21 Mar Why Neck Lifts are Booming
You can probably guess what a neck lift is—but did you know it’s in peak demand? RefinedMD’s double board-certified Dr. Sudeep Roy has seen a surge in requests for this procedure in recent years, and he’s not alone. According to New Beauty, which tracks trends around the globe, “It’s official: the neck lift is having a moment.” There are many reasons for this, starting with the Zoom boom. As we’ve spent two years now staring at ourselves for hours per day on our screen, we’ve gotten very good at pinpointing trouble areas. Now, we’re realizing what facial plastic surgeons have known all along: the neck is actually one of the first places to show signs of aging. And we’re speeding up this process with our lifestyles.
If you closely compare photos of yourself over the years, you’ll find that a “softening” of the jawline and chin is common. This is true of even very slender and fit people—in fact, gym rats can be at especially high risk. Most people don’t work out the muscles of their chin and jaw, so there’s nothing bulking up this common area of skin laxity and sagging. “Banding” is another common sign of aging that we don’t talk about often. You’ll notice thick, fibrous-looking, horizontal bands on the neck that get more severe with age. They are barely noticeable, if at all, on children. They might not get as much attention as, say, lines and wrinkles, but just like hyperpigmentation from sun damage, we know on a visceral level that this is a sign of aging.
This can all be reversed with a neck lift.
What is a Neck Lift?
For decades, most people only got a neck lift when they got a facelift. In fact, a “facelift” is actually a lift of the lower half of the face and the neck. A neck lift is naturally built into most facelifts, though there are some very rare cases where a person is best suited for “just” a facelift. It was rare for anyone to get “just” a neck lift, until now. It turns out that some people age especially fast in the neck area, which can make them look like they have a double chin, are several years older, and give them a look of being overweight when they are not.
Just like other types of plastic surgery, the techniques for a neck lift have also been evolving over the years. Today, both the quality and longevity of a neck lift is fantastic thanks to a multimodality approach and the latest tech innovations. Today’s neck lifts look completely natural, requiring tiny incisions right below the chin (which might look like a shaving nick for those who analyze the area). This is convenient considering that most clients who want strictly a neck lift are men—a surprising fact for many people.
“Necking”
When you get a neck lift, you’ll be able to get back to most daily activities and work just one or two weeks post-surgery. A “full recovery” can take longer, two to three months, but you’ll be feeling back to yourself (sans double chin) well before then. However, after a neck lift, you might be more aware of habits that might have exacerbated the need for the surgery to begin with, such as posture. As we spend hours staring in our laps at phones and tablets, that’s putting a strain on your neck and it shows. Many surgeons agree that there has been an increased severity in banding, sagging, and wrinkles of the neck thanks to our heads-down posture in recent years. The good news is that it’s easy to correct, and there are also non-surgical complements to help you maintain results.
Setting up an ergonomic work station and being aware of your neck movement and positioning (which will be easy during initial recovery!) can help you avoid unnecessary neck aging in the future. Undergoing non-surgical neck rejuvenation such as peels, lasers, and microneedling can help optimize the results of a facelift and extend them. It’s often best to combine surgical and non-surgical treatments if you really want to turn back the clock. Schedule your consult with Dr. Roy at RefinedMD for a neck lift or other procedure by starting an online chat, calling the office, or for the quickest response complete the online form today.