CONTOUR OF THE NECK IS RELATED TO AGE AND HEREDITY
Neck contour is influenced as much by heredity as by aging. Therefore concern about the neck may exist much earlier in life than age-related changes in the face or eyes are noticed. Significant weight changes may also have a dramatic effect on the contour of the neck.

There are three layers which are important to neck contour: skin, fat, and muscle. Each must be addressed as needed to optimize contour. Further, there are two separate fat compartments in the neck, one above the muscle and a second, below the muscle. It is possible to remove both compartments surgically, but only fat on top of the muscle may be addressed non-surgically. For patients with a little extra fat in the compartment on top of the muscle, the easiest ways to improve neck contour are liposuction or Kybella® treatment. Both may be completed in the office. Likewise, muscle bands in the neck without associated skin or fat excess may be treated with a neuromodulator, such as Botox® or Dysport®.
NECK LIFTS MAY BE A STANDALONE PROCEDURE OR MAY ACCOMPANY A FACELIFT
A neck lift may be performed alone or as a component of a face lift. Extra skin may be removed. The muscle may be tightened. And fat, both above and below the muscle, may be removed. Incisions are discreetly placed around the earlobe, behind the ear, and under the chin. A neck lift can yield a dramatic change in the contour and is useful for folks without a jowl or significant aging in the cheek. If there are changes in the face as well as the neck, a facelift with neck lift is appropriate. Frequently, other procedures such as fat grafting and eyelid surgery are combined with facelift and neck lift for total rejuvenation.
TECHNOLOGY IMPROVEMENTS
The biggest technological improvement over my 20+ years of performing facelifts and neck lifts has been the medication, Artiss. It is a fibrin sealant, or “fibrin glue,” which is used to seal up the surgical zone and stick the skin back down to the newly contoured muscle layer. The need for drains or chin straps is minimized or eliminated. Bruising and swelling are significantly decreased. Therefore recovery time is reduced. With Artiss, we have had many patients return to work in as little as one week following facelift/ neck lift which is dramatically faster than with traditional methods.
While this article is intended to educate the reader on procedure options, the only way to determine the correct procedure is through consultation with your American Board of Plastic Surgery certified surgeon. We welcome the opportunity to discuss your concerns and provide state of the art surgical and non-surgical care.