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One of the first areas of your body to display the signs of aging is the neck. Vertical and horizontal lines on the neck make a person appear much older than he/she feels. In addition, a turkey wattle and fatty jowls can really take a toll on one’s self-confidence. If you’re unhappy with your neck contours and desire an aesthetic improvement, a neck lift at Sierra Nevada Cosmetic + Laser Surgery can help.
What is a Neck Lift
A neck lift is a surgical procedure that can significantly improve the look of the neck. This surgical technique involves tightening the skin and the muscle structures under it. During the procedure,Dr. Yamamoto will remove excess fat and skin in the neck area and treat wrinkles and fine lines that appear with age on the neck. It is performed as an outpatient procedure, and patients looking to undergo it can safely return home the same day the surgery is completed.
Who is a Good Candidate for a Neck Lift?
A neck lift is an excellent cosmetic procedure for anyone who is unhappy with wrinkles and extra skin on the neck. If a turkey wattle or loss of a defined jawline is causing low self-confidence, then a neck lift can help.
Patients should ideally be in good health when applying for this procedure. Keeping realistic expectations would also be recommended, along with having a positive disposition. Any injury or health condition around the neck or throat areas should be allowed to heal first prior to the session.
* Individual results may vary.
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View before-and-after pictures of real patients of Dr. Kyle Yamamoto
To make sure that patients get their desired results from the neck lift procedure, scheduling a consultation is needed. During the consultation, Dr. Yamamoto will perform an initial assessment of your neck in relation to the rest of your body and ask you about your medical history to determine if a neck lift is a good procedure for you.
It’s also important for patients to ask relevant questions during the consultation to make sure that they are going into the procedure informed. If they have any concerns about the procedure, this would be the best time to bring them up. Patients should also mention if they are taking any medications.
Preparing for the Procedure
Generally, you will be advised to quit smoking a few weeks prior to the surgery to promote better healing. To prevent excessive bleeding, aspirin and anti-inflammatory drugs will have to be discontinued. Dr. Yamamoto will have you discuss your medical history and perform a physical examination to ascertain your current state of health.
The Neck Lift Procedure
Dr. Yamamoto will begin the procedure by administering an anesthetic to help you feel comfortable during the surgical process. Once the anesthetic has taken effect, he will begin the process of making incisions. A conventional neck lift incision starts from the sideburns, moves down, and goes around the ear ending in the hairline behind.
Through the incisions, he will remove excess fat from the neck and jowls. The tissue under the skin of the neck is relocated and then he will proceed with tightening the platysma muscle. Any excess skin in the treatment area will be removed and the remaining skin will be redraped around the newly formed contours of the neck.
In some cases, neck liposuction may be needed to address stubborn fat in hard-to-reach areas. A separate cut is made below the chin to perform liposuction. The cut is then closed either by stitching or using a skin adhesive.
Completely satisfied with the results
5 – Written on
I had a great experience with Dr. Yamamoto, I walked out immediately feeling more confident! I highly recommend him, you will feel comfortable from the time you step foot in his office and will be feeling completely satisfied with the results you walk out with. He understands that every patient’s desire is unique and will be sure to deliver exactly what you want. I couldn’t be happier with Dr. Yamamoto’s work. Reno is lucky Dr. Yamamoto started his practice here, as he is one of the only face specialists in the area. Don’t make a mistake, see Dr. Yamamoto!
by Britton
Dr. Yamamoto Goes Into More Detail About the Neck Lift Procedure
Recovering From The Neck Lift Surgery
After undergoing a neck lift, it will take a few weeks to fully recover. After the surgery, Dr. Yamamoto will provide you with in-depth instructions that you will need to adhere to in order to achieve the best results. You will experience some swelling and discomfort after the surgery, but we can provide medication to help manage it as you heal.
During the recovery period, patients are highly advised to avoid strenuous physical activities and stress. Putting pressure on the affected areas would not be recommended.
How Much Does a Neck Lift Surgery Cost?
The cost of the neck lift surgery that each patient gets might differ from case to case, depending on the circumstances. The factors that can affect prices will be discussed during the consultation.
Contact Our Office
If you’re interested in learning more about a neck lift, contact Sierra Nevada Cosmetic Surgery today. Dr. Yamamoto is a highly skilled Reno, NV, plastic surgery center with a double-board-certified plastic surgeon who is dedicated to helping you reach your cosmetic goals with innovative cosmetic procedures.
Reno Neck Lift FAQs
What is the best age for a neck lift?
Depending upon their desires, people tend to get a neck lift procedure between the ages of 35 to 65. Skin and muscle laxity can range significantly in people, and that can play a role in when people notice enough differences in their appearance to consider a neck lift surgery. Genetics can play a role in sagging appearances in this area of the body, and so can exposure to the sun, lifestyle choices, and other factors.
If you’re thinking about getting a neck lift in Reno, schedule a professional consultation with Dr. Kyle Yamamoto. That way, rather than speaking in generalities, you can receive expert information and get answers to your questions from a board certified plastic surgeon about your specific situation.
If you decide to go ahead, during the procedure, Dr. Yamamoto will remove excess fat and skin in the neck area, tightening the skin and muscles beneath it. As part of the neck lift procedure, he will also address wrinkles and fine lines that naturally appear in the area as part of the aging process. To see the possibilities, here are before and after photos of a neck lift in Reno performed through Dr. Yamamoto’s skilled surgical expertise.
