Modern anaesthesia
General anaesthesia (TIVA) with local
Total intravenous anaesthesia with local infiltration gives a safe, deeply comfortable procedure and a smooth, clear-headed wake-up with very little nausea.
☎ +971 50 106 7981·WhatsApp·Elyzee Hospital, Abu Dhabi
Facial Surgery · Abu Dhabi & Dubai
Neck Lift — Deep Neck Lift
A neck lift rebuilds a sharp, defined jawline — correcting a double chin, the vertical “turkey-neck” bands and the loose neck of ageing or weight loss. Dr. Paulo Michels works in the deep layers of the neck, and for the right patient it is done through a single hidden incision under the chin — with no visible scar.
- {{ic-target}}Sharp, defined
jawline - {{ic-award}}ISAPS · ASPS
SBCP · EPSS - {{ic-shield}}Often no
visible scar
Overview
What is a neck lift?
A neck lift restores a clean, youthful neck and a defined jawline. The youthful neck has a sharp angle between the chin and the neck; with age or weight change this blurs — fat collects, the platysma muscle slackens into vertical bands, and the skin loosens.
A sharp neck is built in layers, from deep to superficial, so surface liposuction alone is rarely enough. Dr. Paulo Michels performs a deep neck lift: tightening the platysma muscle, removing the deep fat beneath it and refining the deeper structures — the true source of a crisp jawline.
For a patient with good skin, the whole operation is done through one small incision hidden under the chin — no scars around the ears. When the skin also needs redraping, short, well-hidden incisions around the ears are added.
What it corrects
What a neck lift treats
The neck ages in several ways at once. A deep neck lift addresses them together — which is why a single, layered operation gives a result that liposuction or skin-tightening alone cannot.
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Double chin
Fullness under the chin from fat — both the superficial fat and the deep fat beneath the muscle, which surface liposuction cannot reach.
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Turkey-neck bands
The vertical platysma bands that appear as the neck muscle slackens and its edges separate, breaking the smooth line of the neck.
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Lost jawline & angle
A blurred, obtuse angle between chin and neck. Rebuilding a sharp cervical angle is what restores a defined, youthful jawline.
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Weight-loss neck
After large or rapid weight loss — including on Ozempic or Mounjaro — the neck skin and muscle are left loose, often in a younger patient.
The technique
The deep neck lift — why the angle is built from the inside
A sharp jawline is created by what lies beneath the skin, so Dr. Paulo Michels addresses each deep structure directly, through the hidden incision under the chin:
Platysmaplasty — the two edges of the platysma muscle are stitched together in the midline like a corset, erasing the vertical bands and rebuilding the sling that defines the neck. Subplatysmal fat — the deep fat below the muscle, the part responsible for a stubborn full neck, is removed. The digastric muscles are reduced when they bulge, and the submandibular glands refined when they project — the finishing details that separate a good neck from a truly sharp one.
Only after the deep work is the superficial fat refined and the skin redraped. This is why a deep neck lift produces the crisp, sculpted angle that liposuction alone never achieves.
The scar
A neck lift without a visible scar?
For the right patient, yes. The approach is chosen by how much loose skin there is — using the least scarring that will give a clean, lasting result.
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Submental only — no visible scar
When the skin has good elasticity, the entire deep neck lift is performed through a single small incision under the chin, hidden in the natural crease. There are no scars around the ears — the neck is redefined from within, and from the front nothing shows.
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With short ear incisions — when skin must be redraped
When there is significant loose skin to remove and redrape, short, well-hidden incisions around the ears are added. These settle into the natural creases and become very difficult to see, and give the tightest result when skin is the main issue.
Our philosophy
A jawline rebuilt — cleanly, from within.
A younger patient
The weight-loss (Ozempic) neck
Fast, large weight loss — increasingly on Ozempic, Wegovy or Mounjaro — leaves the neck loose and the jawline soft, often in someone still young whose face is otherwise fine. A focused deep neck lift, frequently through the hidden under-chin incision alone, is often the ideal answer: it restores the jawline without operating on the whole face.
Neck or face?
When the neck is only part of it
If the cheeks and jowls have descended along with the neck, a neck lift on its own leaves a mismatch. In that case the neck is treated as part of a deep plane face and neck lift, in one continuous plane. Dr. Paulo Michels will tell you honestly whether your neck alone, or your whole face, is the right operation.
Comfort & healing
Anaesthesia, comfort and the scar
The procedure is engineered to be comfortable and to heal into a scar that is hidden or entirely out of sight.
A hidden or invisible scar
Under the chin, in the crease
The only incision in a submental-only lift sits under the chin, hidden in the natural crease and invisible from the front. When ear incisions are needed, they tuck into the natural contours around the ear.
Precise, gentle healing
Fine closure & support
A light supportive dressing shapes the new neckline as it heals. Meticulous, layered technique gives a clean recovery and a jawline that holds.
A defined jawline — rebuilt from within
Book a private consultation with Dr. Paulo Michels — an honest assessment of your neck and jawline, and whether a deep neck lift alone, or a full face and neck lift, is right for you.
Recovery
What is the recovery timeline?
Recovery is comfortable, with a supportive dressing shaping the neck in the early days. Most people are ready to be seen socially at about two weeks.
- First few days
A light supportive garment shapes the neck. Swelling and some bruising are normal and settle over the first week; discomfort is mild and easily managed.
- Days 7–10
Any sutures are removed. Much of the early swelling has settled and the new jawline begins to show.
- ~2 weeks
Most people return to social life and work, with any residual swelling easily disguised.
- 6 weeks
Full exercise resumes. The neckline continues to sharpen as deeper swelling resolves.
- Months
The final, crisp angle settles over several months. Because it is built on the deep muscle and structures, the result is long-lasting.
Candidacy
Am I a good candidate?
- A double chin, a soft jawline or a blurred angle between chin and neck
- Vertical “turkey-neck” bands, or loose neck skin
- A neck left loose after weight loss, including on Ozempic or Mounjaro
- Generally healthy and a non-smoker, or able to stop around surgery
- A neck that bothers you more than the rest of your face
Good to know
What to understand first
- A sharp neck is built deep — liposuction alone is rarely enough
- Good skin often allows a lift with no visible scar, under the chin
- Loose skin may need short, hidden incisions around the ears
- If the jowls and cheeks have dropped too, a full face-and-neck lift is better
- The result is built on muscle and structure, so it is long-lasting
Honest risks
What to weigh
A deep neck lift is a well-established operation with an excellent safety record in experienced hands. Its honest trade-offs include swelling and bruising for a week or two, temporary numbness or tightness that recovers, the hidden scar under the chin (and around the ears if needed), an uncommon and usually temporary weakness of a nerve branch to the lip, and the normal healing risks — all minimised by meticulous technique and discussed fully at your consultation.
Patient stories
In their words
TA
T. A.Dubai
“My double chin never shifted no matter how much I trained. He worked deep and gave me a jawline — and there isn’t a single visible scar.”Submental deep neck
FE
F. E.Abu Dhabi
“The bands down my neck are gone and the angle is sharp again. People think I’ve lost weight — they can’t place what changed.”Platysma corset
KJ
K. J.Sharjah
“I lost a lot of weight and my neck aged before the rest of me. He fixed just the neck — exactly what I needed, nothing more.”Weight-loss neck
Investment
How is the cost determined?
Every neck is different, so there is no single price. A personalised quotation follows an in-person assessment. The main factors:
- The depth of work needed — muscle, deep fat, digastric and glands
- Whether the lift is submental-only or also redrapes skin at the ears
- Whether it is a neck lift alone or part of a full face-and-neck lift
- The anaesthesia pathway, operating time and any hospital stay
- The post-operative programme and follow-up care
In line with UAE medical-advertising regulations, prices are shared privately in consultation rather than published.
FAQ
Neck lift, answered
What is a deep neck lift?
A deep neck lift rebuilds a sharp jawline by working in the deep layers of the neck, not just the skin: tightening the platysma muscle as a midline corset, removing the deep fat beneath it, and refining the digastric muscles and submandibular glands when they blunt the contour. It is the source of a truly crisp cervical angle.
Can a neck lift be done without a visible scar?
Often, yes. When the skin has good elasticity, the whole deep neck lift is performed through a single small incision hidden under the chin, with no scars around the ears — so nothing shows from the front. When there is significant loose skin to redrape, short well-hidden incisions around the ears are added.
Will liposuction alone fix my double chin?
Sometimes, but often not. Liposuction removes only the superficial fat. A stubborn full neck usually also has deep fat beneath the muscle, slack platysma or prominent deeper structures — and a sharp jawline needs these addressed. That is why a deep neck lift gives a definition that liposuction alone cannot.
What are turkey-neck bands and how are they corrected?
They are the vertical cords that appear when the edges of the platysma muscle slacken and separate. They are corrected with a platysmaplasty — stitching the muscle edges together in the midline like a corset — which erases the bands and rebuilds a smooth, defined neck.
What is the platysma corset?
It is the key step of the deep neck lift: the two edges of the platysma neck muscle are sewn together down the midline, recreating a firm sling that sharpens the angle between chin and neck and removes the vertical bands.
Is a neck lift good after weight loss or Ozempic?
Yes. Rapid or large weight loss, including on Ozempic, Wegovy or Mounjaro, commonly leaves the neck loose and the jawline soft, often in a younger patient whose face is otherwise fine. A focused deep neck lift — frequently through the hidden under-chin incision alone — restores the jawline without operating on the whole face.
Do I need a neck lift or a facelift?
If the neck is your main concern and the cheeks sit well, a neck lift alone is ideal. If the jowls and midface have also descended, the neck is best done as part of a deep plane face and neck lift so the result is balanced. This is decided honestly at consultation.
What anaesthesia is used?
General anaesthesia (total intravenous anaesthesia, TIVA) with local infiltration — a safe, comfortable procedure with a smooth, clear-headed wake-up and very little nausea.
What is the recovery like?
A supportive dressing shapes the neck in the first days. Swelling and bruising settle over a week or two, sutures come out at 7–10 days, most people return to social life and work at about two weeks, and full exercise at six weeks. The neckline sharpens further over several months.
How long does a neck lift last?
Because the result is built on the deep muscle and structures rather than skin tension, it is long-lasting. You continue to age naturally, but from a sharper, younger starting point.
Can a chin implant be combined with a neck lift?
Yes, when a small or receding chin is part of why the neck looks full. Adding projection to the chin can enhance the jawline and the cervical angle, and is assessed alongside the neck lift at consultation when relevant.
Enquiry
Ask about Neck Lift
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