How To Get Rid Of A Turkey Neck With Surgery

Turkey neck is a rather unkind name for loose, wrinkled and sagging skin on the neck – fortunately, it is a cosmetic concern that can be rectified through surgery.

We should point out that we would never refer to the term turkey neck, instead using it only because you may have happened to search for that term – after all, it is used often; too often perhaps.

We prefer to refer to the need for a neck lift, similar to a facelift in that it looks to lift the skin, make it tighter once more, more youthful and appealing.

In this page, we will outline key information about what ’turkey neck’ is, what causes it and also how it can be treated. We will also talk briefly about Dominic Bray, a specialist cosmetic surgeon who focusses solely on the face and neck and has stunning, independent reviews from many hundreds of delighted patients.

What is a ‘Turkey Neck’

The term refers to nothing more than a sign of natural ageing that can occur on the neck, the loosening and sagging of skin.

As unkind as the term may be, its origin is all-too obvious, making an unflattering comparison between a person’s neck and that seen on the farmyard bird.

Although the precise nature for the appearance of this sagging will vary by patient, two factors are typical.

Firstly, neck muscles weaken as we age, this reduces the ability for the skin to remain taut, hence it can start to sag.

The other issue is collagen depletion, this a natural part of ageing. As we age, our collagen creation is diminished and this causes skin to lose elasticity. Unfortunately, this is just how Mother Nature made us and there is not much that can be done about it – however hard some might seek to find a temporary fix through dermal fillers.

In this regard, the ageing of the neck is no different from ageing we might see on the face, though we will all age at different rates and so many will find that while their face shows relatively few signs of ageing, the neck appears to be that of a much older person.

Why Have A Sagging Neck Treated?

As with so many signs of ageing, or physical concerns there is no pressing health need to have a sagging neck treated. It is a natural part of ageing, even if it may be exaggerated in any individual. It is not unhealthy.

Why then have it treated?

The answer lies in well-being and a broader view of health.

Everyone likes to look their best – this does not mean their very best at all times – perfect make-up and hair – but it does mean a good version of themselves. A version whereby at any time you can look in a mirror and think ‘I look good’ and not instead focus on any imperfection that seems to dominate the appearance.

Many with sagging neck skin will be unconcerned, they won’t give it much thought. They probably won’t be reading this page, though they may have concerns about other aspects of their appearance.

For others, the ‘turkey neck’ will be a cause for concern and perhaps the reason their self-esteem and confidence is often lower than it could be.

Surgery can therefore do far more than simply change someone’s appearance, it can change their whole mindset. It can improve every aspect of their life from work through to relationships and friendships.

Leading neck and facial surgeon Dominic Bray states: ‘It is clear to me, contradictory to popular misconception, that the majority of patients seeking correction of signs of ageing are motivated by far more than just vanity. There is no doubt that for most of us, when we look our best, we have renewed confidence and energy about every aspect of our lives. This new confidence is life enriching.’

Options for Treating Sagging Neck Skin

For those who wish to address the issue of sagging neck skin there are a number of options a Google search might suggest, but several of them can be realistically ruled out.

One of these is exercise. Exercise is of course of huge overall health benefit, but as a means to address sagging neck skin it is little better than useless.

It does not impact collagen creation at all and so will do nothing to fight this cause of sagging skin. It also does not address the muscle deterioration caused by ageing. If you think logically about the neck, we are exercising it all the time – it is having to hold our head up, move as we look around. It is not short of exercise, so a few head tilts or other exercises you see on a random YouTube channel won’t make much difference.

We would suggest that any time free for exercise could be put to much better use working on general fitness rather than neck strength.

A second option is creams containing collagen and hyaluronic acid. The logic here is that hyaluronic acid stimulates collagen creation, and it is collagen depletion that can be so key to sagging skin.

While this has some basis in science, creams can at best do some minimal benefit in reducing further signs of ageing; they won’t suddenly make a neck that has loose and saggy skin become tight.

If you are at the stage whereby you feel surgery may be an option, then creams will not undo the concern.

A third option would be to consider dermal fillers. These contain hyaluronic acid and this is designed to stimulate collagen creation and therefore reduce the impact of sagging skin.

Fillers can certainly have some impact, though the effectiveness will vary greatly, not least because the field of non-surgical treatments is wholly under regulated and so virtually anyone can administer treatments.

Fillers won’t, however, address the signs of ageing caused by muscle degeneration, and this is often the key factor in the so-called turkey neck. They focus solely on the lack of collagen and elastin and yet for many this won’t be an issue.

Dermal fillers are also a very short-term option, one that will require a new course just a few months later. This can also create an ever-changing look whereby someone’s neck perhaps looks a bit more youthful straight after treatment, ages very rapidly over the coming months back to how it appeared previously and then, as if by magic, becomes youthful once more.

Fillers may cost less than surgery, but this is not a true comparison as the need for repeated treatments must be factored in.

Surgery for Treating Sagging Neck Skin

Surgery is now typically considered the most effective option for treating the issue of loose skin in the neck region.

When undertaken by a skilled, experienced surgeon, it is a procedure where results are highly predictable, producing the change to appearance a patient is so keen to see.

Surgery, however, always begins a stage earlier with a thorough and detailed consultation. This is your chance to talk and for the surgeon to listen. What is your journey to this point, why do you want surgery and what results do you seek?

The surgeon can then outline a plan of best action, in some instances this will be suggesting that surgery is not in fact suitable. No reputable cosmetic surgeon will recommend a procedure that is not truly in your best interests.

Consultations can be considered a fact-finding mission, you may suspect neck lift surgery would be of benefit, but be unsure. You may have many questions – that is fine, bring them along and have an open and honest conversation.

If you ultimately do end up having surgery then opting to choose Dominic Bray actually sees things done a little differently, this underpinning his reputation as a leading practitioner.

The Surgical Procedure with Dominic Bray

• A detailed initial consultation would help you decide if surgery is truly the best option for you. This is followed by a second consultation so that decisions can be made free of any time pressure

• The prospective patient would be given thorough information as to the results possible. How will their neck look post surgery? Example before and after images from others who have undergone this procedure can also be provided

• On the day of the surgery, you will check into Azara, an independent, Care Quality Commissioned hospital. You are escorted to a surgical suite by the hospital’s nurses

• A relaxation tablet is taken and the patient connected to a monitor and a small amount of sedation provided through a drip, this making the surgery go very quickly.
  
  This is overseen by a consultant anaesthetist

• The surgery itself typically takes between two and three hours. During the procedure, excess skin and fat is removed and the neck given a smoother, more refined look

• Very fine sutures are used to close the surgery.

• After the procedure, you can walk back to your room to start recovery. No grogginess, no coming round from general anaesthetic. The healing starts immediately.

• You would relax in your room after this, a luxurious setting. Healing would be aided by being placed under a infra-red dermalux light

Neck lift Surgery Results

Words alone cannot do any surgery justice – it is easy to speak of profound results, but what is the reality?

You must seek before and after photos and these must be fair – under the same lighting, without make-up added and when the surgery has settled into the permanent results.

Please see Dominic Bray’s photo gallery for examples, this can be filtered to demonstrate neck lift surgery.

Permanence of Results

It is natural to wonder if results from surgery are permanent. In the case of a neck lift to eradicate sagging skin, the surgery will typically set back ageing by seven to 10 years – so the neck region will look roughly that many years younger.

After this, ageing will occur but as if delayed, so if the neck looked 10 years younger then, five years later, it would still look 10 years younger than it otherwise would have done.

In this regard they have a permanent impact – this better than results that lead to time almost freezing – imagine how out of place any feature would look if it simply stopped ageing while everything else around it did age.

How Dominic Bray Differs

There are many plastic surgeons who can offer treatments for ‘turkey neck’ so why consider Dominic Bray?

His results are stunning, as you can see from the before and after image gallery.

These results are achieved because Dominic specialises, whereas many cosmetic surgeons are allrounders and perform a huge range of procedures on all parts of the body, he has chosen to specialise and dedicate himself to facial and neck surgery.

As a result, everything he does is geared towards procedures such as neck lifts, from his skills, through to the team he works with and even the facility whereby you would undergo surgery .

Patients benefit from a private, dedicated hospital set up by Dominic rather than leased space in a large private hospital.

– Dominic’s CV is stunning and you can read more about him on this site through a detailed resume and also information on his ethos. A few key points are listed below

–   Dominic has stunning, independent reviews. Please take the time to read testimonials – and do this for any surgeon you may consider. He has more than 200 independent, verified reviews and almost without exception these are for 5 stars.

–   Dominic was the first UK surgeon to be invited to sit on an expert panel to discuss management of facelift complications at the American Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery annual meeting.

–   A significant proportion of his work is with patients referred for revision surgery – improving the flawed work of other surgeons.

–   His qualifications, training, prizes, memberships and publications stand comparison with any. You can see full details on the About Page.

–   Dominic has undertaken specialist higher training in Otolaryngology – face and neck surgery. There are many cosmetic surgeons who perform neck lifts as part of what they offer – for Dominic this is his specialism.

Please take the time to get a sense for Dominic and his ethos. If you have any further questions or would like to arrange a consultation, do not hesitate to get in touch.

Call us on 0203 417 9980 or use the Contact Form.