Neck Lift
Marin County

INDICATIONS

A neck lift in Marin County is most commonly performed in men and women between the ages of 50 and 60.  However, some people may consider this earlier due to genetics that predisposes to premature neck aging.   This may result in imbalance due to a small jaw (chin) or a short neck and may encourage a person to seek out surgical correction earlier.

The change people often first notice in their necks is the loss of skin elasticity, as evidenced by a new slackness of the skin. The skin under the chin loosens and sags with fat deposits. The platysma muscle bands in the neck, formerly invisible and confined beneath firmer skin, become obvious as they flex behind a softer, looser wall.

The sleek contours of the neck disappear, giving way to loose bands of skin that may even form a fold as they reach the base of the neck. 

Eventually, this laxity of the skin can extend into the upper chest as well. The jawline loses its definition as the collagen in the cheeks decreases, allowing the skin to slip lower and lower below the jawbone, forming a small pouch or jowl along the jawline.  Some people are genetically prone to a turkey neck appearance, well before the aging process has set in and in spite of maintaining an otherwise trim and fit physique.

Some people may first be bothered by fat under the chin that is unrelated to any weight gain, making them appear heavier than they are. Others are more distressed by the aged appearance of platysma bands, formed by the platysma muscles that run from the chin down to the upper chest. Thin vertical bands or cords lend a distinctive timeworn look to the front of the neck. Any one of these signs of aging in the neck is enough to prompt many people to seek out the correction that can be achieved with a neck lift. A simple test to determine whether a neck lift would be helpful is to pull the neck skin posteriorly towards the ears and see if this demonstrates the improvement you seek.

The surgery takes place at Marin Cosmetic Surgery Center, Dr. Delgado’s private surgery suite, located in his Marin County office on the Sutter Marin County Community Hospital campus. This allows Dr. Delgado to offer his patients private, concierge medical care while providing the extra measure of safety and reassurance afforded by the surgery center’s contiguous location to the hospital. 

The vast majority of neck lift procedures are done under light general anesthesia. At Marin Cosmetic Surgery Center, only a physician who is board-certified in anesthesia administers anesthesia. Dr. Delgado and the anesthesiologist will assist you in making the best decision for your anesthesia. The anesthesiologist will call you the night before your surgery to review your medical history.

He or she will also confirm last-minute instructions and answer any questions you may have relating to your anesthesia. Before anesthesia is given, Dr. Delgado will mark your neck with a special surgical felt tip marking pen to help guide him during the incisions. This creates a customized map that will guide him during your procedure.

AFTER NECK LIFT SURGERY

The first few hours after your Marin County neck lift will be spent in the recovery room. When you are completely alert, you will be able to go home with someone to assist you. To control swelling, cold packs should be placed around the neck area for 48 hours, and you should sleep with your back and head elevated at 45-60 degrees for seven nights. Some patients will spend the first night in the recovery room, especially if other facial procedures are performed. If you are staying overnight, Dr. Delgado will inspect your incisions the following morning, and then you may go home with a responsible adult. The following day, you may shower, wash your hair as usual and reapply the compression band, a four-inch-wide elasticized band that circles under your chin and attaches with Velcro over the top of your head. This light compression discourages the accumulation of fluid swelling under your chin.

There is minimal discomfort with neck lifts. Pain medication is prescribed, but it is unlikely to be needed for more than a day or two following your procedure.

Patients will experience swelling, but the primary sensation is numbness in the neck, the sides of the face, and even the lips. The lip numbness resolves in about 24 hours, and the remaining numbness steadily subsides over the subsequent weeks. If a drain is placed, you may experience a slight pinching in that area when you move your head, but that is relieved with the removal of the drain, probably a day or two after your procedure.

Your sutures may feel like stiff tiny bristles as you try to find a comfortable position on your pillow to sleep, but again, this vanishes when the sutures are removed five to seven days after your procedure. Suture removal can be done at either Dr. Delgado’s San Francisco office or his Marin County office near Santa Rosa.

As the swelling may cause soreness in your jaw hinge (temporal mandibular joint), you should plan on eating soft foods the first two days after your procedure. You may also be aware of mild, intermittent discomfort in your throat due to irritation caused by the breathing tube in place during your procedure. Throat tissue heals very quickly, and this feeling will also disappear after a couple of days.

The most challenging part of your recovery will probably be getting comfortable enough to sleep in the recommended elevated position. A recliner is very helpful for this, but you can replicate one reasonably well with a good pillow supply. Rest your back and head against a stack of three or four pillows and place one or two pillows under your knees to keep your lower back comfortable and to avoid sliding down out of the elevated position. Adhering to this regimen for the first week after your surgery is the most effective way to keep your swelling at a minimum.

Most of the swelling will resolve in four to five days, as long as you sleep elevated and wear the compression band continually. By the eighth night, you may reduce the use of the compression band to nighttime during your sleeping hours. It is advisable to sleep with the compression band in place for one or two months following your procedure. This will continue to keep fluid from accumulating in the chin area, especially following a day of excessive activity.

The bruising will be entirely gone by two weeks, or even sooner. Makeup may be applied after one week. Most patients return to work or social activities after ten to fourteen days. Strenuous physical exercise should be avoided for four to six weeks following surgery as it can trigger swelling.