Could You Be a Candidate for a Neck Lift?

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It’s not surprising that the neck scarf is popular among older people for hiding crepey, drooping, or wrinkled skin. They’ll sport a scarf even in the middle of the summer.

Unlike other areas of the body, the neck doesn’t respond to diet and exercise. And there are almost no over-the-counter treatments that make any kind of difference.

Fortunately, a plastic surgeon can perform a neck lift to restore a more youthful contour and sharper jawline.

Are You a Good Candidate for a Neck Lift?

If you have a double chin, excess fat or drooping skin on the lower face, wrinkly or crepey neck skin, or loose sagging skin that gives the appearance of a ‘turkey neck,’ you may have resigned yourself to a less-than-attractive neckline. You don’t have to though.

If you’re a nonsmoker (or willing to quit), are in generally good health, and have no medical conditions that will slow healing, a neck lift can alter your profile and jawline in such a way that you’ll look years younger.

Another key component is the ability to be realistic about the outcome. When you have a full understanding that a neck lift is not going to drastically change your appearance or stop the aging process, you will be more satisfied with the results.

What To Expect From a Neck Lift Procedure

A neck lift, or in doctorly terms a platysmaplasty, is surgery. That means you’ll be under anesthesia.

The surgeon makes an incision that typically follows the contour from the top of your ear to your lower hairline on each side. Then depending on your specific needs, the surgeon may sculpt, remove, or redistribute excess fat. Tissues may need to be repositioned and tightened and skin will be redraped and positioned over the new contours. Excess skin is trimmed away.

In the case of a double chin, there will also be liposuction to tighten the area.

Neck Lift Recovery

You will need to keep your head elevated and limit the movement of your neck to keep the stitches intact. There may or may not be a drain near the incision site to avoid fluid build-up and lessen swelling.

Any residual bruising or swelling you experience could last for several weeks. As that goes down, you’ll begin to see your new and improved contours.

Follow the specific instructions your doctor will give you to ensure you get the best possible results and quickest recovery.

Are There Non-Surgical Options?

A neck lift is surgery. There’s no way around that. And while there are non-surgical options, they will not achieve the same results.

Even so, if you’re just starting to notice changes in your neck, nonsurgical rejuvenation treatments can delay your need for surgery. Or if you’ve had a neck lift, these non-surgical treatments can complement the results.

If your issues are not advanced, nonsurgical options offer a quicker recovery time and fewer risks. Botox, for example, can reduce banding. Dermal fillers can bring more volume. Microneedling rejuvenates the skin by stimulating collagen production. And laser treatments can provide textural improvements.

You can always discuss these with your plastic surgeon.

Is a Neck Lift Right for You?

If you’re unhappy with the appearance of your neck because of aging, you could be the perfect candidate for a neck lift.

You may also find that a non-surgical technique delivers what you need. Whatever the case, you don’t need to be unhappy with your neck any longer.

Contact us today to set up a free consultation with our board-certified plastic surgeon. You’ll be pointed in the direction that will garner the best results for you.

 

 

The Basics of a Neck Lift

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The appearance of the neck is one of the biggest indicators of age. So it’s no wonder that so many folks over a certain age favor the turtle neck or deem the scarf a necessary fashion accessory.

It doesn’t have to be that way though.

Depending on what issue you have with the appearance of your neck, you can remedy it with a neck lift.

What Is a Neck Lift?

A neck lift isn’t a single procedure, but rather a set of them. Medically speaking, they’re referred to as a lower rhytidectomy or submental lipectomy.

The neck lift is often a part of a face lift. But it can also be a stand alone procedure if you’re content with the current status of your face.

Again, the exact procedure you need depends on whether you’re looking to remove extra skin, excess fat, or seeking to alter the neck muscles.

In some instances, there may be injections utilized to address problems with fullness or excess fat under the chin. Additional techniques include ultrasound, lasers, fillers, radio-frequency devices, intense pulsed light, and SkinTyte using Sciton Laser.

What Are the Benefits of a Surgical Neck Lift?

While Botox, filler, and lasers may work for a while to smooth out the neck, they don’t deliver the long-lasting results that surgery does.

A plastic surgeon can go in and reposition soft tissue, remove excess fat, and tighten loose skin. This delivers a far more natural-looking fix that nonsurgical procedures.

To truly address the changes to the neck that come with aging, a surgical neck lift is the best long-term solution.

The Neck Lift Procedures)

As stated above, there’s no one-size-fits-all procedure for a neck lift. Which one is right for you will be established during a free consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon.

