If you are dissatisfied with the appearance of your neck and jawline due to excess fat, slack neck muscles, and sagging skin, you have several options. Although your neck may not be the first thing people notice about you, excess skin and fat in that area can affect your silhouette and make your face look bottom-heavy.
Our practice offers neck lift surgery or facial liposuction to reduce fat deposits and sculpt the neck and jawline. In rare cases, our providers use KYBELLA for a nonsurgical neck lift to melt away submental fat, but a neck lift or liposuction can give you better, more reliable results.
Neck Lift
A neck lift is the best option for people with poor skin elasticity in their necks, significant excess skin, and noticeable platysma bands or older patients who also want a facelift.
How Does It Work?
First, your plastic surgeon creates incisions under your chin and behind the ears. They will then remove excess fat and skin and tighten lax platysmal muscles to define your neck and jawline. The skin is redraped over muscle and tissue, and the incisions are sutured or glued shut.
The procedure typically takes 4 to 6 hours, depending on the areas you want to improve.
What Is Recovery Like?
You’ll need 1 to 2 weeks off work to recover from neck lift surgery. Discomfort is usually most intense during the first couple of days after surgery, but your plastic surgeon may prescribe pain medication to relieve discomfort.
Your neck may feel tight after neck lift surgery, and you’ll notice some bruising and swelling at the surgery site. Swelling and bruising typically peak 3 to 4 days after surgery and gradually diminish over the ensuing weeks and months. Make sure to engage in gentle movement, such as walking, while you recover to aid blood circulation and prevent blood clots.
You should see the full results of your neck lift after several months. Dr. Hobgood carefully creates precise incisions so you will have only minimal scarring after your procedure.
Submental Liposuction
For younger patients with good skin elasticity and skin tone, submental liposuction can reduce fat deposits on the neck and jawline for a more sculpted neckline. This is a good option for those who struggle with stubborn fat in the neck area but won’t have issues with their skin conforming to their new, slimmer neck after the procedure.
How Does It Work?
Dr. Hobgood uses a specialized liposuction technique called liposculpture, which precisely removes excess fat to contour your neck. Liposculpture uses a tiny cannula to suction out extra fat on the neck, removing just enough to create a more defined angle between the jawline and the neck.
Since liposculpture works great on smaller areas to create subtle definition, it’s an effective option to reduce fat under the chin and in the upper neck.
What Is Recovery Like?
Most people need about a week to recover from liposuction, but depending on your job, you might be able to return to work within a few days. Although you will experience some swelling and bruising in the treated area, these side effects should not last long. Get plenty of rest and take pain medication to help with discomfort.
Is Submental Liposuction or a Neck Lift Better for Me?
Although both procedures are excellent options for contouring your neck area, consider the desired results, your age, and your skin health before choosing. If you are under 40 and retain good collagen and elasticity in your skin, liposuction may achieve the results you’re looking for. Liposuction does not tighten the surface skin after fat removal, however, so your skin must be able to bounce back after the procedure.
You may benefit from a neck lift if you are older with extensive sagging or prominent platysmal bands. Although a neck lift will require a longer recovery than liposuction, you will enjoy more impactful results. Your plastic surgeon may recommend a chin implant with your neck lift or liposuction treatment to bring added definition to your jawline.
Can KYBELLA Contour My Neck and Jawline?
KYBELLA is a nonsurgical injectable treatment that can reduce fat under your chin, commonly called a “double chin.” However, this injectable treatment provides unpredictable and less effective results, so we rarely recommend it. Furthermore, it can’t improve sagging skin or weakened muscles in your neck, and it requires several treatments.
Most of our patients succeed better at achieving a sculpted neck and defined jawline with a neck lift or liposuction.
Who Is a Good Candidate for a Neck Improvement?
You may be a good candidate for these procedures if you have the following:
- Sagging and excess skin on the lower face
- Stubborn fat deposits under the skin on the neck
- Prominent bands on the neck (platysmal bands) due to sagging skin and loss of muscle tone.
- Realistic expectations about your results
If you have a heart condition or allergies to anesthesia, you may not be a good candidate for these procedures.
Choosing between a neck lift and submental liposuction depends on your individual needs, skin elasticity, and other factors. Your plastic surgeon can recommend the best procedure for you based on your aesthetic goals. This before-and-after gallery shows our patients who achieved a sculpted profile with submental liposuction.
To learn more about these procedures, request a consultation or call us at (480) 214-9955 to schedule an appointment.
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