Even if you’re comfortable with the aging process, you might not be satisfied with the appearance of sagging or excess skin around your jawline and neck. The skin on the neck is thin and delicate, so it tends to show signs of aging earlier than other parts of the body.
Before you commit to neck lift surgery, you should know what it involves, how much it will cost, and what your recovery will look like. You should also know that non-surgical treatment options are available.
What Is a Neck Lift?
Several neck lift procedures include a lower rhytidectomy, platysmaplasty, and cervicoplasty. These are all surgical procedures that treat issues with the appearance of the neck, including:
- Loose skin on the neck
- Excess fat on the neck and double chin
- Slack skin that creates the look of jowls
A neck lift is considered invasive and should only be done by a board-certified plastic surgeon after a thorough consultation to assess your health and ensure that this procedure is right for you.
What Is Involved in a Neck Lift?
Before your procedure, general anesthesia will be administered so that you are not conscious during your surgery. Your surgeon will make several incisions around your hairline and around your ear. Sometimes, an additional incision will be made under the chin for liposuction.
The skin will be repositioned, and excess skin will be removed before the incisions are closed. You will then be sent to a recovery room, where you’ll be monitored for about an hour before release. Most neck lift procedures are outpatient procedures - meaning you can expect to go home the same day of your procedure if all goes according to plan.
What Is the Recovery Like for a Neck Lift?
Full recovery from neck lift surgery may take between 4-6 weeks. Most bruising and swelling may dissipate after two weeks, and you should be able to return to normal activities within this period. Your plastic surgeon will let you know what you can expect based on your physiology and your procedure of choice. You will be given medication to manage pain and may have a tube to prevent fluid collection around your incisions.
What Are the Risks of a Neck Lift?
The most common risks of this cosmetic surgery are infection, bleeding, and scarring. It’s also important to note that, as with all plastic surgery, a neck lift won’t stop the aging or change your general appearance - it will merely help tighten and remove excess skin, making your jawline and other features more prominent.
How Much Does a Neck Lift Cost?
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the average cost of a neck lift is $5,774.00. However, this does not include other costs such as anesthesia, operating room fees, and post-operative care - so the total price of your procedure could be higher.
The decision to have a neck lift involves a massive recovery time and financial commitment. For some, this invasive cosmetic procedure may be more than they are willing to sacrifice. Thankfully, there are other options for tightening the sagging skin on your neck without any surgery or invasive procedures.
How Else Can You Achieve a Youthful-Looking Neck?
There are plenty of options for tightening neck skin that don’t involve surgery. These procedures are less costly, involve little to no downtime, and some can even be done in the privacy and comfort of your own home.
Injectable Solutions
The use of injectables for facial rejuvenation is a common treatment recommended by professionals to add volume, which can help lift sagging skin.
These injections may also help reduce the appearance of ‘double chin’ - or excess fat under the chin - as they can help define and enhance the jawline.
Injections are considered minimally invasive and are not usually super painful. However, you may be given local anesthesia to help deal with pain and discomfort, especially if you know you do not have a high pain tolerance. Injections are quick outpatient procedures that can be performed in a few minutes and you’ll be on with your day. You may be able to return to normal activities within 24-48 hours - like working out or applying makeup.
Injections often provide notable results, but they may require ongoing sessions to maintain your results.
Microcurrent Therapy
It’s possible to get the neck contouring you want without surgery or injections - and microcurrent is an FDA-Cleared treatment that can help you tighten and firm the neck area.
Microcurrent therapy uses gentle electrical currents to stimulate your skin and muscles. By stimulating the skin and muscles of the neck, microcurrent therapy helps tone, lift, and contour the neck area without incisions, sedation, or downtime. You can treat your neck right in the comfort and privacy of your own home.
NuFACE® is your go-to source for proven, effective treatments. NuFACE® offers FDA-cleared microcurrent devices created by professional aestheticians. It’s easy to get started.
NuFACE: Lift and Sculpt Your Neck at Home
The neck muscles, like the muscles on the rest of your body, weaken with age. The combination of weak muscles and skin that has lost some of its fullness and elasticity can create loose neck skin that can make you feel less confident.
Consider NuFACE Microcurrent Devices as a non-invasive alternative to neck lift surgery. The NuFACE TRINITY+® Starter Kit - Smart Advanced Facial Toning Kit is the easiest starting method. Inside, you’ll find everything you need to give yourself a 15-minute Facial Lift and treat your neck skin without risky surgery.
How It Works
It’s easy to add microcurrent to your daily skincare routine, and you can tailor your treatment time to meet your needs in just 5 to 15 minutes a day.
Here’s a quick tutorial for addressing the look of a “turkey neck” - or loose skin on the neck and jowls - without reconstructive surgery:
- PREP: Before you begin, cleanse your skin with an oil-free cleanser, like Prep-N-Glow® Exfoliating & Hydrating Facial Wipes. Lightly mist Supercharged IonPlex® Mist onto the skin to prepare it for microcurrent treatment and increase hydration.
- BOOST: Using your favorite Super Booster, apply a few drops onto your fingertips and gently massage it into the skin on your neck, allowing it to absorb fully.
- ACTIVATE & LIFT: NuFACE Activators are designed to ensure proper microcurrent conduction and to help deliver clean, skin-healthy ingredients deep into your skin during treatment. Use the Clean Sweep Brush to apply a mask-like layer of activator to your neck. Using your NuFACE Microcurrent Device on your desired setting, perform glides and holds upward on your neck to firm, tone, and contour the neck and jawline.
For a guided neck lifting tutorial, follow along step-by-step in the NuFACE Smart App.
On the Go?
Microcurrent therapy results are instant - and get even better over time when practiced consistently. Just because you travel doesn’t mean you have to put your neck treatment on hold. The NuFACE MINI+® Starter Kit - Smart Petite Facial Toning Kit includes a smaller microcurrent device that fits perfectly into your handbag or carry-on to keep up your lifting regimen anytime, anywhere.
The Look of a Neck Lift — For Less
When your neck skin shows signs of aging, you don’t have to schedule a consultation with a plastic surgeon. You can take care of your neck skin at home with the power of microcurrent. You can reclaim your youthful look and lift and tighten your neck at home without incisions, sutures, needles, or knives.
A life of turtlenecks? No thanks. NuFACE gives you the confidence you need to love your skin.
Sources:
Neck Lift | American Society of Plastic Surgeons
Neck Lift | Johns Hopkins Medicine
