Face — Treatment
The neck
no longer tells.
The face holds its youth longer than the neck. Botox, fillers and disciplined skincare can preserve the cheek; very little of that reaches the platysma. A neck lift addresses what skincare cannot — loose skin, separated muscle, and the silhouette under the jaw.
What it is & what it isn't
A neck lift (platysmaplasty) tightens the platysma — the broad muscle that lies under the skin of the neck — and removes excess skin and fat from the area. The classic technique uses small incisions behind the ears and under the chin. Where only muscle banding is the issue, a single under-chin incision is sometimes enough.
What it isn't
Not a facelift. The neck lift addresses below the jawline; the face above is a separate conversation. We will tell you honestly if your concerns are better served by combining the two, by addressing only the neck, or — sometimes — by waiting another year.
The practical detail
What you are actually committing to.
- Procedure time
- Typically 2–3 hours
- Anaesthesia
- General or sedation
- Stay in Antalya
- Typically 5–7 days
- Flying home
- Typically 7–10 days
- Light exercise
- Typically 2–3 weeks
- Full exercise
- Typically 4–6 weeks
- Final result
- Typically 3–6 months
- Scarring
- Under chin and behind ears, both well-concealed
- Permanence
- Long-lasting; aging continues but is reset by several years
These figures are typical ranges, for planning your trip. Your own treatment and recovery timeline is assessed and decided by Dr. Meral — at consultation, and again as your healing progresses.
How it unfolds
The consultation
What is loose (skin), what is banded (the medial edges of the platysma), what is heavy (submental fat), and whether a facelift should accompany. The neck rarely ages in isolation — the question is honest about the rest of the face.
The plan
Markings made standing, with the head in natural position. The incision plan is decided here — submental alone (less common), submental plus retroauricular (classical), or combined with facelift access.
The surgery
Submental incision (under the chin) for access to the platysma. Where appropriate, retroauricular (behind the ear) incision for skin redraping. Platysma corseted in the midline. Excess skin trimmed without tension. Drains where placed.
The first night
Supportive neck wrap. Head elevated. Most patients sleep through the first night with mild discomfort, well-managed.
Recovery
Two weeks looking not yet healed. Three weeks looking quieter. By six weeks, most patients are no longer noticeably post-surgical to anyone who didn't know. Bruising tends to settle into the upper chest by week two — gravity. The compression wrap is worn day and night for the first two weeks, then at night for a few weeks more. Final settled result at three to six months.
A typical course, not a promise — healing differs from person to person. Dr. Meral reviews you at each follow-up and decides when each step is right for you.
This may be for you if
- You have visible neck laxity that does not respond to exercise or skincare
- The neck looks older than the face — and it bothers you
- You can take two weeks of recovery without significant social or professional exposure
- You're at a stable weight
This is not for you if
- Your concerns are mostly facial — a neck lift alone will leave the imbalance
- You're hoping for a complete reset to twenty-five — this is a return to roughly five to ten years earlier
- You smoke and aren't willing to stop for six weeks — necks heal slowly under skin tension
- You're newly bereaved or in major life transition — wait six months; surgery is not the answer in those windows
Begin
A conversation,
not a quote.
- +90 532 508 39 50
- info@mertmeral.com
- Hours
- Monday — Saturday · 09:00 — 19:00 (UTC+3)