Neck Lift with MYELLEVATE® 

NEck Lift guide

The neck can often be the first area to show signs of aging, and many people’s confidence suffers as a result of sagging in this area. The appearance of loose skin, fat, and neck bands all lead to looking less youthful than you feel, and by improving the contour and tightness of the neck through minimally invasive techniques, Dr. L. Scott Ennis is able to help patients achieve a youthful, rejuvenated facial appearance through state-of-the-art MyEllevate technology.

Dr. Ennis performs minimally invasive suture suspension neck lifts for no scarring and faster recovery time. As a board certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Ennis is an expert a lifting the neck to create a more youthful appearance. 

Facial Plastic Surgery with Dr. L. Scott Ennis, MD FACS

Cause of a Sagging Neck

When patients experience a sagging neck, they often think the reason is loose skin. However, this sagging is often caused by a loss of structural support of the facial muscles. The SMAS and platysma muscle are a sheet-like ligament and muscle that lies superficially in the anterior part of the face and neck, and platysma bands are the structures that create a “band-like” appearance in your neck.

You have different types of  muscles in the face and neck, and they are responsible for functions such as helping the lower parts of your face and mouth move  when you speak, frown or smile. These muscles and ligaments may sag over time, and fat can accumulate under the muscles. This fat in the lower portion of the face makes the lower portion of the face heavy and square looking. A young face is V shaped, and older face is heavy and square a the bottom.

The Options to Fixing a Sagging Neck

The two most popular procedures to correct a sagging next at Ennis Plastic Surgery are the The Deep Plane Facelift and Suture Suspension Neck Lift.  

• The deep plane facelift corrects the facial aging process by elevating the tissues and removing the heavy weight in the lower portions of the face. This is the gold standard and best facelift procedure available, however some patients may  feel they are too young or not ready for a full facelift. In this case, a suture suspension neck lift may be the better choice. 
  • Minimal scarring
  • Targets the full face, not just the neck
  • Learn more about the deep plane facelift and facelift procedures.
• The suture suspension neck lift by MyEllevate is great alternative for a minimally invasive treatment to fix and tighten a sagging neck.  MyEllevate has been developed over recent years and is fast becoming a popular choice for patients looking for a fast recovery, no scarring and natural looking results.
  • No Scarring
  • Minimally Invasive
  • Targets the neck

Types of Neck Lifts: Suture Suspension Neck Lift vs Open Neck Lift vs Facelift

Neck Lifts and Facelifts are a way for plastic surgeons to assess and tighten the internal soft tissues of the neck and find the best way to help patients achieve natural, long-lasting results. This often includes a combination of fat removal, muscle tightening and repositioning, and skin tightening. This was traditionally accomplished with a deep plane facelift or open neck lift procedure.

1. Suture Suspension Neck Lift
2. Open Neck Lift
3. Deep Plane Facelift

1. Suture Suspension Neck Lift with MyEllevate®

A MyEllevate minimally invasive suture suspension neck lift should only be performed by an experienced plastic surgeon. This type of procedure should not be done by a dermatologist or other medical cosmetologist. When this procedure is done, it will be done in a fully accredited operating room. Local anesthesia is used to make sure you are comfortable and relaxed during the procedure, and we will talk you through each stage of what is happening. Sedation can be added depending on the patients preference. 

To begin, Dr. Ennis will make a very small incision under the chin through which he will be able to remove fat through a small cannula and surgical vacuum. After this, small incisions are able to be made behind the ears. This helps to reduce the visibility of any minimal scarring that may come from the procedure. The goal of these incisions is to elevate the muscle bands in the front of the neck. To do this, a suture is run through the tunnel from the chin incision to the behind-the-ear incisions to lift the platysmal bands of the neck. Dr. Ennis will determine the amount of lift that achieves your desired results and leaves a rejuvenated contour and appearance for the neck. After this is completed, the incisions are  covered with bandages as they are so small, sutures are not needed. 

MyEllevate helps to guide this procedure and place the sutures exactly where they are needed to fit the patient’s individual anatomy and re-contour the neck and jawline.

What is MyEllevate®

The Difference of MyEllevate

MyEllevate is a minimally invasive alternative to neck lift surgery and is performed using ICLED technology. ICLED technology is state-of-the-art sensor technology that uses an interband-cascade light-emitting device (ICLED) that is able to provide a number of measurements to the surgeon that were previously unavailable. This light-guided technique allows Dr. Ennis to enter the skin in the exact spot necessary to produce amazing results by entering the skin through points that are smaller than the tip of a pen. Suture suspension is then able to be used to reduce sagging soft tissues in the neck and reduce vertical neck bands. this is often done in combination with liposuction of the neck to reduce the fat in the neck. 

Suture suspension is a technique in which a suture is used to essentially create a “sling” underneath the skin. This sling extends from the central neck extending behind the ears to elevate the neck and eliminate the look of sagging. If a revision is needed, the suture can be removed or tightened at any time. The recovery and down time for this is minimal. 

When using ICLED light guidance, MyEllevate surgeons are able to use the light guidance from the technology to help surgeons determine the exact spot and accurately place the sutures exactly where is needed through the puncture sites. This dramatically reduces trauma to surrounding tissues and helps to promote minimal bruising and fast recovery times.

