PROCEDURE
Neck Lift
Understanding the subtle yet noticeable signs of ageing can be an emotional journey. Often, it’s the neck that tells our age before our faces do, as it loses its firmness, leading to sagging and loose skin beneath the jawline, the formation of jowls, and an accentuated older aesthetic to the face.
A neck lift, a standard yet transformative cosmetic procedure, is a long-lasting solution to these common ageing concerns. Mr Kshem Yapa brings a wealth of expertise to help redefine and restore the youthful contours of your neck by applying different surgical techniques that tackle redundant skin and accentuate younger-looking skin.
Through careful removal of excess skin and subtle tightening, a neck lift rejuvenates your appearance and rekindles your confidence, ensuring that your outer self authentically reflects how you feel. The impact of a Neck Lift in London under Mr Kshem Yapa’s expertise can be noticed for up to 10 to 12 years, ensuring that you enjoy a fresh and vibrant look that gently defies the passage of time.
At a glance
Procedure Length:
Approximately 2-3 hours.
Hospital Stay:
Usually outpatient; some cases may require an overnight stay.
Anaesthesia:
Usually general anaesthesia, though local anaesthesia with sedation may be an option.
Downtime:
2-3 weeks for most activities; full healing may take a few months.
Showering:
Allowed after 48 hours, avoiding direct water pressure on the incision area.
Sleeping:
Elevate head and neck with pillows; avoid turning or twisting for initial weeks.
Make-up:
Generally allowed after 2 weeks, pending healing and surgeon’s approval.
Smoking:
Refrain from smoking and consuming alcohol for a specified period.
Sun:
Exposing scars to the sun for at least 12 months.
Driving:
Abstain for at least 1 week post procedure and when off pain medications.
Benefits of a Neck Lift
A neck lift can directly address common concerns attributed to ageing, be it sagging skin, “turkey neck”, or the inevitable deceit of looking older than you are. There are many benefits which a neck lift procedure can bring. Mr Kshem Yapa approaches every neck lift with expert care, ensuring that the procedure is tailored to your individual expectations and goals. The aim is always to achieve natural, long-lasting results that bring you closer to your desired appearance, all while keeping your well-being at the forefront. Some of these are listed below:
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Tightening and Lifting:
A neck lift involves tightening the muscles and removing excess skin to give a naturally lifted appearance. This addresses loose and sagging skin, providing a tangible solution to the physical signs of ageing in the neck area, and thereby giving a tighter, firmer look.
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Smoother Skin:
By removing wrinkles and fine lines, a neck lift helps to achieve smoother, younger-looking skin. It eliminates the creases and folds that come with age, directly reducing visible ageing and promoting a fresher appearance.
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Removal of Excess Skin:
One major benefit of the neck lift is dealing with saggy, excess skin. By carefully removing it, the procedure enhances your overall look, providing a cleaner, more defined neck and jawline.
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Bypassing the Limitations of Diet and Exercise:
While healthy living has undeniable benefits, it can’t address specific ageing concerns like sagging neck skin. A neck lift steps in where diet and exercise fall short, providing a solution tailored to improve the neck’s appearance effectively.
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Enhanced Confidence:
The improved, youthful appearance that a neck lift brings often correlates directly with increased confidence. When you look good, you feel good – and this is especially true when you can see a noticeable difference in the mirror.
Neck Lift Surgical Techniques
As mentioned before, a neck lift, also known as a lower rhytidectomy, is a procedure to enhance the appearance of the neck by tightening the skin and the underlying muscles and improving the contour. There are several surgical techniques used in this procedure, and the choice depends on the individual’s anatomy and desired outcomes.
This technique specifically targets the platysma muscle that spans across the neck and chin. Mr Kshem Yapa may make an incision under the chin to access and stitch together the edges of the muscle, resulting in a tighter and smoother appearance.
This method addresses excess skin on the neck. Incisions, usually positioned behind the ears and under the chin, allow surgeons to trim away and reposition the skin, giving the neck a more youthful contour.
Used when excess fatty deposits contribute to a sagging neck appearance. The procedure involves making small incisions, through which a thin tube, known as a cannula, is inserted to remove the fat. It can be combined with other neck lift techniques or stand-alone, depending on individual needs.
