Neck lift

What happens during the aging process? The skin relaxes, as do the muscles and ligaments. The neck gives an appearance that makes you look older than you are. If you show significant signs of aging in the neck area, such as a “turkey neck”, flabby skin with prominent Platysma muscle, a complete neck lift is indicated. In this case, an incision is made directly in the neck or behind the ears. If you are young, have elastic skin and only have a localized fat accumulation, the procedure to be performed is a liposuction. It is often necessary to combine both procedures at the same time.

During the first consultation we make sure that a neck lift is beneficial for you. For this purpose we clarify questions about your general health. We measure the various skin parameters and analyse whether other areas such as cheeks, forehead, eyebrows or eyelids also need to be corrected. The procedure and the consequences of the operation are discussed in detail. Smoking should ideally be stopped 3 weeks before and 3 weeks after the surgery. Certain medications that increase the risk of bleeding, such as aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and certain vitamin B supplements, must also be discontinued 3 weeks prior to the procedure. You will receive detailed instructions from us before the operation.

On the day of the operation we take photos of the face in a standing position. An experienced anaesthetist will inform you of the planned general anaesthetic if you have chosen this type of anaesthetic. If there is loose skin and muscle in the neck area, incisions will be made in the neck and/or behind the ears. Excess skin and fatty tissue are carefully removed. The tissue and skin are then repositioned and sutured. If there is excess fat without excess skin in the neck area, liposuction is performed. Liposuction is performed under and over a muscle called the platysma. In young patients (up to about 35-40 years of age), liposuction is sufficient in most cases. In older patients, a combination of neck lift and liposuction is often performed. At the end of the operation, a special neck bandage with compression is applied.

Immediately after the operation you will wear a compression bandage around your neck. After the operation you will need to take antibiotics for 4 days. You should rest for fourteen days after the operation. The stitches will be removed after two weeks. Unpleasant side effects such as tightness, swelling and bruising usually disappear after 10 to 14 days. Light physical activities can be resumed after only a few days. After 6 weeks you can resume sports. In order to make the scar as invisible as possible, scar treatment should be started three weeks after the operation. Special scar ointments are suitable for this purpose, which should be applied to the corresponding areas three times a day. Massage promotes the absorption of the cream. As long as the scar is red or pink, you should protect it from the sun.

In principle, every operation involves certain risks – for example, infections or haematomas. The sensitivity of the skin to touch may also be reduced after the operation. After the operation, bruising, redness and slight swelling often occur. Sometimes, under mechanical stress, healing may be impaired, healing may be impaired, and asymmetry may occur. Nerve or vascular damage is rare. If smokers do not significantly or completely limit their nicotine consumption, scarring problems may occur.