Facial Rejuvenation

Neck Lift in Montclair, NJ with Dr. Caroline Szpalski

The signs of aging can negatively impact your confidence and self-image. One often overlooked area that typically shows age is the neck. Age, stress, genetics, and environmental issues can impact skin health and increase the occurrence of loose, sagging skin around the lower face, jawline, or neck. Neck lift surgeries that tighten and reposition the structures and muscles beneath the skin can help effectively reduce the signs of aging and help restore your confidence and youthful appearance.

Fellowship-trained female plastic surgeon Dr. Caroline Szpalski and her team aim to help you feel more confident in your own skin and your own unique identity, making her your choice as one of the best neck lift surgeons in the tri-state area of New Jersey.

Contact us at (646) 777-0170 or complete our online form to schedule your neck lift consultation today. We are located in Glen Ridge, NJ and proudly serve patients in the Montclair, Bloomfield, Clifton, The Oranges, Paramus, and Franklin’s Lakes areas.

What Is a Glen Ridge, NJ Neck Lift?

Neck lift surgeries are procedures that address signs of aging in the neck to create a slimmer facial profile and more youthful-looking contours. Time, gravity, and chronic sun exposure all act together to produce typical changes in the neck as you age: loss of definition to the neck and jawline, creation of an “obtuse” wide angle to the neck rather than a sharp and well-defined angle, formation of vertical “Platysmal Bands,” “Jowls,” and sagging of the lower face. In some individuals, the neck is the first area to reveal their increasing age. Their neck develops crepe-like skin, accumulates excess fat (a “Double Chin”), tight bands form in some areas, and tone is lost in other regions of the neck. For others who have achieved significant weight loss, excess loose skin that has lost its elasticity contributes to an exaggerated older neck appearance. By reducing excess skin, repositioning muscles, and eliminating small pockets of fat, a neck lift can help rejuvenate the jawline and neck in ways diet and exercise cannot, creating a sleeker appearance.

A neck lift has many different features and options, all designed to help recontour the skin of the face and neck, tighten the underlying tissues and muscles, and remove excess skin. Neck lift surgery is often combined with a facelift to address both the face and neck and correct the visible signs of aging. The definitive goal of a neck lift is to look refreshed, natural and rested, not to appear “done”, hollowed out or pulled too tight. Depending on your unique needs and aesthetic goals, neck lift benefits include correcting concerns, such as:

Muscle and skin laxity
Lift jowls or pre-jowls
Poor jawline definition
Double chin
Wrinkles in the neck
Sagging skin or fat deposits along the jawline
Muscle bands

Accompanying Procedures

To achieve a polished appearance, neck lift results often rely on rejuvenating other areas, including the mid- and upper-facial regions. As such, other procedures may be performed in conjunction with a neck lift for complete dramatic facial transformation, including:

Choosing Dr. Caroline Szpalski as Your NJ Neck Lift Surgeon

Fellowship trained in microsurgery and the most complex cases at MD Anderson Cancer Center, Dr. Caroline Szpalski is a female plastic surgeon who was born into a family of medical professionals. Growing up in Africa and Europe, Dr. Szpalski brings an international flair and sophisticated European sense of style to her practice. With a distinct worldly and multicultural perspective and a unique Ethnic identity, Dr. Szpalski recognizes that there are many standards of beauty, identity, color, and culture across the world. As such, Dr. Szpalski offers a unique approach for all patients, which is essential when considering facial rejuvenation procedures, such as a neck lift.

As a busy surgeon, wife, mother, and New Yorker, Dr. Szpalski understands the diverse challenges many of her patients face. With a less is more philosophy, Dr. Szpalski tailors her approach to each patient’s needs with meticulous detailing to provide natural-looking, long-lasting results for a sense of timeless elegance.

Meet Caroline Szpalski, MD

Female Plastic Surgeon in New Jersey

Rediscover your identity with the help of Dr. Caroline Szpalski, a board-certified and fellowship-trained plastic surgeon in New Jersey. With a unique multicultural upbringing and a European flair, Dr. Szpalski crafts elegant sophistication into every natural-looking patient transformation. Dr. Szpalski takes a less-is-more approach to plastic surgery to help patients maintain and appreciate their unique appearance and cultural beauty. No matter your aesthetic goals, start your journey toward a more confident you by scheduling your consultation with Dr. Szpalski and her expert team today!