Are you awake during a neck lift?
Dr. Yamamoto applies an anesthetic before starting neck plastic surgery, ensuring your relaxed comfort before he begins. If you have questions about anesthetic specifics, please ask the doctor.
Once Dr. Yamamoto is confident that the anesthetic has fully taken effect, he starts to make incisions. Typically, this begins around the facial areas on the sides of the face. The incision conventionally moves down from this area, going around the ear through where the hairline rests behind the ear.
He will remove excess fat from the incision areas in the neck and jowls, which is the area by the jawline. Once finished, while you’re still resting comfortably under anesthetic, hell relocate the neck skin and tighten muscle. In the treatment area, he’ll remove excess skin and then attractively drape the remaining skin around the neck’s new contours.
Dr. Yamamoto performs a neck lift in Reno as an outpatient procedure. This means that you can return home, safely, on the same day.
How painful is a neck lift procedure?
Although people can experience differing levels of pain depending upon their tolerance, a neck lift procedure typically causes mild to moderate levels of discomfort and swelling after the surgery. Feelings of discomfort can also vary based on the extent of the plastic surgery performed that day and whether any other procedures are done, such as a facelift, at the same time. Dr. Yamamoto can provide medication to help you manage feelings of discomfort as you heal, which can be a period of a few weeks (although pain tends to lessen after a few days). The doctor will also provide in-depth recovery instructions so that you can optimally heal as you manage discomfort.
Who is not a good candidate for a neck lift?
People who are actively smoking are typically not the best candidates because of problems associated with healing. So, Dr. Yamamoto recommends that you stop smoking a few weeks before your neck plastic surgery. If someone has a neck or throat injury or another health issue there, those areas should heal before the person becomes a good candidate for a neck lift procedure.
In general, ideal candidates for a neck lift procedure are in good general health. If you have questions about whether you qualify, you can ask the doctor during your consultation in Reno, and he’ll also perform a physical exam to ensure that you’re a good candidate. If you take aspirin or other anti-inflammatory medications, they’ll need to be stopped prior to the surgery.
The best candidates for this surgery also have realistic expectations about the results. So, before moving forward with the procedure, you may want to discuss your expectations about your neck lift surgery with Dr. Yamamoto and get feedback about how realistic they are.
How many hours does a neck lift take?
Typically, a neck lift procedure may take two or three hours. However, some people also have the surgery done at the same time as a facelift for even more significant results. A standard facelift can surgically make a patient look more youthful again by reducing skin folds and sagging skin. This plastic surgery can literally take years off your appearance by modifying facial tissues. The facelift-neck lift combination can be particularly effective in creating a smoother, glowing appearance with the two surgeries not having much more of a recovery time than one of them would have when done separately.
When you consult with Dr. Yamamoto, he might recommend a mini-facelift, which addresses the lower middle of the face, treating jowls and sagging cheeks. This creates a more defined jawline and can smoothly be performed in connection with a neck lift surgery. The mini-facelift comes with less recovery time, typically, than a full facelift.
Another possibility is the deep plane facelift, which serves as a more advanced solution that, therefore, can come with more recovery time. The deep plane facelift provides significant benefits, including greater jawline, neck, and cheekbone definition and natural results with less skin trauma than other techniques and a reduced chance of scarring. This procedure can reverse the clock by a decade.
So, the answer to how long a neck lift in Reno takes depends upon whether it’s done as a solo procedure or in connection with a mini-facelift, standard facelift, or deep plane facelift. In each case, Dr. Yamamoto uses his outstanding skills and experience and caring approach for results that his patients love.
Here’s what one of them has to say: “I have had Dr. Y do lots of beautifications and everyone asks me how I am looking so fabulous. I tell them my secret weapon is Dr. Yamamoto. He is an artist and will make your face look a million years younger.”
How is a neck lift (lower rhytidectomy) different from a facelift?
A neck lift focuses specifically on improving the contour of the neck and jawline by tightening loose skin, removing excess fat, and addressing visible muscle banding. A facelift, on the other hand, rejuvenates the lower and midface by lifting sagging tissues in the cheeks and jowls. While a neck lift refines the area below the chin, a facelift enhances the regions above it. Many patients choose to combine the two procedures to achieve a smoother, more youthful transition from the face to the neck.
Will there be scars after a neck lift?
Some scarring is inevitable, but incisions are strategically placed around the ears, along the hairline, and sometimes beneath the chin to keep them as discreet as possible. With proper healing and scar care, most marks fade substantially over time and become barely noticeable.
What are the possible risks or complications?
As with any surgical procedure, a neck lift carries some risks, including bleeding, infection, delayed healing, changes in skin sensation, nerve injury, asymmetry, or dissatisfaction with results. These complications are uncommon, primarily when performed by a board-certified facial plastic surgeon with extensive experience in neck rejuvenation.
Can a neck lift be combined with other procedures?
Yes. To achieve a balanced, natural outcome, your surgeon may recommend pairing a neck lift with complementary treatments such as a facelift, chin augmentation, liposuction, or laser skin resurfacing. Combining procedures can enhance overall facial harmony and reduce the need for multiple recovery periods.