Necklift

In spite of the fact that newer advances have made facelift surgery less traumatic and debilitating, many prospective patients are either unwilling or unable to undergo a surgical procedure that must be considered major. For those who were concerned about sagging in the neck or the development of a "turkey gobbler" there was little choice in the past. Now, several options are available. One new procedure uses a Surgisis® sling to lift the sagging neck tissues.

Neck lift surgery can be performed on an outpatient basis under local anesthesia or with the patient asleep under a light anesthetic. The procedure involves small hidden incisions behind the ear and under the chin. Liposuction is often combined to enhance the outcome. Frequently, patients will also elect to have chin augmentation to improve their facial profile.

Surgisis ® is a porcine tissue graft that eventually becomes replaced with the patient's own tissue after healing. When Surgisis ® is used, the graft is placed across the sagging neck muscles that it will support and secured behind the ears. Otherwise, the muscles are surgically tightened with permanent suture. Some excess skin can be removed behind the ear. Recovery for most patients is quick with little discomfort. Some patients have bruising and swelling but typically much less than seen with a traditional facelift. Patients commonly feel initial tightness that resolves within a few days.

As with any surgical procedure, bleeding or infection are possible risks. So far, no serious complications have been seen with the Surgisis ® neck support operation. This is likely due to the simplicity of the procedure and the small amount of dissection required. A shortened recovery time, small incisions, and increased safety are a large part of the attraction for the procedure. Patients must understand that only the neck is treated. A facelift is still required if skin laxity above the jaw line is to be corrected.

Traditional necklift surgery is essentially the lower half of a traditional facelift. In this case, surgical dissection allows a tightening and repositioning of the neck muscles. The rejuvenation is greater than that seen with the grafting procedure but still benefits only the neck. The incision extends up behind the ear and into the scalp. In addition to muscle tightening, excess skin can also be removed.

Necklift is an alternative to a standard facelift when only neck rejuvenation is desired. However, in most cases, we recommend a traditional facelift. For a more balanced result.

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