Have you found yourself trying to tuck your chin cleverly behind your clothes, or wearing certain jewelry to distract from a neck you’re dissatisfied with? If you feel self-conscious about the look of your neck and chin, you should know that you’re not alone: one of the most obvious signs of aging is having loose skin on the neck. Dustin C. Derrick, MD is the lead plastic surgeon at Cosmetic Surgery of DFW, where we offer neck lift Fort Worth, rhinoplasty, eyelid surgery, Mommy Makeovers, and more in the Fort Worth, TX area.
What Is the Right Age for Neck Lifts?
Most people who have a neck lift are over 40 and under 60, but this is a general average. Ultimately, the right age is whenever you feel that you need it done and Dr. Derrick agrees that it can help you and is right for you. People over 60 and under 40 are perfectly able to get a lift, though we may recommend postponing any cosmetic surgery until the aging process has visibly begun. For most people, that doesn’t happen until age 40 or after, but everyone is different, and some people will see visible signs of aging a lot earlier than others.
A good clue to your condition could come from watching or looking at pictures of your parents and grandparents. If they showed signs of aging earlier than their peers, it’s a good bet you might, too. If they retained their youthful look for longer, then you are genetically likely to follow in their footsteps.
Is It Better to Wait Longer?
For some people, it just makes sense to wait, but for others, a lift can be a great preventative step. There are also non-surgical ways to slow the aging process, and these can be especially effective if you’re younger and your issues are not overly pronounced.
Talk to us about your options: we can offer a variety of dermal fillers, chemical peels, and other options that can help you get the look you need. Ultimately, though, our goal is that you look younger, naturally, and we want to help you get there with the best treatment choice for you.
Is There a Best Time for a Lift?
If age isn’t really a consideration for you, then you might consider if there’s a time of year or time of life that’s best. In general, there’s no season or time of year that’s better than another–though some people prefer to be done with their recovery before the summer season–but there are times of life that may be better or worse to consider a lift.
The main consideration is that you have enough time for recovery, so many people like to schedule a lift during their vacation so they don’t have to worry about work. For others, it’s important to achieve appearance goals before a major event, like a wedding, and in that case, it’s best to reach out to us as early as possible so we can be sure you get the look you need in time for your event.
What Is a Neck Lift?
This type of lift is a surgical technique designed to give your neck a more youthful look. It removes excess skin and fat from under your chin, tightening the skin and minimizing the look for sagging skin, wrinkles, and lines. It’s performed by a qualified plastic surgeon at Cosmetic Surgery of DFW: someone with the skill and training necessary to get you the look you need, but also the sense of artistry to ensure your results look natural for you.
Common Techniques
There are a number of techniques that can be used during a lift, and your precise procedure will depend on your goals and the current appearance of your neck. In many cases, we will use neck liposuction to remove excess fat from the targeted area. This is typically done via a small cannula which actually removes the fat cells. Once these cells are removed, they cannot be regrown, though it is possible that a poor diet can cause remaining fat cells to grow: so a healthy lifestyle is crucial to maintaining your results.
We will then use lifting techniques to pull the skin tauter, improving the look of sagging or loose skin. When the procedure is done, you should expect to see less fat (and fewer “chins”), a more youthful jaw shape, and less laxity in the skin of your neck and jawline.
Can Neck Lifts Be Combined With Other Procedures?
It’s very common to combine a neck lift with other cosmetic surgeries to get a more comprehensive change to your appearance. You can combine this type of lift with facelifts, breast lifts, a tummy tuck, a butt lift, eyelid surgery, and more.
It is also possible to combine this treatment with chemical peels, dermal fillers, Botox, and other non-surgical treatments to achieve the goals of your personal anti-aging plan. The goal is always to devise a plan that’s right for each individual and will allow you to rejuvenate your appearance comprehensively while keeping a completely natural look.
What Causes Multiple Chins?
Many people want a lift to address the look of multiple chins, which can make you look older and even heavier than you actually are. Submental fullness (the technical term for a double chin) can even happen to people who are otherwise thin and fit, which can be a source of great frustration. It can help to understand the cause of your issues.
