Many cosmetic surgeons may also combine neck liposuction with lower eye surgery which can reduce the tired puffy and baggy eyed look.  This combination is often referred to as a “Mini Lift” or “Weekend Lift“.  The neck liposuction portion is typically performed using a local anesthetic and recovery time is normally pretty quick and relatively pain free.

Excess fat on the neck can give one the appearance of being overweight. The unwanted fat is gently removed by neck liposuction by making a series of small incisions.  The key to success is to have a good skin tone to begin with.  Since the incisions are made below the jaw line they can be difficult to detect.  If the patients skin lacks the desired elasticity the inside of the skin may also be treated with a CO2 cold laser which causes the skin to contract.

Gradually and using a forward and backward motion, the surgeon uses the cannula to slice through the fatty tissues located in the area. A vacuum like suction device is attached to the opposite end of the cannula and is powered up to remove fat which has been dislodged. 

In some cases a vacuum is not used and the fat cells are removed manually using a syringe. Care must be taken to avoid grooves which appear in the fat layer matching the size of the cannula.  Ultrasonic liposuction methods vibrate the cannula at a very high frequency which helps smooth out the fat for a more appealing look.

When patients leave the surgery facility to go home, they are usually groggy for about 12 hours or overnight. That is why it is very important to have someone who can assist you with getting around and taking your medications for at least the first 24 hours.

Make sure you prepare your bedroom in advance and have your medications, soft drinks, and towels at your bedside. Many patients are nauseated during the first 24-48 hours. You may also notice blood-tinged fluids oozing from your incision sites. Do not be alarmed as this is a normal result of liposuction.  This usually stops within a day, your surgeon will leave tiny incisions open so the fluid liquid seeps out and minimizing bruising. You should cover your bed and keep valued clothing away during this period to avoid staining.

After the procedure, the incisions made are typically closed with stitches.  Depending on the size of the cannula some incisions are so small they can heal properly without stitches. Generally patients can resume normal activities 7-14 days following surgery.

One prominent neck muscle is known as the platysma and it extends from the lower jawbone all the way to the collarbone of the neck. It is very thin and spread like a blanket. This muscle is fairly tight in younger people. As the patient begins to age noticeable thin bands begin to appear which can give the turkey-gobbler look.  As time goes by eventually the muscle become thickened and rope-like.  This thickening causes the tent of skin along the neck.

Care needs to be taken in older patients not to remove too much fat, as it could expose the cord like muscles of the platysma.  It is nearly always preferable to use a surgeon who is capable of tightening the platysma or of anticipates that platysma issues may arise.  There are several special stitching techniques which can usually improve platysma bands with good success.

Nonetheless. the neck is still one of the most popular body locations for liposuction. Neck liposuction alone takes a skilled surgeon 30 minutes or more to perform due to the precise nature of the surgery.