2. Open Neck Lift

In previous years, the neck was only able to be contoured and tightened by using an open neck lift procedure. Although this is an excellent procedure with the best results, an open neck lift is a surgical procedure that involves putting the patient under anesthesia and is more invasive. Once this is done, the surgeon makes an incision around the ear to view and tighten the muscle. Using this, they are able to modify the structural support of the face and produce a more tightened and toned appearance.

An open incision allows surgeons to see both the surface-level and deep structures in the neck to correct the underlying source of the problem which is the loss of the structural support of the face, ie. the muscles and ligaments of the face have lost their elasticity and sagged dragging the skin down with it. The new suture suspension technique allows Dr. Ennis to now recommend a minimally invasive procedure with no scarring in comparison to a more invasive open neck lift.

3. Deep Plane Facelift

The Deep Plane Facelift corrects this aging process by elevating the tissues and removing the heavy weight in the lower portions of the face. Although the Deep Plane Facelift is the best facelift choice and Gold Standard in facial rejuvenation, the nature of this procedure is more invasive and has longer recovery times which some patients may not be ready for and therefore choose the new minimally invasive suture suspension neck lift with no scarring.  

Neck Lift Results. What to Expect.

MyEllevate offers a much shorter recovery time than traditional open neck lift surgeries. With this procedure, you can expect some bruising and swelling for about 3-5 days afterward. Dr. Ennis will provide you with aftercare instructions to ensure you are aware of what you need to do to minimize the chance of any complications and maximize the ease of your recovery. This may include wearing a chin strap to bed for up to four weeks to help alleviate swelling and help the soft tissues heal.

In addition to this, many patients benefit from mild at-home pain relief methods such as taking anti-inflammatory over-the-counter medications like Ibuprofen. It is also recommended that you ice the area to help reduce swelling and pain. 

As for time off of work, we recommend that the procedure is performed at the end of the week before the weekend to minimize the days off of work needed. For example, if you have the procedure performed on a Thursday, most patients should be able to return to work on Monday. If you have a physically demanding job or feel the swelling is too apparent, a few extra days may be needed before returning. We expect that full results will be seen over the course of a few weeks as swelling continues to subside. When your final results are shown, you will see a youthful neckline with a scarless appearance and rejuvenated contours with less downtime than the traditional open facelift procedures. 

How Long do Neck Lift Results Last? (with suture suspension)

Results are seen immediately, and these natural results can last for years for patients. The MyEllevate treatment is a great long-lasting solution for patients struggling with the appearance and aging of their neck and looking for an easier solution with minimal downtime and youthful-looking results that last for years. 

Please remember that this is NOT a Deep Plane Facelift and results will not be the same, but is a nice bridge for the patient that is looking for a more youthful neck line but feels they are not ready or feel they are too young for a facelift. 

Who is a Candidate for a Suture Suspension Neck Lift?

Recovery Time Suture Suspension Neck Lift

For most people, normal activities can be resumed after about a week. Office jobs can be continued after a few days, but activities requiring more movement such as gardening or medium-level housework can take up to a week until you feel fully comfortable going back to normal life. For heavy lifting, we recommend waiting a few weeks or until Dr. Ennis clears you for this activity.

Combining MyEllevate with Other Treatments for Optimal Results

MyEllevate can be performed in conjunction with additional cosmetic procedures if desired and approved by Dr. Ennis. This can often help patients achieve their desired look with only one downtime period rather than taking multiple periods of time off of work and out of their daily routine to recover from different procedures. We often see patients combine MyEllevate with procedures such as submental liposuction, chemical lipolysis, eyelid surgery and energy based tightening technologies. Dr Ennis will review the entire face with you to make sure you understand all of your options and make an informed decision about which procedure is best for you.

Preparing for a Neck Lift with Suture Suspension

To prepare for this procedure, we recommend that patients do not take any Aspirin, ibuprofen  or medications that interfere with normal blood clotting for at least two weeks prior to the procedure. This includes Ibuprofen, aspirin, and aleve. We also recommend that diet pills, herbal medications, and alcohol consumption is limited or avoided in this period unless cleared specifically by Dr. Ennis. The only pain medication that is allowed to be taken in the two-week period prior to surgery is Tylenol. 

If you have specific questions, Dr. Ennis or another member of our team can help ensure you are following the guidelines needed to achieve the best results after your procedure.

About MyEllevate Technology

MyEllevate, a technology created by Beverly Hills surgeon Dr. Gregory Mueller for the patient that might not yet be ready  for a facelift, is an innovative light-guided surgical technique that lets surgeons perform scarless, minimally invasive suture-suspension neck lifts.

This technique has greatly reduced recovery times for patients while producing excellent results for the patient that is younger or might not yet feel they are ready for a Deep Plane Facelift. To be clear, the MyEllevate procedure is NOT a facelift but a great bridge that can make amazing differences in the patient that is young or not yet ready for the best Deep Plane Facelift that Dr Ennis performs. 

Book a Neck Lift Consultation with Dr. Ennis