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While fine lines and wrinkles on your face are an indication of your age, excess skin and fat deposits in your neck are another area that does not usually stand the test of time. Various factors can affect how quickly your skin ages, such as genetics, sun exposure, skin care products, lifestyle choices, and exposure to environmental toxins.
The answer to what is the best age for a neck lift is not easily answered. That might be because there is no best age but rather specific criteria that should be met before a neck lift procedure.
A neck lift, also known as platysmoplasty or cervicoplasty, is a cosmetic procedure that helps improve the appearance of your neck. Generally, it involves removing excess skin from the jowls and under the chin, tightening the underlying musculature, and improving the contours of your jawline.
The procedure helps to reduce the effects of aging or significant weight loss, which can lead to sagging skin, jowls, and a turkey neck. Your surgeon can choose from several different neck lift procedures, including a mini neck lift, which is less invasive and requires smaller incisions. A traditional neck lift uses incisions made behind the ears and sometimes under the chin, while a mini neck lift uses smaller incisions to tighten the skin without removing excess skin or tightening the platysma muscle.
Liposuction may be included if you do not have significant sagging but want to eliminate fat deposits to create a better-defined jawline. The recovery time will depend on the type of surgery, but by the end of the second week, most people feel well enough to begin engaging in social activities, although some visible signs of surgery may still be present.
The best determination for a neck lift is not your age but rather several other factors that help determine the results. For example, a neck lift might be considered in a 25-year-old to correct excess skin after a significant weight loss. Depending on other factors, people in their 70s and ’80s have also had successful neck lifts.
Your skin condition reveals the results of the neck lift. It is one of the primary determinants of a good result from surgery. Sun damage and severe laxity can affect the outcome of surgery.
Your overall physical health can minimize the risk of anesthesia and surgery. It can also help improve your recovery. Uncontrolled chronic health conditions can increase your risk of adverse complications and may be one reason you are not a good candidate.
We evaluate your lifestyle choices and may make recommendations for change that must begin at least 6 weeks before surgery and be maintained for at least 6 weeks after surgery. This includes smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, which can increase your risk for complications during and after surgery. Poor nutrition can affect your healing process and increase the risk of complications.
Finally, it is important to consider your expectations about what the surgery can and cannot accomplish. While a neck lift can permanently remove excess skin and fat deposits, it cannot change the aging process. Changes to your jawline and neck are considered permanent but will still be affected by your body’s declining collagen production and skin laxity and will be influenced by weight gain or weight loss.
While there is no best age for a neck lift, there is a common age. Most men and women consider a neck lift between the ages of 35 and 65. By age 65, you may benefit most from a traditional neck lift that removes excess skin and tightens the platysma muscle that can cause bands under the neck.
However, at age 35, you may consider a mini neck lift that focuses on minimal tightening of the skin and muscle to refine the neck area without extensive surgery and may help delay aging. A submentoplasty will focus on tightening the muscles and removing fat but does not remove much skin. As you can see, several factors go into the age that is best for your neck lift.
When you are considering what you can do to create a more defined jawline or are looking for ways to reduce the visible signs of aging, we encourage you to call us and schedule a consultation to discuss your options and determine if you have reached the best age for a neck lift.
