Neck Lift – San Diego
If you’ve ever felt the need to hide an aging neck, then you know that signs of aging are never just localized to the face. A person’s neck can be a dead giveaway for age, so if you’re looking for a way to restore a sleeker, younger looking neck, a neck lift might be the perfect procedure for you. Dr. Sayed is known for his meticulous approach to plastic surgery, advanced techniques, and respect for his patients’ anatomy, but he’s also known for creating pleasing and long-lasting results. With a neck lift, Dr. Sayed can restore a tighter, smoother, more youthful and alluring jawline. The procedure can also tighten loose skin on the neck, remove jowls, trim excess fat, sculpt the jawline, eliminate a double chin, and remove the appearance of heavy muscle banding on the neck.
PHOTO GALLERY
View real patient before & after results in our photo gallery.
Neck Lift 101
For most patients, the neck lift is done by creating the lower portions of a typical facelift incision, in addition to a small incision under the chin. Of course, male and female patients have different considerations when it comes to the aesthetics of the neck. Male patients have thicker skin, so in order to address a “turkey neck” (a not-very-nice name for loose skin on the neck), sometimes skin will need to be removed (also known as “excised”) from the front of the neck. This will leave a scar, but it will be reasonably well-hidden and camouflaged by the time it heals. It’s not typical to do this for female patients since the female neck is considered a focal point (especially if they wear jewelry); we want to keep the feminine neck as alluring as possible and we want to prevent any visible scars from forming in the front of the neck and décolletage area.
Typically, the Submuscular Aponeurotic System (SMAS) plication and a partial SMASectomy is performed for a neck lift. The SMAS is a layer of facial muscles and connective tissue that lies underneath the skin. With a SMAS plication, the SMAS is folded and sutured together, which tightens the muscle lining, allowing the neck to look fuller, lifted, and more defined. With a SMASectomy, a strip of tissue is removed from the SMAS, then lifted and tightened. This allows for a lifting effect without too much fullness.
In order to lift and smooth the neck, Dr. Sayed pulls in an upward direction for the cheek and jowl area, and pulls the tissue back towards the back of the ear for tightening or plicating the platysma (a wide sheet of muscle that spreads from the collarbones up to the neck and chin). Dr. Sayed often will use liposuction to further contour and sculpt the jowls. Dr. Sayed personalizes each procedure with a high degree of detail, and he’ll use the technique that’s best suited for your facial anatomy and cosmetic concerns.
Through a very short incision under the chin, Dr. Sayed can remove a small amount of fat, tighten the platysma muscle, and even divide the platysma muscle bands to remove heavy banding on the neck.
If you have any questions, or wish to schedule a necklift consultation with Dr. Sayed, please call our San Diego office at 1-858-24 SAYED (858-247-2933)
Frequently Asked Questions About the Neck Lift
You are a candidate if you experience any of the following:
- Have enough aging on the neck area to benefit from a neck lift; that means jowls, double chin, loose skin on the neck, and heavy bands on the neck
- Are in relatively good health, meaning no major cardiovascular, respiratory, kidney, or other major organ conditions and that you are cleared by a doctor to undergo a procedure
- Are a non-smoker or someone willing to give up smoking 3 weeks before and after the procedure
- Have a support network of friends, family, or caretakers that can get you through the recovery, take you to appointments, and help you complete your recovery steps
- Have reasonable expectations for what treatment can do
A neck lift can take anywhere from 2-4 hours to perform depending on whether it’s combined with other procedures like liposuction.
You will continue to age after your neck lift, but what Dr. Sayed can do is turn back the clock and allow you to enjoy a rejuvenated, sleeker neckline for many more years.
After your procedure, you’ll spend a few hours in the postoperative suite before a trusted friend or family member can drive you home. You’ll be given a 24-hour phone number where you’ll be able to reach Dr. Sayed and ask him any urgent questions about your neck lift recovery. You’ll also have access to a digital app that will let you securely send messages, video, and pictures to Dr. Sayed and his medical team.
You will experience some swelling, bruising, mild discomfort, feelings of fullness, and some tightness after surgery. The swelling and bruising should subside after 7-10 days, so it’s advised that patients take 10-14 days off from attending social events. Patients should avoid strenuous activity for 2 weeks. To reduce swelling and shape the chin, we will wrap the chin and cheeks in a “jaw bra” garment. Dr. Sayed might also place some drains overnight after the surgery to prevent fluid accumulation, but they can be removed in the office the next day.
- Have a reasonable expectation of what a neck lift can accomplish
- Look at before-and-after photos and understand what kinds of techniques you are interested in
- Don’t smoke or take nicotine in any form for at least 3 weeks and ideally longer before (and after) surgery
- Stay well rested and well hydrated, and eat a nutritious diet balanced with plenty of protein
- If your diet is lacking in vitamins, take vitamin C and zinc supplementation but ask Dr. Sayed about other supplements. We have a list of ingredients we ask you to avoid in the immediate preop phase to optimize healing and minimize bleeding risk
- Designate a caretaker who can help you through the first 5 to 7 days after treatment
If you want to know how much a neck lift costs, we are more than happy to give you a fee schedule after your consultation. Review our Pricing page to build a “wishlist” and get estimated pricing on a neck lift or a combination of procedures. We also have a fee schedule available in the office after your consultation. Feel free to contact our San Diego office for a pre-consultation and we are happy to provide more information.
Contact us today!
If you’re in the San Diego or Newport Beach areas and have any questions or wish to schedule a neck lift consultation with Dr. Sayed, please contact our office.