Miami Neck Lift Surgery

What is a Neck Lift?

Aging can cause the skin on your neck to wrinkle, lose its elasticity, and sag.  Also, the platysma, or muscles of the neck loosen and droop due to fatigue and poor posture.  This can cause a double chin, or a collection of skin down the front of the neck, called ‘turkey neck’.  For many experiencing these effects, a neck lift from Marshall Cosmétique might be for you.

Sometimes called a cervicoplasty, a neck lift is an elective, cosmetic procedure that elevates the skin and tightens the muscles of the neck through small incisions under the chin and/or behind the ears, resulting in a tighter, younger looking neckline.

Who Should Consider a Neck Lift?

The ideal candidate for cosmetic neck lift surgery is someone who is unhappy with the appearance of his or her neck.  Like all elective surgery, good general health and realistic expectations are requisite criteria.  Smokers are at a greater risk to experience complications from surgery.  Other factors that can affect the success of your facelift are:

• Skin type and elasticity
• Ethnicity
• Bone structure

What to Expect?

Prior to facelift surgery in our surgery center in Miami, Dr. Marshall will likely have you:

• Adjust or add medication
• Stop smoking
• Avoid taking aspirin

On the day of your neck lift, your procedure will involve the following steps:

• Anesthesia.  Dr. Marshall will recommend whether you should undergo intravenous sedation or general anesthesia.  Typically, most neck lift procedures will last two to three hours under anesthesia.
• Incision. Dr. Marshall surgeon will make small incision under your chin behind your ears.  Dr. Marshall will then remove excess skin and tighten the muscles of the neck.  In addition, Dr. Marshall may choose to excess fat can be removed by liposuction or by simply cutting it out. Once the procedure is complete, the skin is then re-draped over the neck and the incisions are closed with sutures.  These sutures may dissolve naturally or may require future removal.
• Recovery.  After receiving your facelift at Marshall Cosmétique, you should expect the area in an around the incision(s) to show swelling, fluid retention and even bruising.  Bandages are used to reduce swelling and compress the skin.  You may be asked to wear this for 5-7 days following surgery.  You may also receive a drainage tube to flush out excess blood and/or fluid that may have collected during surgery.

When Can You Return to Work?

Swelling and bruising will last several days. Plan to take at least one week off from work as it takes most patients 10 to 14 days to fully recover.  Wait at least three weeks to resume sports or other physical activity.  Remember, every case is different, so Dr. Marshall may adjust your recovery schedule based on your personal situation.

Risks.  Like any surgical procedure, there are health risks that accompany elective facelift surgery.  Common complications include but are not limited to:

• Uneven contours
• Skin damage/irregularities or nerve damage
• Infection
• Fluid loss/accumulation
• Unfavorable scarring