Your Neck Lift Consultation with Dr. Szpalski in NJ

Dr. Szpalski’s goal during facial rejuvenation consultations is for her patients to feel confident in their decisions regarding their overall health, their procedure, their appearance, and their unique identity. During your consultation, Dr. Szpalski aims to understand your goals and realistic expectations to ensure she is the right provider for you.

With her less is more philosophy, Dr. Szpalski only performs procedures that will enhance your features to ensure natural-looking results. During your neck lift consultation, Dr. Szpalski will conduct a thorough examination of your skin, facial features, areas of concern, and discuss neck lift risks and benefits to determine whether the approach is appropriate for your aesthetic goals.

After determining your appropriate procedure, Dr. Szpalski will work with you to ensure comfortable, individualized treatment based on your unique anatomy. With a focus on providing patients with exemplary care, Dr. Szpalski has created a warm, welcoming, nonjudgmental environment safe for sharing your concerns, making her one of the best neck lift surgeons in New Jersey.

Am I an Ideal Candidate for a New Jersey Neck Lift?

Neck lift candidates are those who are looking for a slimmer, more youthful facial profile by addressing the signs of aging around the neck.

Good candidates for neck lift surgery should:

Be in good overall health, living a healthy lifestyle
In good physical shape
At their ideal body weight (or a stable weight following major weight loss)
Not be pregnant or breastfeeding
Not smoke, or be willing to quit at least six weeks prior to and after the procedure
Have no conditions that impair healing
Have realistic expectations and a positive outlook
Understand the risks and benefits
should be emotionally stable,
have the support of their surrounding friends and/or family members
be fully educated about the procedure they are contemplating.

Preparing for Your Neck Lift Surgery

It is essential to be in good physical and mental health before any surgical procedure. While each neck lift surgery will be unique and tailored to your needs, here is some general information to help you prepare.

Before surgery is not a good time to diet. Maintain a stable weight and avoid crash dieting or weight fluctuations by participating in a consistent exercise regimen and well-rounded diet.
Proper nutrition supports a successful recovery. Eat healthy, balanced meals with plenty of proteins to optimize results and recovery.
Stay well-hydrated before and after your procedure.
See your primary physician for a full examination and appropriate testing to ensure you are medically fit for surgery.
If you currently smoke, vape, or use nicotine products, you should quit. As smoking is detrimental to your health, especially during recovery from surgery, patients should stop smoking at least six weeks before and after surgery. Dr. Szpalski orders a nicotine test for all patients who smoke to help avoid complications caused by smoking or the use of nicotine products.

For two weeks prior to and after surgery, refrain from medications, vitamins, and supplements that increase bleeding or bruising risks.
Prepare your home and schedule for recovery. Take time off work, purchase necessary supplies, fill pain medication prescriptions, freeze meals for easy preparation, and arrange a clean, comfortable place to rest.
Arrange for a trusted friend or family member to drive you home from your procedure and assist you with household management or childcare.

New Jersey Neck Lift Procedure Overview

Dr. Szpalski performs all neck lift procedures in fully accredited facilities at Freedom Surgical Center, St. Joseph’s Health University Medical Center, or Hudson Regional Hospital. A neck lift is performed in the operating room under general anesthesia or intravenous (also known as “twilight”) sedation for optimal comfort, control, and safety in most cases, although we can sometimes offer it under local anesthesia.

On the day of your procedure, you’ll arrive approximately an hour prior to your scheduled surgery to meet with Dr. Szpalski and your anesthesia provider. Dr. Szpalski will review your surgery details and answer any final questions you have.

According to your procedural plan, Dr. Szpalski will create small, well-concealed incisions behind the ear, under the chin, or within the hairline. Liposuction is performed first to permanently remove excess fat from the neck and under the chin. If a facelift is also being done, incisions will start in front of the ear in a natural crease and extend around the bottom of the earlobe before traveling behind the ear for access to the neck. The skin of the neck is then gently “elevated” off the deeper structures under surgical “loupe” magnification to protect delicate blood vessels and nerves. The neck plastysma muscle is repositioned and sculpted to create a more youthful contour to the jaw line and to correct “jowling”, known as Platysmaplasty. Neck skin is carefully redraped without tension and excess skin is trimmed, creating a Cervicoplasty. Dissolving stitches (“sutures”) are used wherever possible. Surgical staples may be placed in the hair-bearing scalp region for easy removal in a week or two in the office.

When you awaken from your neck lift, soft dressings will be in place and you will be comfortable. Neck lift surgery is not normally very painful. Pain medication is prescribed for you to take after surgery as needed. A small, soft drain may be placed to gently remove “wound fluid” under the skin for 1 to 3 days after surgery might be placed as well. An overnight stay may be recommended, depending on the details of surgery.

Neck lift incisions tend to heal very well with good quality scars due to the excellent blood supply of the facial and neck region and avoidance of tension on the skin closure. As mild swelling and any bruising subsides, visible improvements of the neck lift procedure will appear over a few weeks.

Neck lift scars are permanent, but remain concealed in the natural contours of the neck, behind the ears and in the hairline. It takes several months up to a year for the final results to be evident and for all scars to become “mature.” As a component of scar therapy, it is important to minimize direct sun exposure to the face and neck not only during healing but as a life-long behavior to help maintain your rejuvenated appearance and to minimize future “photo-aging” (sun damage). The final effect of a neck lift is a natural, more youthful and toned neck.

Depending on your unique needs, Dr. Szpalski may customize one of two types of neck lift surgery:

Lower Facelift / Neck Lift:

A “lower facelift” addresses the mid-face region in addition to the neck and is essentially a combination of a facelift and a neck lift. A lower facelift procedure corrects sagging jowls, loose neck skin and fatty accumulation beneath the chin but also rejuvenates the mid-face and cheeks. A lower facelift does not address the brow (forehead) or eyes.

MACS Lift:

Dr. Szpalski is extensively trained in various techniques for facelifts and neck lifts, from subcutaneous to deep plane, SMAS excision/plication/suspension procedures, ones with lengthy scars to minimal scar techniques. As always, we gravitate toward procedures “that make sense” and that address the anatomic issues that are causing age-related changes to the face and neck.

Liposuction of the Neck and Chin:

All of our neck lifts usually require liposuction of the neck and chin. Liposuction of the neck and chin removes excess fatty tissue stored in this area, creating better definition to the jaw line and neck. A small incision is hidden in the natural crease under the chin, and fat cells are permanently removed by a blunt-ended “cannula” (wand) and a vacuum. For individuals with only extra fat under the chin or along the jawline without redundant skin or jowl formation, liposuction alone may be enough to rejuvenate the neck. Depending on the extent of your procedural plan, neck lift surgeries typically take two to three hours.

Timeless Elegance

Montclair, NJ Neck Lift Recovery

Following a neck lift, you may experience swelling, bruising, and discomfort, which should gradually resolve over the next six weeks. Initial asymmetry from swelling or an uneven appearance to the skin is quite common and will normalize as healing progresses. After approximately two weeks, obvious signs of surgery such as puffiness or discoloration should dissipate. A compression dressing may be placed around your head and chin to minimize swelling and allow your body to adjust to its new contours. Minor swelling may persist for several months.

You will be prescribed pain medication for discomfort.

Sleeping with a few extra pillows to elevate the head can help speed the resolution of postop swelling. Strict sun avoidance and the regular use of sunblock of at least SPF 30 are vital to prevent permanent “hyperpigmentation” (darker color to the skin and incisions) and sunburn. Wearing makeup over sunblock is permitted at a week postoperatively and should continue as part of your morning beauty routine.

Prior to a neck lift, some patients grow their hair a little longer than usual if it is short to help conceal any incisions in front of the ear during healing. Any chemical hair coloring should be avoided for at least a month after surgery; splurging on a trip to the salon before a neck lift helps many patients prepare for surgery.

