The neck lift ranks among the most transformative procedures performed by a cosmetic surgeon to create a more youthful and sculpted neck appearance. The procedure involves removal of loose skin from the neck area, and sometimes restructuring of the underlying weak neck muscles.
During the initial consultation, the plastic surgeon will explain various procedure steps involved in neck lift. The surgeon’s first priority is to educate the patient about all aspects of the procedure and help them to make an informed decision. Dr. Paul McCluskey provides neck lift to patients in Atlanta, GA and surrounding communities.
Preparation
The cosmetic surgeon will advise the pre-operative preparatory measures to the patient, which may involve making certain lifestyle adjustments in the weeks preceding the surgery. Smoking, drinking alcohol, excessive sugary and fatty foods, and blood thinning medications, herbal supplements and vitamins will usually have to be avoided for a few weeks.
Instructions for the day of the surgery will be given, and the patient should not eat or drink anything for at least eight hours prior to the surgery. They should shampoo their hair and wear loose, front-button clothing on the morning of the surgery.
Anesthesia
Depending on the patient’s needs, the surgeon may decide to use general anesthesia or local anesthesia with sedation. If the patient chooses to be completely unconscious during the procedure, the surgeon may suggest general anesthesia. This will require the presence of an anesthesiologist or registered anesthetist nurse during the neck lift surgery.
The patient’s fitness to undergo general anesthesia will be determined beforehand. Experienced plastic surgeon Dr. McCluskey receives patients from Atlanta, GA and nearby areas for neck lift surgery.
Incision Placement
With advanced surgical techniques, the surgeon can perform neck lift using very small incisions. The incisions will usually be placed behind the ears and below the chin to keep them discreet. Small incisions will also heal faster and subsequent scarring will be minimal. Location and size of the incisions will depend on the extent of skin and fat removal involved, and whether any additional facial or neck procedure will be performed.
Surgery
Some patients may only require a simple liposuction to remove stubborn fat deposits from the neck area, while some others may require more dramatic improvement through removal of excess skin and fat as well as tightening of underlying neck muscles. The fat from the neck may be removed through surgical excision in some cases. While tightening slack muscles, sometimes the surgeon may also removal small section of the platysma muscle.
Closing the Incisions
Once the required work involving the underlying neck tissue and muscle has been completed, the surgeon will re-drape the skin and pull it taut. The incisions will then be closed with removable or absorbable sutures. Any excess skin can be trimmed away at this point as well.
Additional Procedures
Neck lift is often performed together with other facial procedures such as facelift, eyelid lift, or brow lift. The procedure steps may be slightly altered in such cases to ensure optimal results with a minimally invasive approach.
For more information on procedures and treatments offered by Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Paul McCluskey and the Plastic Surgery Institute of Atlanta, visit: