Aging can be a hard process, and the dreaded ?turkey neck? is one of the most humiliating aspects of aging. As people age, the facial and neck skin loses its elasticity and begins to sag, forming folds at the face's lower edges. As excess fat accumulates underneath these loose folds of neck skin, the flaps known as wattles are produced.

Wattles and other neck skin blemishes resulting from age and weight gain can be devastating to the self-esteem of those afflicted with them. A neck lift can solve these problems. A neck lift is an operation during which the wattles, jowls, and ?turkey neck? skin is removed from the face of the patient while altering the muscles and other flesh beneath the skin to create a firm, tight appearance. When combined with eyelid surgery or any of a number of other facial rejuvenation procedures, neck lift can create a a tremendous psychological boost for patients.

The first step of the neck lift process is a frank and realistic assessment of the patient's needs and desired results conducted by a board-certified plastic surgeon. By showing potential neck lift patients illustrations and photographs, the surgeon can impart to the patient knowledge of what neck lift surgery entails and the usual results of the procedure.

Once an appropriate course of treatment is decided upon, the patient and his or her surgeon will select the type of neck lift surgery best suited to the patient's case. Three basic types exist:

Liposuction: The well-known procedure for removing excess fat from beneath the patient's skin. During a liposuction, the surgeon makes an incision under the patient's chin and sucks away the excess fat using a vacuum pump arrangement.

Cervicoplasty: The surgical removal of excess flesh from the neck area. The upper part of the neck is first cut into and trimmed away; the remaining skin is then stretched into the desired position and fixed in place with surgical adhesives or sutures.

Platysmaplasty: The restoration of a smoother look to the neck by surgical rearrangement of the neck muscle (platysma). Incisions near the patient's chin or behind his or her ears are first made; once the surgeon has access to the muscles, he or she repositions or otherwise modifies them as necessary, then sews them into place to preserve their position.

Although neck lift surgery is a fairly complex procedure, it is not particularly lengthy nor traumatic to the patient. Some swelling, bruising, and tenderness of the insulted tissue surrounding the wounds can be expected, along with occasionally uncomfortable tingling, burning, or ?tight? feeling in the neck skin. These can usually be treated with topical OTC pain medications. The patient's odds of experiencing major complications from the surgery itself (e.g. infection, anesthetic reaction) are extremely low. A full recovery generally takes 10-14 days, but patients should avoid strenuous activities, sports, and heavy lifting for at least 21 days.