Is A Direct Necklift A Good Approach For Loose Neck Skin After Liposuction?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am 44 year-old male interested in a direct neck lift but I think a modified version. My saggy neck skin is caused after neck liposuction when skin did not fully re-attach firmly and/or shrink, so the underlying muscle is fine. I just need the excess sagging skin removed and the neck tightened up. I do NOT want a behind the ear neck lift and like the direct neck lift. Also I like the fact it can be done under local anesthesia.

A: The direct neck lift has the advantage of treating loose neck skin by direct excision and is very effective as a result. But it does so at the price of a scar. This is usually not a big concern in the older male (> 65 years old) who has a classic turkey neck problem but may be more of a potential aesthetic issue in the younger male with less loose neck skin. For this reason I might consider an alternative to a vertical neck skin excision to that of a horizontal excision right under the chin. This is more formally known as a submentoplasty. It removes much less skin than the direct neck lift but has a much better scar camouflage. At your young age, I question the wisdom of vertical neck skin removal and the subsequent scar when the problem is loose neck skin after liposuction. This tells me that the skin redundancy issue is mild and much less than a drooping neck wattle.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana