Neck Lift

Neck lift Surgery Costs*

Neck lift prices can vary greatly due to the region you live in and the surgeon that you choose. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons quoted the national average for Neck lift surgery is approximately $3000; however depending on if you are also having other procedures done at the same time.

Fully consulting a surgeon and deciding on a surgical plan for your neck lift procedure will give you an accurate individual estimate of your neck lift costs.

With all types of cosmetic surgery procedures, the cost of the neck lift surgery has more than one aspect. As well as the surgeon’s fees, you will have to pay anesthesia fees and facility fees. Anesthesia fees range from around $500 to $1,000, depending on the number of areas treated. The facility fees also vary, from $600 to $1,200.

Make sure the procedure is being performed in an accredited hospital or accredited surgery center. Board-certified cosmetic surgeons complete a minimum of five years of surgical training following medical school, including a cosmetic surgery residency program. In-depth training encompasses surgical procedures of the face and the entire body.

Don’t try to cut any costs by agreeing to a non-accredited facility for your safety’s sake. If you’re thinking about saving money by traveling to another country to get neck lift surgery from doctors who are not board-certified cosmetic surgeons, it will cost you more in the long run to find a surgeon who will fix your problems should health problems arise. Your health and safety is worth far more than saving a few dollars, and having a cheap necklift procedure could cost you more than just cash.

Insurance carriers typically agree not to cover elective cosmetic surgery. If your procedures will in any way correct a medical condition, it’s important that you express this to your insurance carrier. Your surgeon can write a letter detailing your case. Cosmetic or plastic surgery can affect future coverage under certain insurance carriers. It can also affect your premiums. Make sure you ask your insurance carrier about how your future coverage or premiums will be affected should you undergo any of these procedures.

Most cosmetic surgeons and surgical clinics offer flexible neck lift financing and payment options, some of which allow staggered payments or loans from VARIOUS FINANCING COMPANIES.

If you are considering having neck lift surgery but want to explore more about the financing options before you make your decision, PLEASE CLICK HERE. You can discuss your financial options with your surgeon, and find out if there are any loans of flexi-payment plans that will allow you to achieve the neck you have always desired.

To find out more about financing options available please click here.

Am I a candidate for a neck lift?

For many people, the neck is the first place to show the signs of the aging process. If you have loose-hanging skin that has lost its elasticity creating a “turkey wattle” appearance, band lines, excess skin, or fat, a neck lift can help to bring your neck back into the tighter shape you desire.

In general, the best candidates for neck lift surgery are people who are:

1. In good physical health.
2. Psychologically stable.
3. Wanting to improve their appearance.
4. Realistic in their expectations.

What is a neck lift Procedure?

A neck lift (platysmaplasty) is a surgical procedure designed to reduce the loose look of sagging skin in the neck area and under the jaw line. Many people choose to have a neck lift procedure as the results give a long-lasting firm, fresh and youthful looking appearance. A neck lift can be performed alone, or in conjunction with other procedures including facelift surgery and chin augmentation to give a complete facial makeover.

People have different reasons for having a neck lift - the neck can age before your face, and if you’ve lost a lot of weight, your neck may retain loose or sagging skin. The neck lift is a very popular surgery among women and men who have jowls or a ‘turkey wattle’ appearance to the neck, often after excessive weight gain when the muscles and skin have been stretched.

A neck lift is actually a set of procedures used to enhance the appearance of your neck:

1. Cervicoplasty is the procedure used to remove excess skin
2. Platysmaplasty removes or alters neck muscles

1. "Turkey wattle" neck - If you have weakened or loose neck muscles, this may cause the "turkey wattle" look or appearance of neck "bands."
2. Excess fat - As a result of gaining weight
3. Too much skin - Perhaps as a result of losing a lot of weight

Neck lift Surgery Procedure Steps

A neck lift procedure generally takes two to three hours to perform. However, if you will be having other procedures performed with your neck lift, this time will be increased and you will be more likely to go under a general anesthetic.

Step 1 - Anesthesia

1. If you are nervous about the neck lift procedure, you may be given an oral sedative or valium prior to the operation to reduce your anxiety. An IV for a saline drip will be inserted into your hand or the crook of your elbow to keep you hydrated and for the anesthesia, antibiotics, and other medications. Once the anesthetic has been administered through this drip, you will be asleep after a few seconds. The anaesthesiologist or surgeon will ensure that you are sedated properly, that your stats are stable and that you are ready for the neck lift surgery to begin.

1. The incision sites for your neck lift will be marked by your cosmetic surgeon with a magic marker. For a neck lift encompassing platysmaplasty (tightening of the neck muscles) with additional skin lift, a small incision is made under the chin and behind or under the ear to access the muscles in your neck. Some muscles may be manipulated or removed, and your surgeon will use sutures to hold the tissues in your neck in place. The skin can be brought together under or behind the ear to further firm up appearance of the neck. Cervicoplasty surgery corrects loose and sagging skin. The neck lift surgeon will make similar incisions, trim the skin, move it into place and secure it with stitches or tissue glue.
2. Surgeons may use endoscopic or ‘keyhole’ techniques, making tiny cuts in the skin and allowing them to work beneath it with the help of a surgical camera.

