Neck Lift in Turkey

A neck lift (lower rhytidectomy, usually combined with a platysmaplasty) removes loose neck skin, tightens the platysma muscle and, where needed, reduces fat to restore a sharper jaw and neck line. It suits people bothered by sagging skin, vertical neck bands or a heavy “double chin” that diet and exercise have not changed. In Turkey, a neck lift package typically costs €3,000–€7,000, and most surgeons advise staying 7–10 days before flying home.

What a neck lift is and how it works

The neck ages in three layers, and a good plan treats the one causing the problem. Skin loses elasticity and hangs in folds; the platysma, a thin sheet of muscle running from the collarbones to the jaw, separates at the midline and shows as vertical bands; and fat collects under the chin, either beneath the skin or deeper, under the muscle. Through incisions around and behind the ears, often with a short one under the chin, the surgeon lifts the skin, tightens the platysma, removes or sculpts fat, then redrapes the skin and trims the excess.

Skin, muscle or fat: why the diagnosis matters

If the main issue is fat and your skin is still elastic, liposuction of the neck alone may be enough. If bands dominate, the muscle needs repairing; if loose skin is the problem, skin must be removed, which requires the incisions around the ears. Most people have a mix, so an in-person assessment by a plastic surgeon matters more than any package name. A thread lift or Botox can temporarily soften mild laxity or bands, but neither removes loose skin.

Neck lift techniques and options

In a deep-plane lift the platysma and the tissue above it are released and lifted as one unit rather than pulling only the skin, and a “deep neck” procedure may also reduce fat beneath the muscle. This can give a crisper angle in fuller necks, but it takes longer and works close to nerves and salivary glands, so choose a surgeon who does it routinely. If the jowls have also dropped, a neck lift is usually combined with a facelift, as the two share incisions.

Who is a good candidate, and who is not

• Healthy adults with loose neck skin, a softened jawline or a “turkey neck”
• People with visible platysma bands, or fat under the chin that diet and exercise have not shifted
• Those at a stable weight, because major weight change afterwards alters the result
• Non-smokers, or people willing to stop for several weeks around surgery
• Anyone with realistic expectations: a neck lift refreshes, but it does not stop ageing

It is usually not advisable if you smoke and cannot stop, have uncontrolled high blood pressure or a bleeding disorder, take blood thinners that cannot safely be paused, or plan to lose a lot of weight. It also does not improve crepey skin texture. If your profile is mainly limited by a small chin, chin augmentation may help more.

The procedure step by step

Recovery timeline

1. Days 1–2

   Tightness and swelling

   Keep your head elevated, avoid turning it sharply, and do not ice the neck unless your surgeon says so.

2. Days 5–10

   Stitches and check-up

   Drains are out and stitches are removed or checked. Most surgeons clear international patients to fly after about 7–10 days.

3. Weeks 2–3

   Back to desk work

   Leftover bruising can be covered. Numbness under the chin and around the ears is common and usually improves.

4. Weeks 4–6

   Exercise again

   Gradual return to the gym once your surgeon agrees; firm areas under the skin soften.

5. Months 3–6

   Result settles

   The contour is close to final. Scars keep fading for up to a year.

Results and how long they last

Once swelling settles, the jaw and neck line are usually visibly sharper, and the skin and fat that were removed do not come back. The neck keeps ageing, though: skin continues to relax and bands can return. In a 2026 systematic review of revision neck lifts, second operations were often needed 7–11 years after the first, most commonly for recurrent bands, persistent fullness under the chin or sagging submandibular glands. A stable weight, sun protection and not smoking help the result last.

Risks and how to reduce them

With an experienced surgeon in a proper hospital, serious problems are uncommon: a 2026 systematic review of nine studies (847 patients) found complications were generally mild, and serious events such as permanent nerve injury were rare. The main risks are:

• Haematoma: blood collecting under the skin, the key early complication; controlled blood pressure and pausing blood thinners lower the risk
• Nerve injury: usually a temporary weakness of the lower lip; permanent injury is rare. Numbness of the skin and earlobes is common and generally improves
• Skin irregularities: dimpling, lumps, visible bands, asymmetry or an over-hollowed look if too much fat is removed
• Skin loss or poor healing, more likely in smokers
• Scars that widen or thicken, and hair loss along the incisions
• Infection, prolonged swelling, anaesthesia risks, blood clots, or a result that needs revision

Cost of a neck lift in Turkey and what's included

Packages usually include the surgeon's and anaesthetist's fees, the hospital night, medicines, a compression garment, hotel nights and transfers; flights, extra nights and treatment of complications after you fly home are often excluded. Prices vary with technique, surgeon and hospital, so compare itemised written quotes. For context, the NHS notes that a face and neck lift in the UK can cost up to around £10,000. You can get free quotes from several clinics.

Choosing a clinic safely

• A licensed, accredited hospital with an anaesthetist and overnight monitoring
• A surgeon registered in Turkey as a plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgery specialist who performs neck lifts regularly
• The Ministry of Health's health-tourism authorisation, the Uluslararası Sağlık Turizmi Yetki Belgesi
• A written quote naming the technique, hospital nights, follow-up and the policy on complications and revisions
• Realistic before-and-after photos of necks like yours, in the same light and angle
• Red flags: no consultation with the surgeon before surgery day, pressure to add procedures, “scarless” promises or prices far below the market

A good neck lift starts with the right diagnosis: loose skin, muscle bands and fat each need a different fix. Ask your surgeon which layers your plan treats, and why.

— WhichClinic Editorial Team