The structures in the lower face and neck: the lower part of the cheeks, the sides of the chin and the neck. With age, with the effect of the gravity, facial skin piles up (jowl) over the chin edges, its oval is distorted and it takes a four-cornered shape. The deep lines are formed from the corners of the mouth downwards (Marionette lines), the neck skin becomes loose and sagging, the vertical bands are formed due to the relaxation of the muscles under the neck skin (turkey neck), the adipose accumulates in the food and the angle of the neck becomes indistinct. In some people, severe sagging of the neck can occur without the significant aging on the other sides of the face.
The purpose in the lower face and neck region is to stretch the excess skin by stretching, to stretch the muscle layer under the skin with stitches, to remove the excess adipose tissue in the neck, to tighten the neck muscles by sewing them together and to make the neck angle clear. For this purpose, the face and neck lifting surgeries, neck liposuction, neck suspending procedures, chin prosthesis and adipose injections are applied in the necessary patients.
Frequently asked questions related to the lower face and neck rejuvenation procedures:
Who is the lower face and neck rejuvenation procedures applied to?
The lower face and neck rejuvenation procedures are often performed as part of the facial rejuvenation procedures. However, it can be performed alone in the patients who do not have serious problems in the upper and mid-facial area. The people who have piles on the edges of the chin, lipoidosis on the neck, and sagging skin on the neck are the suitable candidates for these procedures. It is usually performed over the age of 40.
How are the lower face and neck rejuvenation procedures performed?
The methods that can be applied in the lower face and neck rejuvenation are as follows:

Face and neck lifting: The skin of the face and neck is lifted with the help of an incision that starts from the front of the ear and, if necessary, goes behind the ear and then into the scalp. If there is not much problem in the neck, the scar is left only in front of the ear. This procedure is called short scar face lifting. The SMAS layer, which is a layer under the skin and includes our mimic muscles, is stretched with the sutures in accordance with the needs of the patient and the lower layer of the face is shaped. If this procedure is not performed, the patients return to their former state in a short time after facelift. If there is adipose on the neck, the adipose is usually removed with the help of liposuction. If there are many vertical bands on the neck and there is a turkey neck appearance, a short incision is made under the chin and the neck is opened and the neck muscles are stitched together. This process highlights the neck angle. If the jawbone is behind, it is clarified with the chin tip prostheses or adipose injections. Marionette lines descending from the lip edges are filled with the adipose injections. If the lower half of the face is fatty, it can be thinned with the liposuction. The excess skin on the face and neck is cut and removed. The scars are sewn in front of the ears, behind them and hidden in the hair.
Liposuction: In the young patients, whose skin elasticity is good, the neck can be thinned and the neck angle can be clarified only by the liposuction. With the adipose taken, the chin tip and chin edges can be filled, and Marionette lines can be filled.
Neck straps: In the patients who do not want scars and whose skin elasticity is not much impaired, the neck skin is suspended in the form of a hammock with the help of special threads from the short incisions made under the ear after the liposuction procedure on the neck. The adipose injections and chin tip prosthesis applications can be added to this process.
What should be done and what should not be done before the operation?
As it is in all surgeries, it is necessary to stop aspirin and smoking 3 weeks before the operation in the lower face and neck rejuvenation procedures. In the last week, it is necessary to stay away from the drugs and similar substances that can dilute the blood.
Those not required to be used:
-The painkillers such as Apranax, Voltaren, Vermidon (Minoset, Novalgin can be used when pain relief is required),
-The multivitamin pills containing substances such as ginseng, ginko biloba, co-enzyme Q,
-Green tea, flaxseed, cherry stalk, tomato seed herbal products
-All weight loss products
Is the anesthesia required in the lower face and neck rejuvenation surgeries?
The neck liposuction and suspension procedures can be performed under the local anesthesia and sedation. The face and neck lifting surgeries are performed in the operating room environment under the general anesthesia or heavy sedatives (sedation).
How long does the lower face and neck rejuvenation surgery take?
The neck liposuction takes 30 minutes, neck straps take 30 minutes, and face and neck lifting procedures take 2-3 hours.
Are the lower face and neck rejuvenation surgeries painful?
The liposuction and neck suspension procedures are painless. After the face and neck lifting procedures, the patients complain of the tension and pressure rather than the pain. This passes in a few days. It can be said that these procedures are generally painless.
What happens after the lower face and neck rejuvenation surgery?
The recovery after the neck liposuction and suspension is fast. A bandage is usually applied to the neck and this is required to stay for 3 days. The patients can return home on the same day. They can take a bath on the same day, provided that they do not wet their neck. There will be swelling and bruises after the face and neck lifting procedures. The bruising and swelling will usually go away within a week. It is recommended to massage the neck for the next 2 months for faster recovery of the neck skin.
After the face and neck lifting procedures, the patients are kept in the hospital for 1 night. The next day, the drains are removed and they are discharged. The swelling and bruising are largely regressed within a week. The stitches are removed after six days. The patient can take a bath 48 hours after the surgery. It can take up to 20 days for swelling and bruising to go away. However, it can take up to three months for the face to fully fit and take its final shape, depending on the thickness of the skin and the procedures performed.
As it is after all face surgeries, the patient is required to protect herself from the direct sun for 3 months after the lower face rejuvenation procedures.
What kinds of problems can be experienced after the lower face and neck rejuvenation surgery?
The swelling and bruises are expected problems and are temporary. Early bleeding is a major problem. In order to avoid this, the patient is required not to use blood thinners before the surgery, if there is blood pressure, it is required to be controlled, and the blood pressure is required to be kept low during and after the surgery. If it still happens, the patient is operated again and the bleeding is stopped. There can be persistent edema in the neck. The softening and thinning of the neck can take longer than expected. In such cases, the auxiliary methods such as lymph drainage massage, radiofrequency, and deep tissue ultrasound can be used. After the lower face and neck surgeries, the paralysis or weakening of movements can occur, especially in the lower lip. This condition is rarely permanent. It usually goes away in a few days, but sometimes it can take weeks.
One of the most feared problems after the face and neck lifting is wound healing difficulties and skin loss. This problem can be encountered especially in the cases where the stretching is performed excessively, in the patients having the postoperative bleeding and in smoking patients. For this reason, it is necessary to quit smoking at least three weeks in advance.
Are the results of the lower face and neck rejuvenation surgeries permanent?
After the surgery, the aging process continues and there is some loosening and sagging in the stretched areas. However, this never returns to its pre-operative state. The permanence of the surgery varies according to the technique used and the characteristics of the patient. Those having the thick and fatty skin experience sagging earlier.