Facial Rejuvenation in Atlanta
Neck Lift in Atlanta
A smoother, more defined neck and jawline, sculpted by female plastic surgeons who restore the graceful contours time has softened.
CONSULTATION
Required
SURGERY LENGTH
2 to 3 hours
ANESTHESIA
General
SETTING
Northside
BACK TO WORK
About 2 weeks
TREATS
Loose skin, submental fat, platysmal bands
The Approach
Three Concerns, One Graceful Profile
Most people considering a neck lift notice one or more of three changes, and understanding which ones are yours helps shape your ideal plan.
The first is vertical bands, two cords that run down the front of the neck and are most visible when you speak or look down. These are the edges of the platysma muscle, which naturally loosens and separates over time, and they are one of the most common reasons a neck appears to age ahead of the face.
The second is fullness beneath the chin, a softness along the jawline that can appear even in slender people because it is partly genetic. The third is loose skin along the neck and jawline that has lost its natural elasticity. A neck lift beautifully addresses all three, and your consultation focuses on understanding which are yours, so your surgery is tailored precisely to you.
Candidacy
Are You a Candidate?
A neck lift is a meaningful surgical procedure and a deeply rewarding one for the right candidate. If FaceTite or liposuction would give you the result you are hoping for with a shorter recovery, your surgeon will gladly recommend it.
You are likely a strong candidate if:
- You have visible platysmal bands, loose neck skin, submental fullness, or a lost jawline, and nonsurgical options have not touched them
- Your concern is structural, meaning the tissue has genuinely descended or the muscle has banded, rather than purely skin-surface
- You are in good general health, with no condition that impairs healing
- You are a non-smoker, or genuinely willing to stop. Nicotine constricts the blood supply this operation’s skin flaps depend on. This is a safety issue
- Your weight is stable
- You can take about two weeks away from public life and six weeks from strenuous activity
Scope
What a Neck Lift Corrects
Beautifully Refined by a Neck Lift
- Vertical neck bands, created by the separated edges of the platysma muscle
- Loose, crepey, or sagging skin along the neck and jawline
- Fullness beneath the chin
- A softened jawline, restored by tightening the muscle and redraping the skin
When Another Approach May Shine
- Crepiness, fine lines, sun damage, and texture: resurfacing treatments
- Volume loss in the face: filler or fat grafting
- Jowls, midface, and lower face: a facelift, often paired with a neck lift
Many patients choose to refresh the face and neck together for the most natural, balanced result.
The Muscle
The Platysma, and Why It Matters
The platysma is a broad, thin sheet of muscle spanning the front of your neck. When you are young it lies flat and smooth. With age, its two halves loosen and their inner edges drift apart and become visible as those vertical bands.
At Artisan, your neck lift addresses the muscle, the fat, and the skin together. Restoring the platysma is what creates a smooth, natural neckline that lasts, and it is where your surgeon’s expertise makes all the difference.
Artisan offers every one of these options, so your surgeon can recommend the approach that best suits your neck and your goals.
Choosing
Neck Lift or FaceTite?
Neck Lift
Surgical
- Removes excess skin, sculpts fat, and tightens the platysma muscle.
- Visible platysmal bands, and loose skin that has lost its elasticity.
- About 2 weeks before most patients feel presentable.
- The only option that corrects banding.
FaceTite
Minimally invasive
- Melts fat and contracts skin from underneath. Does not address muscle.
- Mild laxity with good skin elasticity, plus fat to remove.
- 5 to 7 Days
- Cannot correct bands. If the muscle has separated, this will not rejoin it.
There are two other answers. If your concern is fullness or a double chin with good skin and no bands, submental liposuction may be all you need, and you may not require a lift at all. And if your neck comes with a sagging lower face and jowls, that is a neck lift with a facelift, which is what most of our neck lift patients choose. We offer all of these, so we have no reason to route you toward the largest operation.
Together
Neck Lift and Facelift: Usually Together
The face and neck age as one unit. Correcting a sagging neck while leaving a sagging jawline and jowls above it tends to look unbalanced, which is why, in our experience, most patients who come in for a neck lift choose to address the lower face at the same time. There are exceptions, and your surgeon will tell you honestly whether you are one. Combining the two is also more efficient than doing them separately: one anesthesia, one recovery, one set of incisions that largely overlap.
Recovery
Recovery Timeline
Here is the whole arc, so you can plan around it.
Day of surgery
Home the same day, observation may apply. Head elevated. Compression garment on.
First 1 to 2 weeks
Swelling and bruising, subsiding over this window. Keep your head elevated. Wear the compression garment as directed. Follow the cleaning and medication regimen.
About 2 weeks
Most patients return to work and regular activities.
4 to 6 weeks
Avoid strenuous exercise until now, to protect the muscle repair and the healing tissue.
3 to 6 months
Final skin tightening and contour emerge as residual swelling resolves.