But here’s a look at the three most common complaints that come with an aging neck and how they are addressed:

  1. Turkey Wattle

While Botox injections can relax parts of that unsightly turkey wattle, surgery is usually the recommendation.

This procedure involves incisions under the chin or behind the ears (or both) in order to access a neck muscle called the platysma. In some instances, part of the platysma may need to be removed. Newer procedures allow for smaller incisions and the use of an endoscope to execute the surgery.

This sort of neck lift can be done under general anesthesia, or local anesthesia with sedation.

  1. Extra Skin

When there is extra skin but it’s not quite a turkey wattle, the skin is trimmed then lifted into place. It’s secured with stitches or tissue glue. This procedure takes two to four hours and it can be done under either local or general anesthesia.

After the procedure, the patient is fitted with a compression bandage to be worn for five to seven days.

  1. Excess Fat

Liposuction is often the preferred method for removing excess fat. Simpler than the above two procedures, the surgeon need only make a small incision below the chin.

If no other procedure is performed, the liposuction surgery lasts no more than an hour. A local anesthetic is used, the incisions are stitched and bandaged, and the patient is sent home with instructions for wound care.

Turn Back the Hands of Time

Yeah, okay. A neck lift won’t actually turn back the hands of time. But it can address the ravages of aging on your neck to help you look younger.

So if you’d like to ditch the scarf and/or turtle neck, contact us today for your free consultation. And soon, you could be showing off a smoother and more youthful looking neck.

Is It Time to Get a Facelift or Neck Lift?

How comfortable are you in your skin?

If you look in the mirror and see jowls, facial folds, deep wrinkles, and other signs of aging, it could be impacting your self esteem.

Not everyone buys into the euphemism of “aging gracefully.” Especially if you’re dissatisfied with how your face is aging.

If you’re unhappy with your appearance, it could be time to get a facelift or neck lift from a board-certified plastic surgeon.

But what do these procedures entail exactly? Let’s take a look.

 

Facelift - Michigan

 

Full Facelift

Your facial skin loses elasticity as you age. Without the ability to bounce back, the cheeks begin to sag along the jaw bone, creating fleshy jowls and often a double chin.

As time goes on, the cheek fat may then sag further forward and increase the appearance of the nasolabial folds in that parenthesis area between the nose and corners of the mouth.

But a facelift can reverse these signs of aging.

A facelift is known medically as a rhytidectomy. It comes from the Ancient Greek rhytis, meaning “wrinkle”, and ektome, meaning “excision.” Essentially, it’s the surgical removal of wrinkles.

Today, one of the most effective procedures is the SMAS facelift. A SMAS facelift is more involved than a skin only facelift, which does not last.

The SMAS, or superficial muscular aponeurotic system, is one of the most important structures for the face. The SMAS is a continuous sheet of muscles that are tightened to give true strength and longevity to a facelift.

By manipulating the SMAS, a plastic surgeon is able to change the appearance of the face.

With an SMAS facelift, the emphasis of the lift is placed on the SMAS. The plastic surgeon plicates, or folds, the SMAS to tighten it. He or she then redrapes and trims the skin with minimal tension to provide a smoother, tighter, and more youthful appearance.

In addition, a fat transfer may be performed to bring more volume to the face.

Your recovery time from this procedure will depend on a number of factors. Typically, patients can do light cardio after two weeks, enjoy dinner out with friends after two to three weeks, and be wedding ready in just four to six weeks.

 

When to Get a Neck Lift

Some people experience excess skin and fat on their neck as they age. This “turkey” neck is also a result of the thinning of a neck muscle known as the platysma.

The Platysma muscle stretches from the collarbone to just over the jawline. A youthful platysma creates a deep neck angle and tight hammock for the neck. As the platysma muscle gets thinner and more lax, it creates an oblique neck angle instead of a deep youthful angle.

A neck lift, or platysmaplasty, is more effective when the surgeon performs a platysma muscle plication.

Similar to the SMAS facelift procedure, the surgeon plicates the platysma muscle to tighten it, then redrapes the skin with minimal tension. This returns the muscle to a tight hammock for the neck.

Because the platysma muscle does impact muscles in the face, a neck lift can bring balance to the facial shape. This can make it a good choice for those who aren’t quite ready for a full facial lift, but want to restore this balance.

As with the facelift procedure, your surgeon will discuss with you your recovery timeline. This will be based on the invasiveness of the procedure you choose.

 

Adding Other Procedures

It’s not unusual for a neck lift to be combined with liposuction of the anterior neck.

And both the neck lift and facelift can be combined with a brow lift and/or eyelid lift, laser resurfacing, and volume replacement with fat or fillers.

