The neck is an area that is often overlooked when people are considering having plastic surgery. The truth is that the neck can actually be a tremendous indicator of age. Sometimes it can be rather obvious that your neck could benefit from plastic surgery; other times, not so much. To help you determine if a neck lift would be beneficial, here are five key signs to look for.
1.) Horizontal Lines
The more time you spend looking down, the more the skin around your neck starts to fold in on itself. Over time, this creates horizontal lines on your neck. These lines become more pronounced the more time you spend looking down and the older you become. Horizontal neck lines are often seen in people who work in jobs that require them to look down at machines or instruments. It might also surprise you to know that people who spend a significant portion of their time looking down at their portable electronic devices, such as cell phones, iPods, and tablets, can develop these lines (also referred to as a “tech neck”). These horizontal lines become increasingly obvious over time.
2.) The Double Chin
Excess fat tends to accumulate under your chin because that is the lowest portion of your face. Fat travels in the direction of gravity and when enough of it builds up, it can give you the appearance of a double chin. It often doesn’t take much to create that effect, especially if the rest of your face is relatively contoured. Double chins draw focus away from the rest of your face and make you look heavier than your actual age.
3.) The Gobbler
Sometimes excess fat isn’t the problem, but rather excess skin. Aging causes your skin to become loose and more vulnerable to the pull of gravity. That causes your skin to hang beneath your chin and gives your neck a gobbler look. This is most obvious when you look at your neck from the side.
4.) No Defined Angle
Ideally, it should be pretty clear where your neck meets your head. When you start to have problems with excess fat or skin under your chin, it creates more of a slope than an angle between your chin and the neck.
5.) Lack of Definition in Your Jaw
Your chin and jaw bone are important features that contribute to the proportionality of your face. If those features aren’t well defined, it can detract from your overall appearance. Sometimes that lack of contouring can come from your face, but other times it can come from your neck. If you are lacking definition and proper contouring around the jaw, you might be able to benefit from a neck lift.
How a Neck Lift Corrects These Problems
A neck lift improves the appearance of your neck and jaw by removing excess tissue and then lifting the remaining tissue. Fat deposits can be removed or repositioned from under the chin or in the neck itself. Excess skin tissue can also be trimmed away. When the remaining skin is lifted and tightened, your neck starts to look more like a neck and your chin looks more like a chin, rather than a blend of the two features.
The procedure begins with an incision that the surgeon places either at the hairline, around the ear, or just underneath the chin at the jawbone. These locations are chosen specifically to make them easy to conceal or completely invisible. Through these incisions, the surgeon uses special tools to remove the excess tissue and repair muscles if necessary. The leftover tissue can then be tightened and pulled back to emphasize the contouring of the neck and jaw. Once the recovery is complete, your neck will have a more youthful and aesthetic appearance.
Get Your Own Neck Lift Today
Do any or all of these signs apply to you? If so, you may be a candidate for a neck lift! You can find out more by scheduling a patient consultation with Dr. Andres Bustillo at his private practice in South Florida. To schedule yours today, call (305) 663-3380 or send your information via our Contact page.