1. The neck lift incisions are normally closed with non-dissolvable or dissolvable type sutures or tissue glue. Those around your hairline will be closed with small metal staples. You will have a pressure dressing placed around your head, wrapped around from the top, covering your ears, and under your chin. Your surgeon will let you know if the sutures will need to be removed or if they will dissolve on their own. It is possible your surgeon may place a drain under the skin on the neck to collect any fluid that would increase your post operative swelling and discomfort.

1. After your neck lift cosmetic surgery you will be taken to the recovery room and awake, your neck may feel tight and quite tender as the anesthesia wears off. You may feel a little nauseous; this will be an effect of the anesthesia. You may also feel some pain, but your neck lift surgeon will prescribe you medication to relieve this. Your neck will be very swollen for about three days, and there will be some bruising and numbness. After the swelling from your neck lift procedure has eased, the neck should appear firmer, less lined, and more ‘youthful’ in appearance.

Neck lift Surgery Recovery and Healing Steps

Make sure that you have arranged for someone to drive you home after your neck lift surgery, and that there will be someone with you for the first twenty four hours after surgery in case any complications should arise.

You may need to wear a compression bandage for one week after necklift surgery and the neck may be swollen and bruised for a number of days. Sleep in an elevated position for two weeks to help the swelling to subside. There may be some numbness or pain, replaced by itching or a burning sensation which can take up to six months to stop as the nerves heal.

You may have drainage tubes in place, which can be removed after one to two days, and any remaining stitches can be removed after 10 days. When you leave the hospital, one or two days after your neck lift procedure, you will need to take one to two weeks off work and avoid any strenuous activity for two to three weeks. Contact sports should be avoided for six to eight weeks.

Tips for a speedy recovery from neck lift cosmetic surgery:

1. Get as much rest as possible - give yourself time to heal
2. If you are in pain, take your prescribed pain killers - If you experience excessive pain, redness, pus appears or any other symptoms occur that do not seem normal, contact your surgeon immediately.
3. Take your temperature regularly - An elevated temperature could signify an infection
4. Don’t bend over or lift heavy objects for three weeks
5. Avoid alcohol and aspirin-containing medication
6. If you are a smoker, don’t start again! Smoking can slow your healing and recovery time

Neck lift Side Effects and Surgery Risks

When a neck lift procedure is performed by a qualified and experienced cosmetic surgeon, complications are infrequent and usually minor. Neck lift surgery is commonly performed and generally safe. The possibility of complications arising depends on each patient‘s anatomy, their physical reactions, and their healing abilities. As with any surgery, the outcome is not predictable.

Side effects as a result of neck lift surgery are inevitable though they will vary from patient to patient, as with any surgical procedure. Neck lift side effects can include:

1. Swelling
2. Bruising
3. Numbness
4. A tingling or burning sensation
5. Skin tightness or pulling

1. Infection
2. Allergic reaction to the anesthetic
3. Problems with wound healing
4. Bleeding under the skin (hematoma)
5. Fluid buildup under the skin (seroma)
6. Permanent scarring in the neck area with red and unsightly scars.
7. Occasionally, permanent nerve damage will cause numbness and muscle weakness in the neck, causing droopiness.
8. Asymmetry
9. Lumpiness and/or mottling of the skin
10. Laxity relapse of the muscles and skin of the neck
11. Dissatisfaction with the results.

Questions to Ask a Surgeon about a neck lift procedure

Knowledge is power so arm yourself with the facts before making any decision about neck lift surgery. Here is an essential check list to help you find the right Perfect Yourself Surgeon.

1. Am I a good candidate for neck lift surgery?
2. Are my described expectations realistic?
3. Where is the surgery performed?
4. How long will the procedure take?
5. What kind of anesthesia is used?
6. What is your experience in performing neck lift surgery?
7. Can I see your qualifications?
8. Ask to see any photographs of recent neck lift surgeries
9. What percentages of your neck lift surgery patients have had significant post-surgical complications? (surgeons should disclose this information to you)
10. Who will be assisting my surgery? Can I see their qualifications?
11. How much will my neck lift surgery cost?
12. Do you offer patient financing? (Flexible payment schemes for your surgery)
13. Will you repeat/correct procedures if the agreed goals are not met? If this is the case, will I be charged again?
14. Ask to observe the exact procedure you are considering before you decided to have surgery if you are unsure (this could be on videotape or in real life).
15. What is the recovery and healing period for neck lift surgery?
16. When can I resume full normal activity?
17. Have you ever had your malpractice insurance coverage denied, revoked, suspended
18. Ask for and follow up on patient references (these can be invaluable to finding out what your surgeon is really like and the level of customer satisfaction he/she has received in the past)