As you age you might notice the skin around your neck becoming loose and saggy. This is sometimes referred to as turkey neck or wattle, due to the wrinkled appearance on the bird’s neck.

Even people who are physically fit and healthy can develop a sagging “double chin” and loose neck skin over the years. There are several components that contribute to the wrinkling of the skin. Environmental factors, such as too much sun or smoking can cause cellular damage and wrinkling. Other causes are loss of muscle tone and the natural loss of subcutaneous fat that occurs with age.

Unfortunately, this loose skin and neck fat can make you look prematurely old – certainly much older than you feel. The results can be unflattering. As you age, here are some of the things you may find getting more pronounced:

• Loose, drooping skin on your neck, chin, and/or jowls
• A swollen appearance in your neck area
• Excess fat in your neck and chin area
• Doughy jowls (areas of fat deposits and loose skin along the jaw line)

If these are areas that are troubling you, there are a number of solutions that can smooth and lift your neck and jaw line, creating cleaner lines and an appearance that makes you feel good about yourself.

What are my treatment options?

Traditional Neck Lift. In this procedure, Dr. Cole carefully separates the skin on your neck from the underlying muscle, gently pulls the muscle up, then secures it to the bone just behind your ear. This type of neck lift requires only a small incision, and is performed under general anesthesia. This method can be performed in conjunction with a face lift.

Tumescent Liposuction. The liposuction procedure works to remove fat from the neck, chin, cheeks, and/or jowls. Using a mild local anesthetic, Dr. Cole gently aspirates excess fat from your skin with a micro-cannula (a tiny stainless steel tube). This process is very precise, resulting in smoother, firmer contours. The need for pain medication is minimal, as is blood loss and bruising. This procedure is most successful in individuals that have good skin tone to the neck, allowing the skin to pull up nicely after fat removal.

Z or W Plasty. In this neck lift procedure, Dr. Cole removes fat and muscle directly through an incision shaped like a Z or W. This type of incision tends to heal very well, and is easily hidden in the natural creases of the neck. It can also be a good follow-up procedure to a face lift to remove any excess skin still apparent after healing. The procedure takes about an hour, and is performed most commonly on men.

For a contoured, tighter jaw line and a refreshed look, consider a neck lift and/or neck liposuction. Set up an initial consultation today and we can can help you determine which treatment options are right for you.

To schedule a consultation or book your treatment, call us at 360.613.2600.