For many people, signs of aging become apparent in the skin around the neck before the face. Sagging skin, wrinkles, and neck bands can leave you feeling self-conscious about the appearance of your neck. Dallas neck lift surgery, or platysmaplasty, provides a toned and sculpted look that can give you a more youthful profile. The neck lift and the mini neck lift can address wrinkles and sagging caused by aging and weight loss, improving the contour of your jawline. Dallas female plastic surgeon, Dr. Stephanie Teotia, helps take years off her patients’ appearance with a neck lift, which has become one of her most popular procedures.

There are a few reasons a full neck lift might be the right choice for you. A neck lift can help with the appearance of stripes or bands around your neck. Also called platysmal bands, these are an age related symptom that occurs when the muscles that run vertically in your neck become thick and chord-like. Symptoms of advanced aging like sagging, wrinkles, and excess skin, can also qualify you to be a good candidate for a neck lift. Weight loss is one of the biggest reasons for neck lift procedures. Sometimes the face and neck can have trouble bouncing back from weight loss, leaving the skin loose and sagging. A neck lift can ensure that you can proudly show off your weight loss accomplishments.

A mini neck lift, on the other hand, is beneficial for those exhibiting more minor evidence of skin aging or for those who are uncomfortable going under anesthesia. This procedure is specifically beneficial for decreasing the appearance of jowls, marionette lines, and sagging neck skin. By removing small amounts of excess or loose skin and fat, the skin around the neck can be tightened, refining the neck and giving a fresh appearance to the face. Because this less invasive procedure relies on local anesthetic and laughing gas, patients are able to have a mini neck lift in-office. The mini neck lift can also be used for maintenance purposes a number of years after a full neck lift.

Once you and Dr. Teotia decide which neck lift procedure is a good option for your aesthetic goals, she will create a treatment plan for you based on those goals and your unique needs. Dr. Teotia can remove excess skin, tighten underlying muscles, and reshape the contour of your jawline. The recovery time for a full neck lift will vary from patient to patient. Dr. Teotia disallows heavy lifting, working out, or bending over during the first week post-op, in order to minimize bruising and swelling.

Some bruising and swelling will likely remain into the second week, but once stiches are removed after seven days, you will be able to resume most of your normal activities. Downtime is typically about a week or two while you heal from surgery, with full healing taking place within three to four months. The less invasive mini neck lift will come with less bruising and swelling, with most patients experiencing complete healing approximately 7-10 days after surgery.

The risks associated with neck lifts are small and side effects tend to be similar to other plastic surgery procedures, including swelling, bleeding, bruising, and numbness in the skin around incision sites. These symptoms should resolve as you heal. A full or mini neck lift typically leaves minimal scarring when under the care of an experienced plastic surgeon. Dr. Teotia has performed many neck lifts, as it is quickly becoming one of her patients’ favorite procedures, and she is very skilled at placing the incisions behind your ears or along your hairline to minimize their noticeability. Any incisions in front of the earlobe and under the chin may be slightly visible, but even this scarring tends to be very minimal and discreet due to Dr. Teotia’s practiced hands.

You will be able to start noticing the results of your neck lift as soon as swelling and bruising begin to fade. Most patients report seeing a difference between seven and fourteen days after surgery, with more pronounced results appearing as the healing process progresses. The results of a neck lift lasts anywhere from 5 to 10 years. You can increase the longevity of your procedure by taking care of your skin, maintaining a healthy weight, using sunscreen, and not smoking.

Dr. Teotia will sit down with you to determine which neck lift is the right treatment for your problem areas. If you are unhappy with the aging appearance of your neck, Dr. Teotia and her experienced team can help.