Up to 6 months
Full healing, and the scar continues to mature and fade.
Most patients are back to normal life around two weeks, which is the number that usually matters when you are planning around this. What you cannot rush is underneath. The muscle repair needs the full four to six weeks before you load it, and the contour keeps refining for months after you already look recovered, as the last of the swelling leaves. Feeling ready and being healed are not the same week, and giving the repair its time is what protects the result you had the surgery for.
Your Experience
Your Personalized Surgery Experience
Consultation
A thorough evaluation of your neck’s skin, muscle, and fat, and an honest assessment of which of the three problems are yours and whether surgery is the right answer. You will see before-and-after photos and discuss risks, scars, and recovery. Many patients also decide here whether to add a facelift.
Surgery
Two to three hours at Northside. Fat sculpted, platysma tightened, skin redraped and trimmed, incisions hidden under the chin and behind the ears.
Recovery
Head elevated, compression garment, and a clear regimen. Back to work in about two weeks, strenuous activity at six.
Results
Emerging over weeks, refined over three to six months as swelling resolves.
The Practice
Why Patients Choose Artisan
Expertise in Every Layer
Your neck lift restores the platysma muscle, sculpts fat, and refines the skin together, creating a smooth, natural result designed to last.
Led by Dr. Diane Z. Alexander, MD, FACS
Neck lift surgery at Artisan is performed by Dr. Alexander, a board-certified plastic surgeon and co-founder of Atlanta’s first all-woman-physician plastic surgery practice, with more than twenty years focused on facial plastics and aesthetics.
Face and Neck in Harmony
Because the face and neck age together, your surgeon can refine both in one thoughtful plan, often pairing a neck lift with a facelift for balanced, natural results.
The Right Procedure for You
From liposuction and FaceTite to neck lift and facelift, every option is available here, so your recommendation is always based on what will suit you best.
FAQ
Neck Lift FAQs
What causes the vertical bands on my neck?
They are the edges of your platysma muscle, which spans the front of your neck. With age its two halves loosen and separate, and their inner edges become visible as cords, most obvious when you look down or talk. Because they are muscle, no cream, laser, or filler corrects them. A neck lift tightens and rejoins the platysma, which is what actually addresses the bands.
Can I combine my neck lift with a facelift?
Yes, and most of our neck lift patients do. The face and neck age together, and correcting the neck while leaving a sagging jawline above it tends to look unbalanced. Combining them means one anesthesia and one recovery. Your surgeon will tell you honestly whether you need both or whether the neck alone will do.
Will I have visible scars?
Scarring is minimal and well-hidden. Incisions are placed discreetly, typically under the chin and behind the ears, where they sit in natural creases and the hairline. They fade significantly over time, and how they heal depends on your skin and your aftercare.
What are the risks?
Hematoma, which is the most common. Injury to the nerve that controls the lower lip, which is rare but is a specific risk of neck surgery. Skin healing problems, particularly in smokers. Persistent or recurrent banding, scarring, asymmetry, sensation changes, and the possibility of revision. Plus standard surgical risks. Your surgeon will review all of it with you before you decide.
Do I need surgery, or are there other options?
Not always. If your concern is mainly fullness with good skin, liposuction may be ideal. For mild laxity with good elasticity, FaceTite can tighten without the incisions of a lift. A neck lift is best for loose skin and visible bands, and your surgeon will help you choose.
How long is recovery?
Swelling and bruising subside over one to two weeks. Most patients return to work and regular activities at about two weeks, and avoid strenuous exercise for four to six weeks. Final contour appears over three to six months, and full healing can take up to six months.
How much does a neck lift cost?
It depends on your technique, whether it is combined with a facelift, anesthesia, and facility fees. Since most neck lift patients combine it with facial work, we quote personalized pricing after your consultation. Financing is available.
Will I be put under?
Yes. Your neck lift is performed under general anesthesia for your comfort, and you will return home the same day.
How long does a neck lift last?
A neck lift typically lasts ten to fifteen years. You will continue to age naturally from your refreshed starting point, and sun protection and a stable weight help your results last.
Are there non-surgical alternatives?
For milder concerns, yes. Botox can soften bands slightly, filler and skin-tightening treatments can help at the margins, and FaceTite can tighten mild laxity. They give less dramatic results than surgery, and for genuine loose skin and established bands, they will not substitute for a lift. We are honest about where the line is.
What will happen at my consultation?
A thorough evaluation of your neck’s skin, muscle, and fat, a discussion of your goals and medical history, and an honest explanation of the procedure, the risks, and the recovery. You will see before-and-after photos, and you will have time to ask about scars, aftercare, and long-term outcomes. It is private and unhurried.
A Youthful Neckline, Beautifully Restored
Visit us for a consultation, and your surgeon will help you understand which changes are yours and create a plan, whether a neck lift, a less invasive option, or a neck lift with facelift, designed entirely around you.