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Neck Lift

Necklift, Neck Rejuvenation, Neck Tightening

Neck Lift Overview

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The Neck Lift is one of Dr. Pearson's signature surgical procedures. Dr. Pearson is highly regarded for his ability to achieve substantial rejuvenation of the Face and Neck while preserving a natural, un-operated appearance, along with imperceptible surgical scars, and for his many satisfied Neck Lift patients.

Description
A Neck Lift addresses loose or sagging tissue of the lower face and neck. The procedure involves several key steps including removal of extra skin, tightening of the lower facial muscle layer, as well as removal, repositioning or sculpting of facial and neck fat.

Candidates for Neck Lift Surgery
You may be a good candidate for a Neck Lift if you are dissatisfied with the appearance of your neck and lower face, especially with regard to the appearance of jowls, loss of muscle tone in the lower face, laxity of the lower cheeks and neck, and deepened facial creases extending along the nose and near the corners of the mouth.

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Neck Lift Surgery
A Neck Lift is performed either in the office or in the operating room, depending on your preferences and Dr. Pearson’s recommendations. Through discreet skin incisions made around the ears (see below), the facial and neck skin is lifted, allowing tightening of the deeper muscle tissues. At the same time, fat sculpting is often performed on the face and neck. In the neck, excessive fat accumulation is thinned.

Dr. Pearson's Philosophy Regarding Facial Rejuvenation
Dr. Pearson understands that people want to look like themselves, only better - that is, the best version of themselves. The goal of facial rejuvenation is to retain your unique facial features, while simultaneously minimizing those unfavorable characteristics which contribute to the appearance of perceived aging and loss of vitality. In Dr. Pearson's opinion, the ultimate goal of facial rejuvenation services should be to restore a refreshed and rested appearance, while maintaining a natural and appropriate look.

The goal of a Neck Lift is not to look different, just better. In particular, one should never look 'done' or 'surgerized.' as a result of plastic surgery. In order to achieve that, the surgeon needs to avoid the tell-tale signs of surgery such as overly-tight or pulled appearance, poor incision site design and/or scars, or an overdone appearance in general.

A superior Neck Lift result is usually not even perceived as having resulted from surgery. Onlookers usually comment that our patients look refreshed, or especially well-rested as if having recently returned from a vacation without assuming that it involved surgery.

We are grateful to our many patients who have generously contributed their before and after photos so that others may learn. Please view our photo gallery to see samples of Dr. Pearson's work. Pictures may speak more clearly than words what we mean by 'the best version of yourself.'

Incision Site
Individuals considering a Neck Lift often express concern about the incision site and associated scar. However, following surgery, the scar is rarely a concern. With proper planning, careful placement of incisions, meticulous technique and appropriate aftercare, facelift incisions heal reliably well. Patients are routinely satisfied with the imperceptible nature of their incisions sites, and consider the subtle scars to be a very reasonable tradeoff to obtain the improvement in facial and neck laxity that they seek.

The incision site itself typically begins in front of the ear, where it follows the natural skin crease separating the cartilage part of the upper ear from the facial skin.
The incision then follows the curvature of the ear, behind the tragus which is situated just in front of the ear canal. The incision then follows the natural crease around the earlobe and in the crease behind the ear. Depending upon the need for neck lifting, the incision may course into the hairline behind the ear.

Dr. Pearson's Technique - Neck Lift Incision
Before, Planned incision site, Appearance at weeks 1, 2, 4, 8.

The platysma muscle is responsible for the appearance of neck laxity. Treatment of the platysma improves the neck contour. Treatment of the platyma muscle imparts a more significant, natural, and long-lasting result. This is typically performed through a discreet skin incision concealed within the natural crease behind the chin.

Above, Frontal view of the Neck. 1: Red line indicates site of skin incision site within the natural crease between the chin and neck (submental crease).
2: The medial edges of the platyma muscles are surgically approximated in the midline. At the same time, fat scupting is performed to contour fat in the submental area (under the chin).
3: Strategic muscle-relaxing incisions are made to enhance favorable muscle redraping. Click illustration for higher-resolution image.

Above, Oblique view of the Neck. 1. The medial edges of the platyma muscles are surgically approximated in the midline.
2: In the midline, strategic muscle-relaxing incisions are made to enhance favorable muscle redraping.
3: The lateral plastysma is mobilized and suspended behind ear.
4: In the lateral platysma, strategic muscle-relaxing incisions are made to enhance favorable muscle redraping. Click illustration for higher-resolution image.

