Direct Necklift Surgery

A necklift is a surgical procedure designed to eliminate signs of aging on the neck, chin, and jawline in order to create a sculpted, contoured, and youthful appearance.  While the passage of time can show in many subtle ways on other areas of the face, the effects of the natural aging process—loss of collagen and elastin in the skin, the weakening of underlying musculature, and the accumulation of excess fatty deposits—can affect the neck in dramatic, highly visible ways.  A necklift is a highly effective and long-lasting procedure designed to:  

• Eliminate vertical or horizontal bands along the neck caused by the weakening and separation of the platysmal muscles
• Remove loose, hanging skin leading to a “turkey waddle”, sagging jowls, and an undefined neck and chin area
• Remove excess skin due to loss of structural support and elasticity
• Excise excess fatty tissue creating a double chin and/or fatty jowls  

   Whether performed as a solitary procedure or in combination with a facelift or other rejuvenation surgery, a necklift offers amazing facial rejuvenation safely and effectively.  Indeed, when performed by a qualified, experienced plastic surgeon like Dr. Bryson Richards in Las Vegas, Nevada, a necklift is one of the most effective, successful, and long-lasting methods of achieving a more lifted, contoured, and youthful appearance.   

Necklift Procedural Details

A necklift is an ideal surgical procedure for individuals who are dissatisfied with changes to the appearance of their neck as a result of time and the natural aging process.  For some patients, a stand-alone necklift will eliminate troublesome signs of aging and create a rejuvenated, more youthful appearance; many patients, however, will benefit from a simultaneous facelift or other cosmetic procedure for optimal anti-aging results.

The goal of a necklift is to enhance the contours of the jawline, chin, and neck by tightening the musculature of the neck, eliminating excess fatty tissue, and excising and tightening loose, sagging skin.  For most patients, the most effective, long-lasting technique to achieve optimal results is the direct necklift, which involves making an incision vertically from the chin down the neck.  This enables the surgeon to directly access the platysma muscles in the front of the neck in order to perform a corset platysmaplasty, which will eliminate visible neck bands and cords.  The corset platysmaplasty tightens the neck muscles directly under the chin, where they are loosest, utilizing multiple rows of surgical stitches to bring together these muscles that have drifted apart over time, as well as removes all fat from on top of the muscle for a sharply defined and contoured neck and jawline.  The surgeon can then excise and tighten hanging, loose skin around the neck and jawline for a well-defined, shapely jawline, chin, and neck.  

For patients with excessive pockets of fatty tissue in the chin and neck, liposuction may need to be performed as part of the necklift.  Although neck liposuction is performed the same way as body sculpting liposuction, it utilizes smaller, gentler instruments and is generally less invasive than liposuction on other areas of the body.  For some patients who are concerned about excess fat in the neck region but are not concerned about skin laxity, a neck liposuction can be performed as a stand-alone procedure.  

Although the chin and neck are very delicate, the techniques utilized during a direct necklift and liposuction are specifically geared towards this fragile region, and therefore recovery from a necklift is usually shorter and easier than most people imagine.  Most patients require several days of downtime to allow side effects such as bruising or swelling around the ears, jaw, and neck to subside.  Your younger, more sculpted chin and neck will be visible immediately after surgery, but you will notice improvement as healing continues over the next couple of months.  Any scarring, while permanent, will fade and become significantly less visible over time.

Contact Dr. Richards

At Dr. Bryson Richards' practice located in Las Vegas, Nevada, we strive to offer a comprehensive menu of aesthetic services designed to deliver long lasting, highly effective results while minimizing discomfort and downtime, as well as the potential for risk and complications, as much as possible.  Dr. Bryson Richards is a highly skilled and experienced plastic surgeon dedicated to utilizing only the most state-of-the-art technologies and techniques, while maintaining exceptionally high standards of patient education and care at all times.  Whether you are seeking non-invasive rejuvenation to enhance your youthful glow or a surgical solution to a long-standing aesthetic concern, Dr. Richards and his highly trained, fully licensed staff will work closely with you to develop a treatment approach that is custom-tailored to achieve your unique goals and enhance your unique beauty.

If you would like more information on necklift surgery with Dr. Bryson Richards, or would like to learn more about our other surgical procedures and non-surgical rejuvenation techniques, we encourage you to contact our office for a consultation today.  We look forward to hearing from you!