Limited Incision Neck Lift: A technique that employs smaller incisions around the ear. Surgeons can tighten tissues and remove excess skin with this method. While results might be more limited compared to a traditional neck lift, the recovery period is often shorter with less noticeable scarring.
Neck Lift Procedure
Together with a skilled surgical team, Mr Kshem Yapa adheres to stringent sterility and procedural guidelines, ensuring that every stage of your neck lift is conducted with utmost care and precision. The procedure itself comprises 5 steps which are outlined below. Bear in mind that the type of surgical technique used varies and will depend on Mr Kshem Yapa’s choice for a given situation.
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Ensuring Comfort with Anesthesia
Before anything, your comfort is secured by administering either intravenous sedation or general anaesthesia. Mr Kshem Yapa will guide you through the most appropriate choice based on a thorough assessment of your health and procedure specifics.
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Making Calculated Incisions
The second step involves making incisions, the placement and type of which are tailored based on your specific needs and the agreed-upon approach. The traditional incision often begins in the hairline, curves around the ear, and concludes in the posterior hair. This approach allows for precise sculpting and redistribution of fat, tightening of muscles, and expert repositioning of tissue and skin.
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Adjusting Muscles and Tissues
Adjusting Muscles and Tissues
The focus here is on the adjustment of the neck muscles and tissues. Mr Kshem Yapa will stitch together any hanging edges of the platysma muscle and lift and tighten neck tissues through incisions typically hidden around the ear and hairline. At times, further intervention may be required with an adjunct treatment, such as liposuction, to help with fat redistribution.
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Closing up Neatly
In this step, the incisions are closed, using sutures or skin adhesives to promote healing. The choice between dissolving sutures or those that need removal will be determined with your best outcome in mind. Care is taken to ensure that incision lines are concealed and heal with minimal visibility.
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Witnessing the Transformation
Finally, as the initial swelling and bruising subside, you’ll begin to see your new neck – a jawline with enhanced contour and smoothness, and a neck that no longer sags.
Side Effects and Risks
Mr Kshem Yapa and his surgical team will take precautions and follow strict health and safety protocols to ensure your safety and satisfaction are paramount. However, like with all medical treatments, neck lift risks and side effects are possible. These include:
Some patients may experience adverse reactions, such as allergic responses or post-operative nausea, to anaesthesia.
Despite rigorous sterile protocols, there’s a small risk of postoperative infection, which may require additional treatments.
Pockets of blood (hematoma) or fluid (seroma) may develop underneath the skin, sometimes requiring further medical attention.
Post-operative tightness or stiffness in the neck area can occur during the healing process.
Temporary or occasionally lasting altered sensations, like numbness or tingling, can be experienced.
Even with precision, slight asymmetry in the surgical outcomes might be observed.
Some patients may observe minor irregularities, like lumpiness, in the neck’s contour following surgery.
While incisions are strategically positioned to minimize visibility, scarring, typically subtle and well-hidden, is inevitable.
In some rare instances, outcomes may not fully align with expectations, necessitating further interventions or adjustments.
Though extremely rare and minimized by thorough pre-surgical evaluation, there’s a potential risk for post-operative blood clots.
Recovery
Recovering from a neck lift procedure requires clear instructions and patience. Post-operation, it’s normal to experience swelling and bruising in the treated area, often peaking during the first 10 days. To manage this, keep your head still and avoid any abrupt movements like turning or bending in the initial days after surgery.
Using cold compresses and keeping your head elevated during the first 48 hours will help minimise swelling. Mr Kshem Yapa will prescribe medication to manage any discomfort. Sutures, the stitches used to close incisions, are typically removed about one week after the surgery.
You can usually get back to work and other daily activities within two weeks, once the majority of the bruising and swelling has decreased. We recommend that you avoid any heavy activities and exercises for at least two weeks to ensure a smooth recovery.
The results of a neck lift, which can last up to ten years or more, offer a lasting enhancement to your appearance, ensuring you’ll look younger than if you hadn’t undergone the procedure.
You will be provided with a direct phone line to our experienced specialist cosmetic surgery nurse who provides an on call service 24 hrs a day, from the moment you have surgery, for any questions or concerns you may have or any other support you may need. We take pride in making sure our patients are well looked after following surgery and want you to feel well supported throughout your journey with us.
