As you age or your weight fluctuates, skin can start to sag, and you may struggle with stubborn fat deposits in the neck. Many people experience loose skin and excess fat in the neck. Both a neck lift and neck liposuction can contour the neck, but they work slightly differently. If you’re considering a neck contouring procedure, here’s what you need to know.
Premature Ageing and the Neck
Your neck features delicate thin skin. While this can make your neck area look beautiful, it can also make it an area of the body that’s prone to premature ageing. As the neck skin is thin, it retains less moisture which can lead to dryness.
Over time, your skin can become lax and wrinkles develop. The neck is a high use area with a lot of pulling, stretching, and creasing. All this can take its toll over the years. Often, the neck is left out of a skincare routine with the face always stealing focus. Putting sunscreen on your neck and chest area is also crucial in preventing premature ageing.
Neck Surgery: Neck Lift vs Neck Liposuction
Like a lot of areas of the body, you can target the neck using different procedures. On a surface level, it may look like the results are similar, but a neck lift and neck liposuction are different. Depending on your concerns, one may be more suitable than the other.
Neck Lift Surgery
In a neck lift, your surgeon lifts and repositions sagging skin as well as removes excess skin. The procedure is for patients with moderate to severe sagging, also known as “turkey neck”. As you get older, it’s entirely normal for your skin to lose laxity. Your collagen levels naturally begin to deplete as you age. Essentially, a neck lift helps to re-establish support, tighten under the neck, and remove excess skin.
Neck Lift Recovery
Most people take about 2 weeks off work to recover from a neck lift. You will need to wait longer to resume exercise until about 3-4 weeks after your surgery. It’s important that you give your body time to heal so you can heal properly and get the best results possible. Neck lift recovery is roughly 4-6 weeks and your scars will continue to fade over several months.
Neck Lift Before and After
Neck Liposuction
If you’re struggling with excess fat under the neck, then liposuction could be helpful. During the procedure, your surgeon will remove stubborn fat deposits under the chin and along the neckline. You can opt for either traditional liposuction or Vaser neck liposuction, a minimally-invasive liposuction technique. It’s essential that neck liposuction patients have good skin laxity because the skin needs enough spring to tighten by itself after removing the fat.
Although the two procedures sound similar, they are somewhat different. A neck lift targets excess skin while neck liposuction removes excess fat. While both are neck contouring procedures, they work differently.
Neck Liposuction Scars and Recovery
Post-surgical scars are inevitable. But with the latest techniques and approaches, neck liposuction can leave minor scars behind. The incision needs to be large enough to fit in a cannula tube or you consider Vaser liposuction for a less invasive type of liposuction. Often, minor incisions leave scars that are only noticeable to you and they will fade over time.
You can expect neck liposuction recovery to take between 3-6 weeks. Within a few days, you should be back to normal activities like work. Typically, it takes a few weeks before you can return to exercise. Your plastic surgeon will advise you on when you can resume exercise during your follow up appointment.
Neck Liposuction Before and After
Choosing Between a Neck Lift or Neck Liposuction
If you’re looking to target the neck area, a neck lift or neck liposuction are two of the most common surgical options. The best one for you really depends on your concerns and individual case. Neck lifts directly address skin sagging and the signs of ageing on the neck. A neck lift may also be suitable for someone looking to redefine the jawline.
One thing to consider is that some patients who think they only need a neck lift may actually benefit from a facelift. The two are commonly linked, so it’s important to talk through your options at your cosmetic surgery consultation.
Neck liposuction targets stubborn fat pockets under the chin. So, if you have a double chin or stubborn fat in this area, then liposuction may be more suitable. The main factors to consider when choosing to undergo neck surgery are your concerns, skin quality, and overall health.
Combining Neck Contouring Procedures
Some patients choose to combine cosmetic procedures to maximise surgery time and results. So, if you have a few areas of concern, you could combine procedures. The benefit of this is that you have one period of downtime. Instead of taking time off work several times, you have just one recovery time.
Often, you find that a neck lift and facelift are performed together. This is because the combination of the two creates a great result. The neck tends to age faster than the face, so if you’re getting a facelift, then it’s likely that your neck is showing signs of ageing too. Combining the procedures creates a well-balanced look. But that’s not to say you can’t have either as standalone treatments.
Common treatments to combine with neck procedures include:
- Rhinoplasty
- Chin augmentation
- Eyelid surgery
Overall, there are several options when it comes to combining procedures. The best way to find out your options is to speak to a plastic surgeon. During a consultation, you talk about your concerns, medical history, and desired results. From this, your surgeon would then guide you on how you could achieve this and the safest way to proceed so that you can make the right choice for you.
To talk about your options, contact the team at the Harley Clinic to book a consultation today at our Harley Street cosmetic surgery clinic.
