For most people, the appearance of youth is concentrated on the face, which is why facelifts and other procedures that enhance its suppleness and vitality are so popular. This does not mean, however, that other parts of your body should be so casually neglected. In particular, the neck is the first area that shows the effects of aging. Band lines form, the skin loses its tautness, and flab abounds. Tremendous weight loss over a short period of time also shows quite prominently on the neck, as the skin loses elasticity and can’t keep up with the sudden shrinkage. If you suffer from a neck that looks twenty years older than you, it may be time to consider a neck lift to restore its youthful and dynamic look.

A neck lift may consist of one or a combination of several different procedures that specifically target the neck region. The first of these is a cervicoplasty, which is a method for the removal of excess skin from the neck, such as that retained after massive weight loss. The second is a platysmaplasty, a technique for the removal or alteration of the muscles in the neck, which also does away with accumulated band lines. Lastly, liposuction can be performed in the area to siphon out excess fat.

Weakened and or loose neck muscles contribute to the appearance of neck bands or drooping folds of flesh resembling the wattle of a turkey. Your surgeon will in this case prescribe that you undergo a platysmaplasty, which begins as a series of incisions under your chin or behind your ears, from which your neck muscles will be manipulated. Occasionally this will require the removal of some of those muscles. Permanent sutures may also be used to hold the tissue firmly in position. The procedure itself takes one to two hours. Recently, operations of this sort may be performed using an endoscope, inserted through tiny incision points, resulting in a less invasive procedure and faster healing time. Depending on the severity of the folds, Botox injections may be administered to relax the portions of the neck where the banding is most apparent, which will necessitate another 15 minutes.

If you’ve got too much skin hanging off your neck, a cervicoplasty will be recommended, which begins with the same series of incisions as with the platysmaplasty. This is followed by the surgeon cutting back and lifting the skin, and then securing it with sutures or a form of non-toxic permanent adhesive glue. The process will take about two to four hours. Afterwards, you will be asked to wear a compression bandage to hold the tightened neck skin in place and allow it to heal properly, and to reduce swelling and discomfort.

Either or both procedures may be accompanied by liposuction, as sometimes the folds of skin will still be filled with excess fat that needs to be removed. This procedure is typically performed first to allow greater access to and manipulation of the neck muscles, surrounding tissue, and the loose skin.

During recovery, one can expect the neck, jaw and ears to be bruised and swelling for up to ten days. These effects can be treated with standard pain medication, and antibiotics may be administered to reduce the risk of infection. For up to a few weeks after the procedure, the patient may experience numbness of the neck skin, which is to be expected, although in remote cases the numbness becomes permanent. Most people can return to work in 10 to 14 days, but participation in sports and other physically strenuous activities is discouraged until at least three weeks after the procedure.