The Foundation of a Youthful Profile: Neck and Lower Face Contouring
A smooth, defined neck is key to facial balance. Our surgeons deliver results that look effortless and natural.
At Utah Facial Plastics, we understand that a smooth, defined neck is the foundation of a youthful profile. Concerns like loose skin, banding, or fullness beneath the chin can impact the overall balance of the face, often more than patients realize. Our double board-certified facial plastic surgeons specialize in advanced neck rejuvenation techniques, offering tailored solutions from minimally invasive facelift procedures to comprehensive neck lifts with deep neck contouring and lower face contouring options.
By addressing both the underlying structures and the surface of the skin, we create refined, natural-looking results, not overdone. Every treatment begins with a personalized consultation, where we evaluate your anatomy, understand your goals, and guide you toward the most effective approach for restoring a sharper jawline and a more confident, refreshed appearance.
Have questions? Get in touch at 385.469.2550. Financing available.
The Art of Neck Rejuvenation
A closer look at the refined, natural results from Utah Facial Plastics’ double board-certified facial plastic surgeons.
Book online or call to get started today 385.410.4551
Who is a candidate for a neck Lift Procedure?
Address the concerns that shape your profile—loose skin, neck banding, double chin, and “turkey neck.”
You may be a candidate if you are experiencing
- Loose or sagging skin along the neck (“turkey neck”)
- Visible vertical neck bands or muscle separation
- Fullness beneath the chin (double chin) that doesn’t improve with diet or exercise
- A lack of jawline definition or a “blended” neck-to-chin angle
- Excess fat beneath the chin or along the upper neck
- Early signs of aging in the lower face and neck
- Heaviness or fullness in the lower face that affects facial balance
- Skin laxity following weight loss
Have questions? Give us a call today at 385.469.2550. Financing available.
Necklift by Facelift
As we age, the facial muscles begin to descend and our skin loses collagen and elastin, causing it to sag. In reality, the face and neck are essentially one unit. When these aging factors become apparent in the face and neck area, it is best addressed with a deep plane facelift. This often common technique allows for the most uniform and natural results. It is best to consult with one of UFP's double board-certified surgeons to truly determine the best course of action if you are considering a neck lift procedure.
Subtle, Less Invasive Neck and Jawling Contouring
For patients not quite ready for a deep plane facelift, more subtle and less invasive options like deep neck contouring and lower face contouring can provide noticeable yet natural enhancements. These procedures target early signs of aging by refining the jawline, tightening loose skin, and contouring the neck without the extensive recovery of a traditional lift. Deep neck contouring focuses on muscle and fat adjustment, while lower face contouring addresses mild sagging and enhances facial definition. Together, they offer a refreshed, youthful appearance with minimal downtime, perfect for those seeking subtle improvements. Learn more about these options in our neck lift procedures menu.
What Is Direct Neck Lift?
Utah Facial Plastic's direct necklift is a procedure that specifically addresses central neck laxity by removing the loose skin and underlying adipose tissue that is often referred to as a “turkey neck” or “turkey-gobbler” deformity. The idea is that we directly cut out the excess tissue and remove it. We then suture the tissue together in the midline, instead of pulling laterally and removing excess skin from behind the ears as we usually do with a traditional face/neck lift.
In addition to removing the tissue, we typically perform a midline platysmaplasty (operation to tighten neck muscles) by suturing the medial edges of the platysma together to further tighten the underlying musculature of the neck. Because the tissue is directly excised from the front of the neck, there is a scar in that area when you heal, however much of it hides under the chin, and the rest of it heals very nicely. Often this procedure is done with a chin implant, submental lipo-contouring, and/or eyelid surgery to further enhance results. This procedure is primarily done on older male patients, but is not limited.
"Always enjoy my visits to Utah Facial Plastics. I'm really happy with my neck lift. Dr. Henstrom is the best!"
