The medical term for a neck lift is platysmaplasty. The procedure surgically removes excess skin and fat from the neck to address age-related wrinkling and creasing in this area, and provide a smoother, slimmer profile. The loss of youthful contours in the face and neck can be due to a variety of factors, including heredity, gravity, environmental conditions and stress.

The procedure itself takes several hours, during which the plastic surgeon makes small incisions around and behind the ear, and a very small one under the chin. After tightening the muscles in the neck and removing extra skin and fat, the surgeon closes the incisions and applies a pressure dressing around the person’s head and underneath the chin.

After the surgery, you may notice that the neck feels a bit tight, but in most cases pain is not a problem. There may be bruising, which fades in a couple of weeks. Any scars resulting from the procedure are hidden under the chin or around the contours of the ears.

Most people who have undergone a neck lift will notice that pain, swelling and bruising resolve within two weeks, and the new contours of the neck will start to be visible. It may take up to three months for the swelling to go down.

It is important to avoid lifting heavy items (including children and pets) for the first few weeks.

Nonsurgical neck lift
An experienced clinician is the one to recommend the best treatment option for a particular patient—whether nonsurgical or surgical—based on the patient’s concerns and a physical examination. And in some cases, combining different treatments may be the best path.

Some people may want to improve the aging appearance of their neck with nonsurgical procedures. Some of the benefits of these nonsurgical options include a quicker recovery time and fewer risks.

Botox can be used on the vertical neck bands to relax the muscle and reduce wrinkling. Fractionated laser treatment can lead to textural improvements in the skin. Dermal fillers can restore lost volume to the skin, while Kybella can break down fat cells.

Radiofrequency with microneedling can rejuvenate the skin by reproducing collagen. Finally, ultrasound technology(Ulterapy) can also stimulate collagen to improve fine lines and wrinkles.

A neck lift can only be performed surgically; nonsurgical rejuvenation treatments cannot achieve the same results, but may help delay the time at which a neck lift becomes appropriate and complement the results of surgery.