A direct neck lift for men is a procedure designed to help men who are bothered by sagging in the middle of their neck. Candidates for this procedure often suffer from loose skin in the middle of the neck and may having banding of the platysma muscle which manifests itself as fullness in the neck. Commonly patients will notice the excess skin from the side view. It is best to have undergone any major weight loss prior to the procedure.
How is the procedure performed?
The procedure is performed under local anesthesia with some sedation, usually some relaxing pills to calm your nerves. You are awake and breathing on your own during the procedure. You do not need to have general anesthesia!
Where is the incision?
The incision is shaped like an urn under your chin going down to your Adams apple. Prior to the procedure your surgeon will measure the excess skin and this is the amount of skin that will be removed surgically.
Will it leave a scar?
Anytime there is an incision there will be a scar. In most patients the scar is barely noticeable. We undermine the skin widely to remove any tension placed on the skin. Dr Rayess also makes sure to evert the skin so it will heal nicely. You will then have to keep it out of the sun, and you can apply silicone cream to help the scar heal. In most patients they have a barely noticeable scar.
In addition Dr. Rayess breaks the incision up so that it is a Z shape. This makes it harder to perceive to the naked eye as peoples vision are attracted to straight lines. Broken lines are harder to notice.
Why are men the ideal candidates?
This procedure is ideal for males because they have thicker skin in their neck. In addition men have hair follicles that can disguise the scar with their beard. It is also a quicker alternative to the facelift.
How is the direct neck lift different from a facelift?
The incision for a direct neck lift is different from a facelift. The incision for a facelift is placed in the hairline. In men this means that hair-bearing skin is moved behind the ear and you will have to shave there. That is not a major inconvenience, but something patients need to know about. The direct neck lift avoids that by placing the incision in the center. Both procedures allow the surgeon to tighten the muscles in the middle of the neck.
What is recovery like?
The recovery is pretty simple. It is not a very painful procedure. The main thing is that if we do a platysmaplasty, which is tightening of the muscles in the middle of the neck you should keep your neck still for 14 days to avoid popping any sutures free. We will recommend that you eat soft foods initially to avoid moving your jaw bone. Otherwise you have to take it easy, find a few good shows to watch and enjoy them.
Dr. Rayess is a fellowship trained facial plastic surgeon and board certified head and neck surgeon specializing in reconstructive and aesthetic surgery of the face and neck.