Any sutures or staples that do not dissolve on their own will be painlessly removed in the office within a week or two. Depending on the extent of your neck lift, most patients typically resume working within one to two weeks. However, it’s important to avoid strenuous activities, including exercise, for at least six weeks.

What are the Risks of Getting a New Jersey Neck Lift/Facial Plastic Surgery?

The decision to have facial plastic surgery is a personal and significant one. Like any surgical procedure, the potential risks of surgery must be weighed against the expected benefits in order to determine whether having surgery is indeed for you. What makes facial surgery unique is that the results are visible immediately after surgery, while surgery of the breasts or body can be concealed beneath clothing during the initial healing period.

For this reason, it is imperative to learn about all potential risks of facial plastic surgery, including both the common and very rare complications. Awareness of possible unfavorable outcomes and risks will help you make the decision whether surgery is for you, and will enable you to proceed fully informed and educated.

Some risks are specific to all facial surgery procedures such as a facelift, brow lift, blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery), neck lift, and earlobe surgery and include the following: Unfavorable scarring, bleeding (“hematoma”), fluid accumulation, infection, poor wound healing, anesthesia risks, correctable hair loss at the incisions, fluid accumulation requiring drainage after surgery, skin discoloration, bruising, skin sensitivity or temporary facial swelling.

More Uncommon Risks of Facial Surgery but those worth mentioning include: Facial asymmetry, facial nerve injury with weakness or abnormal facial perspiration, skin loss, permanent numbness or other changes in skin sensation, and loss of fat deep under the skin (“fat necrosis”), persistent pain, skin contour irregularities, “spitting sutures” that may spontaneously surface through the skin, become visible or produce irritation that require removal, unsatisfactory results including asymmetry, unsatisfactory surgical scar location, unacceptable visible deformities at the ends of the incisions, and the possible need for revisional surgery.

For those procedures that involve the Eyes and/or Brow, further rare but potential risks include eye irritation or dryness, eyelid disorders involving abnormal low position of the upper eyelids (“eyelid ptosis”), loose eyelid skin, abnormal laxity or rolling out of the lower eyelid (“ectropion”), difficulty closing the eyes, or “lid lag” (pulling down of the lower eyelid} that is often temporary. Many of these conditions are self-resolving, but a minor revision may be necessary for correction if a complication should arise.

As a general principle, the practice of medicine and surgery is not an exact science. While reliable outcomes and beautiful results are anticipated in most patients, there is no absolute guarantee of surgery. In some situations, a second minor procedure may be needed after a period of healing to achieve the most favorable results.

How Soon Will I See My New Jersey Neck Lift Results?

The neck lift healing process is determined by the extent of your procedure. Following your neck lift, you can expect swelling, bruising, or tightness that may obscure your results for a few weeks. Your new contours will improve as your neck heals and swelling dissipates, which is typically within one month. Residual swelling may persist for several months; however, patients can often perform most normal activities a month post-procedure.

A neck lift will last forever, giving your neck a smoother, more youthful appearance that will endure in the long term. However, you will continue to age as appropriate after any type of facial plastic surgery. In the future, you will still appear younger than if you had not had your procedure, but you will never appear tight, “overdone,” or abnormal.

Maintaining your healthy lifestyle and weight, practicing proper skincare, avoiding sun exposure, and considering non-surgical rejuvenation treatments can often prolong the results of your neck lift.

How Much Does a Neck Lift Cost in New Jersey?

New Jersey neck lift costs can vary by patient based on individual needs and goals and the surgical techniques required. During your consultation, Dr. Szpalski will determine the scope of your procedure and estimate your neck lift cost in New Jersey.

Schedule Your Montclair, NJ Neck Lift Consultation Today

Your graceful, youthful neckline is waiting for you! Partner with Dr. Caroline Szpalski, one of the best neck lift providers in New Jersey, for facial rejuvenation options to ensure you look as young as you feel. Learn about neck lift near me options in Glen Ridge, NJ by calling (646) 777-0170 or completing our online form.