Do you feel like your neck is making you look older than you really are? If so, you may be in need of a neck lift. Today, our aesthetic experts at Mountain State Cosmetic Surgery in Beckley, WV are discussing everything you need to know about this procedure, including what it can do and who it is right for.
Does a Neck Lift Make You Look Younger?
Yes, a neck lift will make you look younger. However, that’s not all this procedure can do. This procedure can also be used to make you look slimmer. Primarily, it is used to tighten sagging neck muscles and skin, but it can also be used to eliminate excess skin, muscle, and fat tissue. Here’s a closer look at what this procedure can do for you.
Lift Your Sagging Upper Neck Skin
This procedure is commonly used to lift sagging upper neck skin just beneath your chin. Sometimes, this skin sagging is genetic. However, it can also result from the natural aging process or extreme weight loss. After this procedure, the transition from your chin to your neck will be seamlessly smooth and uniform.
Improve Your Contours
Our neck loses some of its contours as we age. Often, this includes horizontal muscle banding that can make you look far older than you really are. If you are concerned about the contour of your neck, you can benefit greatly from this procedure because it can be used to eliminate excess neck muscles.
Eliminate Your Jowls
This procedure can also be used to eliminate your jowls, a very common side effect of the aging process. Jowls occur as we age because our skin starts to produce less collagen naturally the older we become.
Unfortunately, anti-aging creams that contain collagen can’t restore a youthful lift to your face because the molecules are too large to pass through the outer layers of your skin. On the other hand, this procedure can lift sagging skin and muscle tissues.
Treat Your Submental Fullness
This procedure can also help you look younger by treating your submental fullness, sometimes called a double chin. Submental fullness may be caused by extreme weight gain or genetics. However, it can also be caused by the natural aging process as your skin loses elasticity and starts to fold in on itself, giving the appearance of a double chin.
Specifically, this procedure can eliminate submental fullness by eliminating excess skin and tightening loose skin. However, it can only be used to excise a small amount of excess fat. If you are concerned about a great deal of excess fat, you may need liposuction in addition to your lift to achieve your ideal aesthetic.
What Should You Expect After Your Procedure?
After your procedure, you can expect to feel pretty tired. However, exactly how long you can expect to feel tired depends on the type of anesthesia you receive. As a general rule, you can expect to feel pretty tired for around a day after your procedure if you receive sedation in addition to a local anesthetic. However, you can expect to feel pretty tired for around three days if you receive general anesthesia to keep you comfortable.
How Long Should You Expect the Recovery Period to Last?
Typically, you can expect most of your recovery period to last between 10 and 14 days. However, you will be restricted from vigorous exercise for approximately six weeks following your procedure. Also, you should be aware that you won’t necessarily have to take 10 to 14 days off from work to recover from your procedure. Rather, you can probably return to work within five to seven days if you have a sedentary job.
How Can You Speed Up Your Recovery Process?
One of the best things you can do to speed up your recovery process is to rest as much as possible during the first week or two post-op. Specifically, you should do your best to get at least nine consecutive hours of sleep every night in the early stages of your recovery process. Also, you should make sure you nap whenever you feel unusually tired.
How Long Will the Results of Your Procedure Last?
As a general rule of thumb, you can expect the results of your procedure to last for 10 to 15 years. However, you can extend the longevity of your results.
How Can You Prolong the Results of Your Procedure?
To ensure that the results of your procedure last for as long as possible, you need to do everything you can to keep your skin as healthy as possible. One of the most important things you can do to extend the longevity of your results is to not smoke. Cigarettes and other tobacco products contain a chemical compound called nicotine. Nicotine constricts your blood vessels, impeding your circulatory system.
Unfortunately, a strong circulatory system is essential for the health of your skin because it transports nutrients to your skin. Similarly, it is essential that you do not drink an excessive amount of alcohol. When you drink too much alcohol, your blood vessels constrict, weakening your circulatory system. Even worse, alcohol is a diuretic, resulting in the elimination of both crucial hydration and micronutrients. Here are some other steps you can take.
Drink Plenty of Water
Drinking plenty of water will also help you extend the longevity of your results. If you are dehydrated and your skin is dehydrated, your skin can’t produce collagen, elastin, and other essential supportive structures as efficiently as possible. If you are hydrated and keep your skin moisturized, you will give yourself the best possible chance to enjoy long-lasting results.
Wear Sunscreen Diligently
It is also very important to wear sunscreen regardless of the weather if you want your final results to last as long as possible. Sunscreen is so important because the sun emits several types of UV rays, including UVC rays. Unfortunately, UVC rays damage your existing collagen and make it harder for your skin to produce new collagen. Therefore, the more exposure your skin has to the sun, the faster it will age.
Exercise Regularly
Getting regular exercise will also help you extend the longevity of your results. This is because exercise supports your circulatory system, and a strong circulatory system is important for your skin health. Ideally, you should get at least 2.5 hours of moderate exercise weekly for your health. However, if you don’t have time to get in 2.5 hours of exercise weekly, you can get 1.25 hours of vigorous exercise weekly.
Note, you may need to squeeze in five hours of moderate exercise or 2.5 hours of vigorous exercise weekly if you are trying to lose weight. For instance, you may need to get in five hours of exercise weekly if you have noticed that you are gaining weight consistently and want to lose weight to prevent submental fullness.
Who Is a Good Candidate for This Treatment?
As a good general rule of thumb, the ideal candidate for this treatment is in good health and concerned about the appearance of aging around the lower face and neck. Specifically, an ideal candidate is free from chronic medical conditions and has not been ill within two weeks of the scheduled procedure. Also, an ideal candidate for this procedure is a non-smoker who can go for several days without drinking alcohol.
What Is the Best Age to Get a Neck Lift?
The ideal age to undergo this procedure, sometimes referred to as platysmaplasty, is when you are concerned about the signs of neck aging. Since everyone ages differently, there is no specific best age.
Typically, people undergo this procedure when they are between the age of 35 and 65. However, some people feel the need to undergo this procedure at an earlier age. Also, people are free to receive this procedure past the age of 65 as long as they are healthy. Just keep in mind that your heart and lungs need to be in very good health to receive general anesthesia.
Schedule Your Initial Consultation Today
A neck lift can make you look years younger, but that’s not all it can do. It can also help you look slimmer. To find out whether this life-changing procedure is right for you, contact us today at Mountain State Cosmetic Surgery in Beckley, WV to schedule your initial consultation. We welcome the opportunity to help you restore your youthful aesthetic so you can improve your self-confidence and quality of life.