The laser resurfacing addresses the finer wrinkles in the perioral area, and injectable fillers or fat can be used to replace loss of volume of facial lipoatrophy.

 

Now Is the Time to Get a Facelift or Neck Lift

There’s no need to lack confidence in your appearance any longer.

Contact us today to find out if you’re a candidate to get a facelift or neck lift. One of our board-certified surgeons will discuss all of your options with you to ensure you get the best results.

Then prepare to restore your youthful appearance – and your confidence too.

 

Neck Lift

Neck Lift

As we age, the contours of our neck and face can diminish, caused by heredity, gravity, stress, and environmental factors. A neck lift, also known as a lower rhytidectomy, is a procedure done to improve signs of aging in the neck and jawline. A neck lift can be done to help reduce the appearance of excess fat and sagging skin in the lower face, including jowls, excess fat below the chin, loose neck skin, and muscle banding of the neck. With a neck lift, the plastic surgeons at Star Plastic Surgery can help you achieve the youthful look you desire.




Smoothing Turkey Wattle Neck

Has the neck scarf recently become one of your most important accessories? Are you thinking about which one you’ll wear to Thanksgiving this year? It’s certainly an effective way to hide loose and drooping neck skin.

Speaking of Thanksgiving, that sagging skin around the neck and the jaw is known as turkey wattle neck – given its resemblance to the neck of turkey. The playful name betrays how embarrassing this condition can be though.

Fortunately, there is an effective way for smoothing turkey wattle neck rather than merely hiding it.

Causes of Turkey Wattle Neck

As great as it is for keeping us on the ground, gravity is not always on our side. And as we grow older, the skin around the neck and jaw give way to it. This results in noticeable sagging that can zap our self-esteem.

Yet, turkey wattle neck can also happen after extreme weight loss. When the body is subjected to rapid elimination of weight, the end result is often the uneven distribution of remaining fatty deposits. And there are no magical creams, elixirs, or diets that will alleviate it.

Fortunately, you don’t have to be sentenced to a lifetime of turkey wattle neck from here on out.

Smoothing Turkey Wattle Neck

As mentioned above, there’s no anti-aging cream on the market that does much for addressing turkey wattle neck. And while maintaining a healthy diet and getting more exercise are always good practices, they won’t do much for the sagging skin around your jaw and neck.

Thus, the best way to rejuvenate that area and get rid of stubborn excess fat and tissue that’s settled there is through a surgical procedure referred to as a platysmaplasty.

Known in laymen’s terms as a neck lift, this procedure removes excess skin, fat, and tissue, while tightening the muscles and remaining skin. This gives the neck a smoother and more contoured appearance, while defining the jawline.

The Nitty Gritty on the Procedure

In a neck lift procedure, a board-certified plastic surgeon makes an incision that starts at the hairline, moves down toward the ear, and ends at the posterior hair. He or she then goes in to reposition the underlying tissue and redistribute fatty deposits as needed.

The surgeon will usually tighten the platysma muscle during the procedure as well. The platysma muscle stretches from the collarbone to just over the jawline. A youthful platysma creates a deep neck angle and tight hammock for the neck. As the platysma muscle gets thinner and more lax, it creates an oblique neck angle instead of a deep youthful angle.

Once everything is lifted and in place, the surgeon carefully re-drapes the skin around the treatment area. Finally, the incisions are closed and bandaged.

There is also the option of a limited incision neck lift which involves incisions around only the ears. This option is usually chosen when the condition is less severe, since the results won’t be as dramatic.

Finally, depending on the patient’s aesthetic goals, the surgeon may also recommend other procedures in tandem with the neck lift. These may include, but are not limited to a brow lift, liposuction, and/or a facelift.

Are You Troubled by Turkey Wattle Neck?

Smoothing turkey wattle neck with a neck lift is the perfect solution for dramatically lessening this embarrassing condition.

So contact us today for a free consultation with our expert team. We’ll sit down with you and discuss all of your options for achieving a younger-looking and more rejuvenated appearance.

In the meantime, have a great Thanksgiving!

Eyelid or Mid-Face Lift? Maybe Both

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Aging is no field day.

Sure, there are the wisdom and knowledge that come with getting older. If only they could come without the sagging and stretching skin around the eyes and cheeks though.

Fortunately, an eyelid or mid-face lift can combat this issue with great success. Your plastic surgeon may even recommend both!

The Eyelid Lift

As we age, our eyelids stretch and excess fat can gather above and below them. The muscles that support them can also weaken. All of this leads to sagging skin. Fat bags may develop as well, most commonly in the lower eyelids.

