this swelling goes down. Since each patient is different, the ability to give an exact length of time for the numbness and swelling caused by a neck lift to fade away is next to impossible. The great news is that a rough estimate of numbness and swelling can be given without too many issues.

In general the average neck lift patient will be able to show off their new younger looking neck in about three weeks time. The swelling associated with a neck lift can last for several weeks after the completion of the procedure. This is just normal residual swelling caused by the injury to the nerves in your neck. It is important to note that any time a person undergoes any surgical procedure, the body treats it as an injury and the swelling is just a precaution to prevent further injury while it repairs itself.

The incision stitching scars will also be visible for a few months depending on your skin tone and the scar tissue build up near the incisions. In general it takes the average scar six to nine months to fully mature and blend in with the surrounding skin.

Numbness associated with a neck lift will not usually last very long. This sensation is an effect on the nerves which may have been damaged during the procedure. The nerves are attached not only to the skin, but sometimes the muscles as well. When the fat cells are removed, this causes the nerves to become irritated and there is also a chance of them getting damaged. Then when the surgeon pulls the skin tight there is also the chance of injury to any nerves that may be attached to both skin and muscle tissue. The length of time for this numbness to disappear varies from patient to patient and from surgery to surgery.

Talk to your surgeon if the swelling and numbness continues for extended periods or becomes a major issue. In other words if your whole face starts to go numb or it becomes hard to breath, this is when you would talk to the doctor, anything else is usually normal to the injury the neck sustained.

Dr. Jim Greene would like to invite you to learn more valuable information that will help you make a sound decision regarding neck lifts and various other plastic surgery procedures.

Neck lift before after pictures

Mini neck lift

Neck lift procedure

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The sagging neck as one ages is bothersome to both men and women. As one ages over 65, a hanging neck (aka turkey neck) is likely to develop. As one gets into the 70 s and 80s, it can be quite pronounced. While a facelift is the traditional method of managing neck problems, there are exceptions to this standard approach. Many older folks simply do not want to, can not afford to, or medically can not undergo a more extensive neck procedure. This is where the role of the direct neck lift comes into play.

The direct neck lift is a simple, and reverse, modification of a facelift. Rather than working the skin out back towards the ears (and placing the scars around the ears as in a traditional facelift), the excess skin and fat is cut out directly down the middle of the neck. This does leave a midline scar from under the chin down to the adam’s apple. But its benefits are that is a very simple procedure that can be done under local anesthesia (if necessary), causes virtually no swelling or bruising, requires no after care, and does not require any restrictions in any form of activity at all. Also, it actually produces a more significant change and tightening in the neck angle than does the standard facelift. In just one hour of plastic surgery, that neck waddle is completely gone.

Because it does result in a scar right down the middle of the neck, one must educate and select the patient very carefully. The direct neck lift is not a procedure for every neck problem. For the older male, the scar is rarely an issue and scars in bearded skin do really well anyway. In women, however, the scar concern is of much higher priority as the neck area is more of an aesthetic focus and concern for women.

For these reasons, I find that a direct neck lift is good for older women that are usually over 65, have a very heavy and low hanging neck waddle, and have medical or personal reasons that they do not want the typical facelift approach. They must be shown pictures of, not only the results, but the location and appearance of the scar. I have a simple emotional test to know if the neck scar is a concern or not, and it is based on their initial reaction to the pictures. If they show express signs of concern or uncertainty about the scar, then don’t do it. If, however, they look at the scar and go…’who cares about that when you have this’….then the resulting neck scar will not be a problem after surgery.

Dr Barry Eppley is a board-certified premiere plastic surgeon in private practice in Indianapolis, Indiana at Clarian Health Systems. (http://www.eppleyplasticsurgery.com) He writes a daily blog on plastic surgery, spa therapies, and medical skin care at http://www.exploreplasticsurgery.com Dr. Eppley can be heard on his weekly radio show, Doc Chat, on WXNT 1430AM Indianapolis on Saturday afternoons.

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A neck lined with wrinkles and sagging skin is a dead give away of your age. Even if you have a young looking face, this part of your body will betray your years to on-lookers. A neck lift is a plastic surgery procedure that can restore the youthful appearance to your sagging muscles.

How It Works

A neck lift is also called a cervicoplasty and involves the removal of sagging skin and the tightening and repositioning of the neck muscles or platysma. It is often combined with other plastic surgery operations like face lifts, brow lifts, forehead lifts or other facial enhancements.

