Neck-lift surgery is often performed at the same time as a facelift. As a facelift rejuvenates skin around the face, a neck-lift helps achieve a more balanced youthful appearance.

If you've had a facelift, or you just have a young-looking face, your skin probably appears taut, supple, and relatively line-free. From the chin down, however, it may be a different story.

For many people, the neck is the first area to show age. For people who have lost weight, an unfortunate side effect may be leftover, loose-hanging skin that has lost its elasticity. Whether it is band lines, excess skin, or fat, a neck-lift can bring your neck back into shape.

Neck-lift plastic surgery may be performed a variety of procedures, depending on the individual. Three possible neck-lift procedures may include

• liposuction
• cervicoplasty
• platysmaplasty

Typically, a neck-lift will include liposuction to remove fat. Cervicoplasty may be included to remove excess skin, and platysmaplasty to remove or tighten neck muscles: a process that gets rid of unwanted band lines. These procedures are described later in this article.

A neck-lift may also be part of a combination treatment plan, in conjunction with a forehead lift, facelift, or eyelid surgery. For a less-invasive alternative, you may want to investigate the micro neck-lift.

There is no ideal age for neck-lift surgery. Candidates may range from teenagers to octogenarians. People who suffer from certain diseases may be excluded from treatment.

Neck-lifts are most often performed by a board-certified plastic surgeon. The location of the procedure may be the doctor's office, outpatient surgery centre, or hospital. Since there may be more than one procedure performed during a neck-lift, your time in surgery may be one hour to several hours. The procedure may be performed under local anaesthesia or general anaesthesia, but usually does not involve an overnight stay.

The procedures involved in a neck-lift may be performed endoscopically. For an endoscopic neck-lift, an instrument visually guides the surgeon through the procedure. The advantages of an endoscopic procedure may include a smaller incision, no general anaesthesia, reduced bruising, and faster recovery. You can talk about the endoscopic option with your doctor.

If your neck-lift requires liposuction to remove excess fat, the liposuction procedure is typically performed first. An incision will be made below the chin to remove the excess fat deposits. The fat deposits will be removed by inserting a small cannula (a hollow tube with an opening near its blunt end) beneath the skin and into the fatty tissue. The cannula is used to break up the fat, and then remove it from the neck area. A bandage will be applied to reduce swelling and discomfort. The doctor may also apply a bandage around your neck and head.

Your neck, jaw, and ears may be bruised and may continue to swell for up to ten days. The doctor may suggest using two pillows when you sleep. The physician will also recommend keeping your head and neck still and elevated at all times for up to ten days.

Oral pain medication and an antibiotic can be administered to reduce pain and reduce the risk of infection. Severe pain or abnormal symptoms should be reported to the doctor immediately. The doctor will set dietary guidelines and instruct you to limit physical activity. Exercise may be restricted for a short period of time.

The bandage around your neck and head typically can be removed the day after surgery. However, an elastic-type garment must be worn throughout the evening for at least two weeks. Stitches may be dissolvable, or will require removal up to seven days after the procedure. Final results will be evident in about three to six months.

The cervicoplasty procedure is performed to remove excess skin on the neck. An incision is made under your chin and behind the ears (or possibly in just one of these locations). The surgeon will then cut back and lift the skin, which will be secured with permanent sutures or a special type of permanent adhesive glue. A bandage and tape will be applied to the incision locations to reduce swelling and discomfort. An elastic bandage will be applied to your neck and head.

Your neck, jaw, and ears may be bruised and continue to swell for up to ten days. Recovery for this procedure is the same as for liposuction recovery.

The platysmaplasty procedure is performed to reduce the banded appearance of the neck. During the procedure, incisions will be made under the chin or behind the ears, or both. The surgeon will then insert a tiny instrument to either remove a portion of specific neck muscles or realign them, which will tighten the middle area of the neck. The doctor will permanently suture areas of the muscles in order to clasp them in the best position. A bandage and tape will be applied across the chin or behind the ears (or both) to reduce swelling and discomfort. An elastic bandage will be wrapped around the neck and head.

Your neck, jaw, and ears may be bruised and continue to swell for up to ten days. Oral pain medications and an antibiotic can be administered to reduce pain and fight infection. Severe pain or abnormal symptoms should be reported to the doctor immediately. Recovery guidelines are the same as for liposuction recovery.

Numbness of the skin occurs often for a few weeks after neck-lift surgery. In rare instances, this condition can be permanent. Other risks include excess scar tissue build up or bruising and puckering of the skin.

As with any plastic surgery, there is a risk of complications related to infection or reaction to anaesthesia. You can avoid most complications by selecting the right plastic surgeon and following pre- and post-operative instructions. With proper precautions by the surgical team, complications are typically minimized or prevented.