The Aging Process
As part of the normal aging process, the neck undergoes several changes concurrently. There are skin changes including loss of elasticity, development of fine lines and wrinkles, and age-related skin color irregularities. Separately, there is loss of the youthful fullness and gentle convex contour that accompanies youth. In other areas, there is an accumulation of fat. This is especially common in the submental area underneath the chin.

In addition, in the face, there is an apparent deepening of facial creases including those around the mouth. Jowls appear along the jawline, so that a formerly smooth jawline is replaced with sagging tissue at the mid-jaw. Overall, the heart-shaped face reminiscent of youth, defined by an oval-shaped jawline on frontal view, is replaced by a more bottom-heavy, square-shaped lower face reminicent of aging.

Some of these changes can be addressed at their early stages with non- or minimally-invasive procedures. For a more lasting or definitive result, a Facelift may be considered.

Complementary Procedures
Liposuction and fat sculpting of the area underneath the chin is often performed during a Neck Lift. In addition facial sagging and jowling, facial volume is diminished during the aging process. Fat transfer (also called fat grafting) may be performed at the same time as facelift surgery. This technique uses your own living fat cells from another body site to restore regions of facial volume loss to more youthful proportions. When appropriate, fat can be transferred from the abdomen, buttocks, or thighs.

Possible Non-surgical Alternative Treatments
Subtle signs of aging may be amenable to minimally invasive methods to rejuvenate the neck and lower face.  Dr. Pearson offers a full range of nonsurgical procedures including facial skin resurfacing, Botox treatments.

Caution is advised regarding 'Energy-Based Treatments'
Caution is advised for those considering energy-based 'lifting' or 'tightening' facial rejuvenation procedures. Understandably, there is a strong demand for non-surgical options to improve the appearance of sagging facial skin. There are multiple FDA-approved devices which are heavily marketed as providing 'non-surgical' alternatives to a Facelift. These devices use laser, radiofrequency, or ultrasound energy in an attempt to 'lift' sagging facial skin. Often, patients are left disappointed because the results that they had expected are generally not consistent with the results they experience. Most of these non-surgical options are relatively expensive, performed by non-physicians, and deliver results that are typically so subtle that they are often difficult to discern.

Dr. Pearson does not offer or endorse any of these treatment modalities.

If you are considering one of these options, do your homework. Speak with individuals who have themselves undergone the treatment that you are considering. Ask to see photos which depict the average result obtained by the practice offering the treatment. Are results guaranteed? Ask about how you will be handled if no result or an unsatisfactory result is obtained. We have met many, many patients who have undergone such non-surgical, energy-based treaments, who then experienced disappointing results, and who were then told that they should undergo the treatment a second time or to wait for many months for a result to appear.

Ultimately, those patients desiring a discernible result typically undergo a traditional Facelift after all, but not before much frustration, wasted expense and lost time.

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Recovery after Neck Lift Surgery
Following a Neck Lift, you can expect a few days of swelling and soreness which is well controlled with oral pain medications. Most sutures are typically removed between days 5 and 7. Makeup can be used at this point to camouflage any bruising or scars. Swelling and bruising generally subside by 7-10 days. You can resume most normal activities after a couple of days, except for intense exercise, which may be resumed at about 3 weeks. Most people are able to return to work with confidence in 10-14 days. Neck Lift scars are usually not noticeable after enough time has passed for them to mature (see below). In any case, they are easily disguised in natural skin creases and by one's hairstyle.

Natural Appearance
Individuals interested in a Neck Lift often express concern about maintaining a natural appearance. Some people site examples of poorly-performed results they have seen or the unfavorable appearance of some celebrities.

Dr. Pearson shares the opinion that results should be natural. Following a Neck Lift, there should be no 'operated look', incision sites should be imperceptible to onlookers, there should be no distortion of the corners of the mouth which may impart a 'pulled' or 'operated' look. View our photo gallery of results for samples of Dr. Pearson's Neck Lift patients' results.

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A Customized Approach
Dr. Pearson's technique is to customize the Neck Lift procedure to each individual. In our practice, there is no 'cookie-cutter' approach to neck rejuvenation. Each patient's starting appearance including skin laxity, fat accumulation, volume loss, jowling, neck laxity, neck banding, and preferences are considered carefully and factored in to a plan for rejuvenation.

Results Matter Achieving an outstanding result for your Neck Lift is our highest priority. Dr. Pearson has a long track record of achieving oustanding, natural results. View our Facelift and Neck Lift patients' reviews and Review our Photo Gallery of Dr. Pearson's Facelift and Neck Lift results.

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Patients describe their experiences and results following Facelift & Neck Lift procedures performed by Dr. Pearson