That sagging skin around the eyes isn’t just unsightly; it can actually affect your sight. Your peripheral vision can be impacted by sagging skin – especially in the upper and outer parts of your field of vision.

Eyelid lift surgery, known as blepharoplasty in doctor speak, aims to reduce or eliminate this vision problem. It will also give your eyes a more youthful and alert appearance. So it’s a double win.

What Happens During an Eyelid Lift?

Blepharoplasty is typically an outpatient procedure.

First, the eyelids are numbed via an injection into the eyelids. There may also be intravenous medication to assist with relaxation, or the procedure can be done under general anesthesia – oftentimes in conjunction with facelifts, neck lifts, and endoscopic brow lifts.

In cases where the surgery is performed on both the upper and lower eyelids, the upper lids are addressed first. The surgeon cuts along the fold of the eyelid, removes any excess skin, fat, or muscle, then closes the incision. For the lower lid, the incision is just below the lashes either inside the lower or lid, or along the eye’s natural crease. Excess fat, muscle, or skin is removed or redistributed accordingly and the incision is closed.

If additional support to the eyebrow is required – such as when the upper eyelid droops close to the pupil – the surgeon will add a procedure known as a brow lift to provide that support.

Some patients will choose to combine an eyelid lift with another procedure, such as a mid-face lift.

What Is a Mid-Face Lift?

Most of us are familiar with the term “face lift.” It’s an amazingly effective procedure that targets the jawline, jowls, and deep nasolabial folds to give it a more youthful appearance.

A mid-face lift, also known as a cheek lift, focuses more on the cheeks and surrounding areas. This procedure is most commonly performed with an endoscope through incisions in the temporal hair and inside of the mouth. It smooths out sagging skin by tightening the muscles behind the skin. This helps to lessen laugh lines, accentuate cheekbones, and make the eyes brighter.

This is why it works so well in combination with an eyelid lift.

The Mid-Face Lift Procedure

A mid-face or cheek lift procedure generally takes two or more hours to complete and is done under general anesthesia.

The surgeon starts by making two small incisions by the hairline so they will be well-concealed and barely visible. Using an endoscope, he or she then tightens the muscles and repositions fat pads under the skin and the eyes to give everything a smoother and brighter appearance.

The recovery from the procedure takes around 2-4 weeks and patients can return to regular activity after just four weeks.

Look Younger With An Eyelid or Mid-Face Lift

Not only will you look younger, but you may even improve your vision! So if you’re considering an eyelid or mid-face lift (or both) don’t hesitate to contact us.

Our board-certified plastic surgeons will sit down with you during your free consultation and guide you on next steps toward a happier you.

Dr. Ali Face Lift…SUPER HAPPY!!!!

I researched face lift and lifestyle lifts. I was in desperate need of a neck lift and face lift. After about 1 year and many consultations, I decided to go with Star. They didn’t treat you like you were a number and not a patient. My consultant was amazing. So very helpful. Not pushy or wanted a payment right there and then. Although, I did it right there and then. I researched Dr. Ali and I couldn’t find any derogatory remarks. I also ran into a neighbor who had worked for him and said he was the best and so nice.

She was so right. Dr. Ali is so sweet, professional and caring. I am so happy with the work he did. I couldn’t believe how much better I looked. And it look SO NATURAL. Everyone thinks I lost weight, but they say how good I am looking. I was looking like my grandmother at 80. Now I look 40! I am 60! It doesn’t look fake at all. All the scars went away very fast. In fact I am just short of 3 months and there is only one little place is a bit red, but can’t tell it is a scar. I just can’t believe what an Artist he is!!!! If you are looking for a great Surgeon, Dr Ali is the one. All of the girls in the office are amazing. Going there is so much fun.

Dr. Ali not only is he the best surgeon EVER, he is kind, caring, sweet, funny and last but certainly not least: He is HANDSOME!!!

I would recommend him to all my friends. Not my enemies….he is too good for them.

Thank you Star and Dr. Ali for the best experience.

Will do it all over again if I live long enough to need it again!!!

Barbara D., Allen Park, MI

Full Facelift

Full Facelift

If you suffer from jowls, facial folds, deep wrinkles, and other signs of aging, a facelift may be the ideal procedure for you. Unmatched in its ability to provide a more youthful appearance to your face, a facelift can help restore the confidence and appeal lost to premature aging.

Feeling comfortable in your skin is essential to your self-esteem. When aging has left you with an appearance you no longer recognize or feel happy with, our board certified facial rejuvenation surgeons can help reverse the signs of aging and restore your natural, youthful appearance.

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