Aging
Sometimes, our chin sags and looks full simply because of skin laxity, and not fat. In other words, it may appear that you have a double chin, but in reality, there’s no problem with excess fat under the chin. Your skin is simply sagging to the degree that you appear to have a double chin. Simple aging is the primary culprit here. As we get older, our skin doesn’t produce skin-supporting proteins the way it used to. This leads to loss of volume and strength in the skin, which sags and becomes looser.
The frustrating problem here is that you can’t really address this problem with any other “double-chin” treatment. Kybella, for example, doesn’t work when there’s no fat to target. Liposuction doesn’t do much, either, if the problem isn’t actually that you have too many fat cells! The good news is that a lift can take care of these skin issues quickly.
Genetics
Another culprit in a double chin is simple genetics. Our bodies determine where we store fat and how much we store, and there’s only so much we can do about this with diet and exercise. For some people, their bodies are simply genetically disposed to store fat under the chin, even when they are healthy and trim, and the only way to get rid of it is by surgical means.
Genetics can also affect how quickly your skin ages. A quick look at your parents and grandparents will help you understand to what degree genetics is playing a part in your issues. A lift allows you to take back charge of your appearance.
Weight Gain and Loss
Gaining and losing weight can also affect the fat under your chin and the loose skin on your neck. As you gain weight, of course, you may see weight gain under your chin, yet it may not come off right away even if you lose weight.
Conversely, losing weight can cause the skin on your neck to become looser. The right cosmetic treatments can allow you to address these issues while maintaining your healthy weight.
Can I Prevent a Double Chin?
The answer is both yes and no. By maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including a healthy weight, throughout life, you can do a lot to keep yourself from developing multiple chins. A healthy lifestyle is also good for your skin and allows it to retain strength and resiliency for longer.
However, ultimately, the aging process catches up with us all. Furthermore, there’s nothing you can do about genetics. Whatever the reason you are dissatisfied with your look, and whatever the cause, cosmetic treatments can help. Making the right lifestyle choices going forward can help you maintain your results.
What To Expect
Consultation
The first step is always to come have a consultation with us. We’ll help you determine if a lift is the right choice for you. During this time, we’ll discuss your goals and gather important information about your medical history, current medications and health concerns, and any previous surgeries you’ve had. Then we’ll help you build a plan that will achieve the results you need.
Pre-Treatment
Preparing for any surgery requires certain steps, and we’ll give you a comprehensive list. In general, though, you’ll need to:
- Avoid certain medications and supplements for a week before
- Stop smoking
- Avoid alcohol for a time
- Fast the night before
- Arrange for transportation to and from our office
- Come to the office in comfortable clothes and without jewelry or makeup
Treatment
Treatment usually involves making at least two incisions, which our skilled surgeons are able to place where they will be hidden easily. The treatment may involve liposuction and will also include trimming away extra skin and possibly restructuring muscles in the neck. Most surgeries of this type take somewhere between two and four hours.
Post-Treatment
Once you’re finished, there are some things you can do to make sure you get the best and fastest final results. It’s important to keep your head elevated as much as you can for the first week and to avoid turning your neck. You’ll need to hit pause on strenuous movement and activity, like visiting the gym, and you’ll need to avoid alcohol and tobacco. We’ll make sure you have a list of post-treatment instructions and understand them all before your procedure.
Results and Recovery
Most of the recovery is done in the first seven days, and after two to four weeks, most people are fully recovered. At the two week mark, most people can go back to normal, non-strenuous activity. At about four weeks, it’s fine to go back to all your activities. You’ll see the final results after you’re fully recovered.
Get Started on Renewing Your Appearance
If you’re self-conscious about your neck lift surgery in Dallas and chin, it may be time to do something about it. If you have any questions about this procedure, or any other procedure or Mommy Makeover, and would like to schedule a consultation with Dustin C. Derrick, MD at Cosmetic Surgery of DFW, give us a call at 817-562-7979. We would love to talk to you!