During this two to three hour plastic surgery procedure, the surgeon will make an incisions underneath the chin that extends up behind the ears, after giving the patient either local or general anesthesia. The skin will be loosened from the underlying muscles tissues and pulled back.

The muscles are then tightened using sutures and unwanted fatty deposits can be removed by liposuction or with the plastic surgeon’s scalpel. The neck skin is stretched up toward the chin and any extra sagging skin is removed and the incision is closed up. The result is a smoother, slimmer, younger looking head-torso connector!

The Recovery

Patients who have undergone this procedure will experience some swelling, bruising, and discomfort during the first few days after the plastic surgery. You will be advised to rest post-op and you may have a drain placed under your skin to collect fluid to reduce the time and pain of the healing process. The drain will be removed after one or two days.

The surgeon will also instruct you to wear a compression garment that will cut down on swelling after your plastic surgery. You will wear this around the clock for the first week and thereafter only at night until the wounds are all healed up.

Your post plastic surgery pain can be managed with medications prescribed by your cosmetic surgeon. While the entire recovery period will take longer, most people are able to return to work and normal activities about two weeks after the neck lift.

What Are the Risks?

The risks of neck surgery are minimal and complications are rare, as it is a very safe surgery, but there are a few potential risks involved in any surgery. First, these include the risk of infection in the incision. You can help prevent this problem by keeping the wound clean and not applying any makeup or other products over the incision. Another possible risk is an allergic reaction to the anesthesia or post-plastic surgery drugs.

Good Neck Lift Candidates

Those who are good candidate for a neck lift are those who are of generally good and stable health. Smokers are required to quit at least two weeks before the surgery in order eliminate potential problems with the healing process caused by nicotine.

Good candidates are also those who have realistic expectations of the surgical results. This will make all the difference in finding the most satisfaction from a neck lift from a trained and experienced plastic surgeon.

Choose a surgeon with years of experience, solid credentials and a great reputation for delivering natural-looking, exquisite results. Savannah plastic surgeon uses the most advanced procedures and emphasizes patient satisfaction. Visit http://www.coastalempireplasticsurgery.com to know more.

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One of the first signs of aging is a slight sag under the chin. If your heredity dictates, this may happen as early as the twenties. There is a cosmetic procedure specifically designed to remove this, if it bothers you.

The Platysmaplasty (Neck Lift) Procedure

Fortunately, cosmetic surgery has a neck lift procedure that may be right for you. It is called platysmaplasty. It is usually done under local anesthetic combined with a sedative. The purpose of the neck lift procedure is to eliminate or lessen a sagging neck.

Incisions are made behind the ears with a smaller one under the chin. In a “skin only” neck lift procedure, the surgeon trims off the skin by the incisions and draws the rest of the skin up tightly around the ears and chin. He or she then sutures the incision (self-dissolving sutures are not generally used for this one). For a more extended surgery, the doctor cuts out and suctions off excess tissue, fat and muscle under the skin before closing up. Depending on what procedures you and your doctor have discussed, if you are a planning a face, brow or eye lift, you may want to have them done at the same time so you won’t need two separate recovery periods. Keep in mind that if you have more than one operation, you may need a little extra time to recover and the final results of the surgeries may not appear for a few months.

Recovery from a Neck Lift

Now comes the hard part. You can’t turn your head for about two weeks. You will sleep propped up with pillows on your back and turn using your shoulders. The neck area is delicate and any jolt could mean bleeding, discharge, pain and even spoiling the effects of the neck lift procedure.

For a few days, you will be swollen up and bruised. Many patients experience post-operative depression at this time, when they are physically and emotionally at a low ebb. It may take a few months until you see the full effect of the surgery. In the meantime, keep yourself occupied and be patient.

Results from a Neck Lift

After the swelling goes down and the bruises heal, the changes brought about by a neck lift procedure are not obvious as some others. People may ask you if you’ve lost weight, or changed your hairstyle. Feel free to say yes. No one needs to know about your surgery unless you choose to tell him or her.

Liposuction, mesotherapy, and VelaShape are just a few of the dermatology and cosmetic surgery procedures reduce excess skin, excess fat, wrinkles, and more. For obese men and women, you may want to research bariatric surgery options.

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