Your neck and jawline play a significant role in your overall facial symmetry and harmony. Unfortunately, the neck is also the first area to develop signs of aging, such as crepey skin, sagging skin, a double chin, or a “turkey neck” caused by excess skin tissues under the chin. Even if your neck skin is fairly smooth, you may develop vertical neck bands that protrude prominently while speaking. Dr. Boustany performs a personalized neck lift in Boston to correct the signs of aging and provide a well-defined, chiseled, and youthful jawline.
What Are Neck Lifts?
A neck lift corrects the following:
- Sagging skin on the upper neck
- Creases and wrinkles on the neck
- Excess fat under the chin, aka a “double chin”
- Excess fat on the upper neck
- Platysmal bands, i.e., vertical neck bands
- Crepey skin on the neck
- Loss of jawline definition
- Loss of youthful neck contours
Am I a suitable candidate for a neck lift?
As you grow older, the loss of collagen and elastin, and the accumulation of fat tissues due to genetic predisposition or hormonal changes, can make your neck and jawline seem unshapely. If you feel self-conscious or unhappy about the creases and wrinkles on your neck, excess skin hanging off your chin (turkey neck), excess fat tissues under the chin (double chin), and other such problems, you’re the ideal candidate for a neck lift.
Dr. Ashley Boustany performs highly personalized neck lifts at Boustany Plastic Surgery in Boston, MA. She’s an incredibly talented, compassionate, and empathetic facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon with keen artistic sensibilities. She carefully examines your neck, discusses your goals and concerns, and curates the ideal treatment plan for you. She also determines if you truly need a neck lift in Boston (or some other procedure, such as a facelift) and whether you’re the ideal candidate for the procedure.
Do you have vertical neck bands?
Platysmal bands are vertical bands that protrude prominently from your neck while speaking or making certain facial expressions. The “platysma” is a thin sheet of muscles on both sides of the neck, responsible for supporting your neck. The weakening of the connection between the sheets of muscles leads to a “turkey neck,” wherein vertical bands appear prominently on your neck. They can appear even when you have otherwise smooth, youthful, and firm neck skin. Dr. Boustany performs platysmaplasty to smoothen these neck bands, making your neck look more youthful.
What are the neck lift techniques available?
Liposuction
If you have excess fat pockets under the chin, you may need neck liposuction. In this procedure, a specialized tube-like device, called a cannula, is inserted beneath your chin to remove unwanted fat tissues. This can be performed individually or with other neck lift techniques.
Cervicoplasty
Cervicoplasty is a surgical technique used to correct sagging skin concerns, which may lead to crepey skin, wrinkles, and creases. During this procedure, the surgeon makes a small incision beneath the chin and behind the earlobe to remove excess skin tissues.
Platysmaplasty
Platysmaplasty is a specialized surgical technique used to correct vertical neck bands (platysmal bands) and the associated turkey neck. The surgeon makes a small incision underneath the chin to tighten the platysma muscles and restore youthful neck contours.
What happens after the neck lift?
Your neck lift in Boston will be performed at our state-of-the-art surgical center in Boston, under the care of distinguished Harvard-affiliated professionals with rigorous training backgrounds. The surgery will be performed under general anesthesia or local anesthesia with sedation, following which you’ll be taken to our recovery suite for monitoring for a few hours. You can return home the same day under the care of another adult.
You’ll have to wear bandages and compression garments for a few days, and you must keep your head elevated on wedges or extra pillows at all times. You will experience some post-treatment swelling, bruising, and discomfort. Dr. Boustany will prescribe medications to reduce discomfort, prevent infections, and ensure smooth recovery — you must follow her instructions with the utmost precision.
While the recovery period varies for everyone, you should plan for at least one week of downtime. You can resume most of your daily activities and work after a week, but you should still avoid strenuous activities for a few weeks. The results should be visible in four to six weeks, following which you can also resume physical activities.
Why choose Dr. Boustany for a Neck Lift?
Dr. Boustany is a specialized facial plastic surgeon with artistic skills and sensibilities. She customizes all neck lift treatment plans according to her patient’s unique goals, conditions, and expectations, thereby ensuring optimal and natural results based on their anatomy. She’s also incredibly compassionate and empathetic, ensuring you have a comfortable experience under her care.
