Platysmaplasty, more commonly referred to as a Neck Lift, is a popular plastic surgery procedure all over the world today, and perhaps the best way to fight visible signs of aging.
As we grow older, our skin loses elasticity and starts to droop and sag. This is especially evident in the skin surrounding the neck.
What is a Neck Lift?
The Neck Lift is named Platysmaplasty after the platysma muscles that run along the front of the neck. Besides a loss of elasticity, these muscles tend to become weaker over time and start to droop or sag along with the skin in the neck. With the muscles unable to hold up the skin, the entire neck starts to sink giving people an aged look.
During a Neck Lift surgery, the Plastic Surgeon tightens the skin and underlying muscles in order to lift the neck. In some cases, where patients have deposits of fat around the neck area, liposuction may be combined with this procedure. In fact, liposuction will give the neck a more contoured look.
Recovering from a Neck Lift takes up to two weeks. However, people heal at different rates depending on their body, lifestyle, and diet among other factors.
But here are a few tips to help speed up the recovery process so you’re back to full capacity in no time.
1. Avoid Smoking, Drinking, and other Intoxicants
This one’s a no brainer. Yet, people tend to forget that staying healthy is the most important part of the recovery process. Consuming substances while your skin is in the process of healing puts a strain on it. This may prolong the recovery period.
You should go one step further and stay away from cigarette smoke altogether during the neck lift recovery process. The carcinogens in the smoke can damage skin cells in general.
2. Sleep with the Head Elevated
During the first week after your Neck Lift surgery, expect to wear a chin strap and sleep with your neck elevated on a pillow or even two. You may also experience a bit of tightness and numbness in the neck which is quite normal. Keeping your head raised ensures proper blood flow throughout the body and limits swelling.
3. Protect Your Skin
After the first week of surgery, you should be able to take off the chin strap and you’ll feel a lot more mobility in your neck.
You should wrap your neck in a cloth when you go out to protect it from dust, pollution, and most importantly, harmful UV rays from the sun. UV rays can damage skin cells and will be especially harmful to the soft skin on your neck right after surgery.
You also want to drink plenty of water to hydrate the body and ensure optimum circulation.
4. Relax
The importance of learning to relax and let go in today’s world cannot be stressed enough. And relaxation can help speed up your recovery process.
Find out what helps you relax. Preferably something like reading, meditation, or deep breathing. Light yoga stretches work too, but nothing inverted or too strenuous on the body. You want to keep the blood flowing smoothly during the entire recovery process.
Stress can inhibit the body’s ability to heal and may determine how long someone will take to recover from a Neck Lift.
Even scented lavender candles or an aromatic bath can work wonders on your mood and really help you to relax.
5. Avoid Heavy Exercise
Try to avoid heavy exercise right after a Neck Lift and focus only on light stretching if required. Taking long walks is fine too, but stay away from anything strenuous.
Intense physical activity can cause your heart rate to shoot up, causing the blood vessels to dilate. This, in turn, can cause bleeding from the stitches.
As an added precaution, be careful around toddlers and pets when you’re lying down. They tend to throw their bodies around a lot and if they happen to hit the site of your surgery, your healing time might be delayed.
6. Eat Right
Nutrition is an important part of the neck lift recovery process.
Make sure you’re consuming a lot of vitamin C as it helps to form new collagen in the body. Collagen may boost skin cell growth and skin healing. Vitamin C is also packed with antioxidants and helps to reduce inflammation, speeding up the healing process.
Papaya, dark leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, guava, and peppers all are rich in vitamin C. You also want to make sure that you’re careful about taking supplements which may contain compounds that interfere with your neck lift recovery.
Be Patient
The most important tip of all is to be patient and allow the body to heal itself in its own time. All you have to do is follow your Plastic Surgeon’s instructions, eat right, and maintain a healthy lifestyle and you’ll be well on your way to a full recovery!
About Dr. Rosso and Peninsula Plastic Surgery
Dr. Rosso is one of the leading Plastic Surgeons in the South Bay and performs a large number of neck lift surgeries, in his state-of-the-art Surgery Center or at the local Torrance and Little Company of Mary Hospitals.
Dr. Rosso has been voted 2018 Daily Breeze South Bay’s Favorite and 2017 Best of the Beach and the Peninsula Plastic Surgery doctors and staff have been awarded the 2018 Spectrum Award for Customer Service Excellence. At the end of 2018, he has also received an Award from the ER Doctors and Medical staff at Providence Little Company of Mary Hospital in Torrance for his great work and commitment to patients.
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