Necklift

Q: Dr. Eppley,  I am 49 year old male and in good shape but yet I have a really bad sagging neck. Attached are photos of my neck from the front and both sides.  I’ve always had a sagging neck and had liposuction done 24 years ago so the fat under the neck is not great but the muscle and skin sag.  I’d like a sharper jaw line.  I consulted with a surgeon here who stated that to achieve a sharp jaw line, I’d need a full facelift and that a neck lift alone would only achieve a partial result.  This doctor stated that I should get a facelift and I don’t want a full facelift – I just want the neck tightened up.  Thanks for your time.

A:  Thank you for sending your pictures. The dilemma that you have is a common one for many men. They want to improve their neck and jawline but don’t want the facelift operation to do so. They believe that a ‘necklift’ will solve their concerns. What the plastic surgeon told you was correct…partially. You can only redrape the neck and jowl skin up over the existing jawline through a lower facelift procedure. The concept of a full necklift is really the same as a lower facelift….they are one and the same. There are other neck tightening procedures but they achieve their effects by making changes below the jawline.Thus they tighten but never really truly lift the neck…achieving only the partial result that your plastic surgeon correctly informed you of.

This dilemma leaves you with two options. First an isolated submentoplasty can be done from under the chin which will tighten up the neck angle but will have no effect on making the jawline sharper or more prominent.  (neck angle change) The other approach to augment the jawline with the submentoplasty. This would be particularly beneficial in your case as your jawline/chin is somewhat vertically deficienct. Improving the prominence of the lower jaw through a wraparound jawline implant with a submentoplasty will make the entire jawline stronger, will pick up loose skin in the neck and create a sharper neck angle.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana