Neck Lift
Loose skin, muscle banding in the neck, or a double chin can make your profile feel older than you are. A neck lift surgery removes excess skin on the neck, tightens underlying muscles, and reshapes the area under the chin and jawline for a smoother, more defined look.
What Does a Neck Lift Do?
A neck lift can:
- Remove excess skin on the neck
- Reduce neck skin and double chin fullness
- Tighten vertical neck bands (muscle banding in the neck)
- Improve definition between the chin and neck
If you notice sagging skin, neck bands, or fullness under your chin that doesn’t match the rest of your face, a neck lift may help.
Neck Lift Surgery: What to Expect
We perform neck lift surgery as an outpatient procedure using general anesthesia.
Your surgeon places incisions:
- Around the ears
- Behind the ears
- In the crease under the chin
Through these incisions, your surgeon:
- Removes or repositions fat
- Tightens neck muscles
- Redrapes the skin smoothly without pulling
- Removes excess skin
Your surgeon closes the incisions carefully to help scars heal discreetly.
Recovery After a Neck Lift
After surgery, you can expect:
- Swelling
- Bruising
- Tightness when turning your head
You’ll need to:
- Keep your head elevated for several days
- Limit strenuous activity for a few weeks
- Follow detailed wound care instructions
Most people return to non-physical work within about 2 weeks, depending on the extent of surgery.
Swelling improves gradually. Your results become more visible over the following weeks and months with final contour improvement often seen 1 year after surgery.
Neck Lift vs. Facelift
A neck lift focuses on the area under the chin and along the front of the neck. It improves loose skin, neck bands, and fullness under the chin.
A facelift treats the lower face, including jowls and deep folds around the mouth. Some people choose one procedure. More commonly, people choose to combine neck lift and facelift for more balanced facial rejuvenation.
We’ll help you decide which approach fits your goals.
Combining a Neck Lift With a Chin Implant
Some patients with a weak chin see significant improvement in their neck line when a chin implant is combined with a neck lift. This adds projection to the chin to help give the appearance of a sharper neck line.
Does a Neck Lift Get Rid of a Double Chin?
A neck lift can improve a double chin by removing excess skin and fat and tightening the underlying muscles.
If fullness under the chin comes mainly from fat and your skin still has good elasticity, you may want to learn more about isolated liposuction or Kybella for double chin.
Liposuction is a minimally invasive procedure that involves removing excess fat under the chin through a small incision with a cannula. This involves less downtime than a neck lift, but only removes fat and does not allow for tightening of the muscle or repositioning of the skin.
Kybella is an injectable treatment that gradually reduces fat beneath the chin and is performed in the office. It does not tighten loose skin.
Cosmetic Surgery & Aesthetic Services
Looking for other ways to refresh your look? See all our services and procedures.