FAQ's
Some people can have success treating neck banding with Botox injections, but this varies widely between patients. Kybella, an injectable that consists mainly of deoxycholic acid, is effective for reducing double chins. It does this by breaking down fat that has accumulated under the chin. So, if you’re mainly concerned about a double chin caused by fat, Kybella, liposuction, or deep neck contouring could be a good alternative.
However, if your major problem is loose, sagging skin, not fat accumulation, the only alternatives to a surgical neck lift would be laser and radiofrequency energy treatments, such as Morpheus8 and FaceTite. Unlike surgical rejuvenation, these treatments are not near as effective nor are permanent solutions.
As with all surgery, modern anesthesia ensures you won’t feel a thing. Recovery after a neck lift isn’t as much an issue of pain, but the hassle of limiting your head movement and the duration of this requirement. These aren’t overly painful, as our neck doesn’t have the same number of nerves as our facial skin.
Facelifts/neck lifts are major surgical procedures, and they involve those same risks: excessive bleeding, poor incision healing, infection, and reaction to anesthesia. As for facelifts combined with neck lifts, these are the specific risks:
- Injury to the nerves that control facial muscles (usually temporary)
- Numbness or tingling around the incision areas (temporary)
- Hair loss at the incision sites
- Skin discoloration (rare but can continue for several months)
- Skin healing issues (more common with smokers)
Often times patients are coming in with neck concerns that also contribute to sagging and laxity in the face area. If you are someone who is experiencing jowling, tissue descent in the mid cheeks and lower face, laxity and/or fullness in the neck, and banding in the neck, you are likely a candidate for deep plane facelift surgery.
Deep Plane Facelift surgery addresses the lower face and neck area as one unit, lifting and tightening for the most comprehensive and natural results. You are going to get a better overall and long-term result with this procedure.
A consultation with one of our surgeons is recommended to determine the best method of correction for your neck concerns.
Candidates for this procedure are patients that are in their teens into early 40s that want improve the neckline, deepen the cervicomental angle, improve the marionette lines, and reduce submental fat. Younger patients can get an improved neckline this way without the facelift incisions around the ears. In older patients, this procedure is not the best measure of treatment when addressing jowls and excess skin of the lower face and neck. Age is not always a determining factor, it mostly depends on the individuals facial anatomy and if there is excess skin that needs to be addressed.
Unlike the rest of the body, the skin on the neck is truly hanging. Due to the function of the throat, the skin can’t be overly taut and constricting. If you pinch the skin on your neck you can pinch much easier than everywhere else on your body. Gravity loves this inherent looseness. That’s why sometimes a person’s face doesn’t show much aging, but his or her neck does. Wrinkling on the neck skin, neck bands, a “turkey wattle,” jowls — they’re all courtesy of the passage of time and your neck.
It is best to consult with one of Utah Facial Plastics surgeons. They will be able to evaluate your individual features and recommend the best course of treatment. Patient's often have a procedure in mind, but it may not always be best for correction and could leave you underwhelmed or disappointed. We will give the best recommendation and educate on what you expect.
Our necks are involved with our head movements, so recovery from neck lift surgery isn’t a simple process. Some things seem obvious, such as the need to keep your head straight and minimize twisting or bending of your altered neck tissue. But one thing that applies in most recoveries — applying ice to minimize swelling — is forbidden with neck lift surgery. Why? In this area of the body, ice can compromise blood flow to the neck, leading to tissue death. Also, keeping your head elevated is very important.
It’s usually 10 to 14 days of recovery. An ace bandage will be worn for the first 5-7 days. Swelling won’t dissipate quickly, in some cases lingering for months. So, don’t expect instant feedback with your neck lift. Your results will show in time. Any strenuous exercise, particularly anything involved twisting of the neck, is a no go for six weeks. You need to keep blood pressure from elevating up to the face and neck.
Necklift Surgery at Utah Facial Plastics
Contact Us Today!
If you are interested in a necklift procedure in Salt Lake City, Draper, Layton, Utah and the surrounding areas? Contact Utah Facial Plastics for more information at 385.410.4551 or schedule a necklift consultation today!
