How a Neck Lift Can Fix a “Turkey Neck”
A “turkey neck” is loose, sagging skin under the chin and along the front of the neck, often with vertical bands running down from the jaw. It can make you look older or more tired than you feel, even when the rest of your face still looks youthful. Creams and exercises can't tighten that skin or those bands, but a neck lift can. With a neck lift for turkey neck, Richmond plastic surgery patients can have the loose skin and weakened muscle corrected in a single procedure.
Richmond plastic surgeon Dr. Sharline Aboutanos explains what causes a turkey neck and how she corrects it with a neck lift.
What Makes a Turkey Neck Different From a Double Chin
A double chin and a turkey neck are often lumped together, but they have different causes. A double chin is mostly fat, while a turkey neck is mostly loose skin and weakened muscle.
With age, the skin of the neck loses collagen and elasticity and starts to hang. At the same time, the platysma, the thin, flat muscle that runs from the jaw down the front of the neck, separates and weakens. The edges of that muscle then show through the skin as two vertical cords, called platysmal bands. Loose skin and visible bands together create the "wattle" that gives the turkey neck its name.
Dr. Aboutanos wants her patients to understand this difference because it determines which treatment will work best. Fat under the chin can sometimes be treated with liposuction alone, but liposuction can't tighten loose skin or repair neck bands. A turkey neck needs a procedure that tightens the muscle and removes the extra skin, which is what a neck lift does.
If loose skin and neck bands have made you self-conscious about your profile, a neck lift with Dr. Aboutanos can correct both in a single procedure.
How a Neck Lift Corrects a Turkey Neck
A neck lift can address several concerns at once: loose neck skin, muscle banding, and excess fat under the chin. Dr. Aboutanos plans each neck lift around which of these concerns you have.
Tightening the neck muscle
To smooth the bands, a neck lift brings the separated edges of the platysma back together and tightens the muscle. Your neck looks firmer afterward, with a cleaner angle between the chin and neck.
Removing and redraping loose skin
Once the muscle is tightened, Dr. Aboutanos lifts the neck skin, redrapes it smoothly over the new contour, and removes the excess. This is the step that takes away the hanging “wattle” and leaves your neck looking smooth and more youthful.
Contouring fullness under the chin
If you also have fullness under the chin, Dr. Aboutanos removes that excess fat during the same neck lift. Removing it helps define your jawline, both from the front and in profile.
Where the Incisions Are Placed
Dr. Aboutanos hides neck lift incisions behind the ears and under the chin. The small incision under the chin gives access to the platysma, so the bands of a turkey neck can be tightened and any fullness contoured. Through the incisions behind the ears, Dr. Aboutanos redrapes and trims the loose skin, and your hair and the natural shadow of the ear help conceal them. Because both sit in natural creases, they are usually well hidden once they heal.
When a Turkey Neck Needs More Than a Neck Lift
Your neck and lower face age together, so a turkey neck often comes with other changes. Depending on what she sees, Dr. Aboutanos may suggest adding:
A facelift if you also have jowls or sagging in the lower face. Dr. Aboutanos removes excess facial skin and restores the cheek fat pads to their natural position, so your face and neck match
Liposuction if you have significant fullness under the chin or along the jaw, for more precise contouring
During your consultation, she will look at your face and neck together and tell you which combination will give you the most natural-looking result.
“From the very first consultation, I felt seen, heard, and genuinely cared for. Nothing about my experience felt rushed...If you are looking for a surgeon who is gentle, compassionate, and deeply supportive, Dr. Sharline Z. Aboutanos is the one.”
—5-star Google review
Why Neck Exercises Cannot Fix a Turkey Neck
Chin lifts, jaw jutting, and other neck exercises are popular online, and if you've done them consistently and still see loose skin, you haven't done anything wrong. Exercise strengthens muscle, but it can't shrink stretched skin or pull separated muscle edges back together. Once neck skin has lost its elasticity, a neck lift removes the excess and repairs the platysma.
Medical-grade skin care and daily sunscreen still help, as they keep your skin healthy before surgery and protect your neck lift result afterward.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will a neck lift get rid of my neck bands completely?
A neck lift smooths the bands you see at rest. When you clench your jaw or strain, the platysma still contracts. That is normal muscle movement, and it does not mean the bands have come back.
How long do turkey neck results last?
Neck lift results are typically long-lasting, though your neck will continue to age naturally. The loose skin Dr. Aboutanos removes does not grow back, so that aging starts from a younger-looking point. To protect your result, wear SPF 50 or higher on your neck and stay away from nicotine, which slows healing.
Can a turkey neck come back after weight loss?
Yes, significant weight loss after a neck lift can loosen your neck skin again. Reach your goal weight and hold it steady before you schedule surgery. If you are losing weight with a GLP-1 medication, read more about plastic surgery after GLP-1 weight loss.
What is recovery like after a neck lift?
Plan on about two weeks of initial recovery. You go home the same day, and Dr. Aboutanos removes your dressing and drain in the office the next day. You can shower after two days, and you wear a chin strap or head wrap 24 hours a day for at least the first week. For the full timeline, see Dr. Aboutanos' pre- and post-facelift/neck lift care guidelines.
Turkey Neck Correction in Richmond, VA
Dr. Sharline Aboutanos is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and performs a range of cosmetic and reconstructive procedures, including facelift and neck lift surgery. If you're ready for a smoother, more defined neck, call 804-355-3410 or schedule a consultation with Dr. Aboutanos to learn how she personalizes each neck lift for the most natural-looking result possible. You can also see examples of her work in her face before and after gallery.