Loose skin below the jawline and a slack platysma, the thin muscle sheet at the front of the neck, are what a neck lift in Korea corrects. At ENTER Plastic Surgery, Dr. Jang Jin-woo performs it under IV sedation or general anesthesia, stitches come out between day 7 and day 14, and the clinic's guidance puts the earliest flight home 7–10 days after surgery.
Is it for you?
Who a neck lift is planned for
Three things change in an aging neck, and they rarely change at the same pace. The skin loosens and starts to hang in soft folds, the platysma relaxes so its edges show as cords, and the angle between the chin and the neck loses its definition. A neck lift is chosen when loose skin is part of the problem, because removing and redraping excess skin is what sets it apart from procedures that only work on fat or muscle.
When the main issue is a full chin with skin that still springs back, corset platysmaplasty, which combines liposuction under the chin with muscle tightening, is the operation discussed instead. Sagging that starts higher, in the jowls and lower cheeks, points toward a facelift or a combined face and neck lift. Long-term, the platysma bands can return: in a review of more than a thousand neck lifts, about one in ten patients had a second neck procedure an average of about ten years later (Narasimhan, 2016).
Usually a good fit
- Loose, hanging skin under the chin and along the neck
- Visible vertical cords from a relaxed platysma
- A softened angle between the jawline and the neck
- Able to stay in Seoul until the stitches are removed
- In stable general health for surgery under sedation or general anesthesia
We may suggest waiting
- Fat under the chin with firm skin as the only concern
- Sagging that sits mainly in the jowls and lower cheeks
- Uncontrolled blood pressure or a bleeding disorder
- Smoking that cannot be stopped around the surgery
- Wanting a result without incisions or stitches
Before & after
Neck lift before and after
BEFORE
AFTERHow it works
How a neck lift tightens skin and platysma
The platysma lies just under the skin of the neck and fans up over the jawline. In published neck lift techniques, the surgeon lifts the skin off this muscle, tightens the platysma from the sides and, where bands show in the middle, stitches its two inner edges together before the skin is redraped and the excess trimmed. A 2020 series of 168 platysmaplasty patients in the Journal of Craniofacial Surgery found that adding the midline repair handled neck bands and submental laxity better than pulling from the sides alone.
Some necks also carry volume beneath the platysma, such as deep fat or enlarged salivary glands, which skin and muscle work does not reduce on its own. Plans for those structures are made case by case. Your incision plan and which layers are treated depend on how much skin is loose and where the bands sit, and Dr. Jang sets them out at consultation.
Mapping skin, bands and jawline
At consultationSkin looseness, the position of platysma bands, fat under the chin and the jawline angle are examined, and the plan for skin and muscle is drawn up.
Anesthesia
On the day, the operation starts under IV sedation or general anesthesia, according to the plan agreed for the extent of the work.
Platysma tightening
The skin is lifted off the platysma so the muscle can be tightened, with its inner edges joined where bands show in the middle of the neck.
Skin redraped and closed
The skin is redraped over the tightened neck, the excess is trimmed, and the incisions are closed with stitches.
Stitch removal
Day 7–14The stitches are taken out at a clinic visit between day 7 and day 14, and makeup can be used from the following day.
Neck and lower-face surgery on the ENTER Plastic Surgery menu
| Point of comparison | Neck lift | Corset platysmaplasty | SMAS facelift |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main target | Loose neck skin and platysma | Fat under the chin and neck bands | Jowls, jawline and lower cheeks |
| Anesthesia | IV sedation or general anesthesia | IV sedation | General anesthesia, with sedation if needed |
| Stitches out | Day 7–14 | Day 7 | About day 7–10 |
| Earliest flight home | 7–10 days, after stitch removal | 7 days, after stitch removal | 10–14 days |
| Clinic guidance on duration | About 5–7 years | Changes gradually with aging | About 7–10 years |
Durations are the clinic's own guidance; the neck keeps aging and individual results vary.
Your doctor
Chief Director · Korean board-certified plastic surgeon
“Natural, yet clearly visible change.”Eyelid and facelift surgery at ENTER is planned and performed by Dr. Jang himself.
- NowChief Director, ENTER Plastic Surgery
- TrainingPlastic surgery, Kyung Hee University Medical Center
- FormerChief Director, Jang Plastic Surgery
- FormerDirector, Secret Plastic Surgery
- MemberKSPRS · KSAPS · ISAPS · ESOPRS · ASPS
At a glance
Neck lift facts in brief
| Anesthesia | IV sedation or general anesthesia |
|---|---|
| Recovery | Bruising and swelling 1–2 weeks; stitches out at day 7–14 |
| Stitches | Removed 7–14 days after surgery |
| Return to exercise | Generally, light walking is fine from surgery day; strenuous exercise, bending the head down and heavy lifting are avoided for about 2–3 weeks (return to daily life: about 2 weeks in published guidance) |
| Earliest flight home | 7–10 days after surgery, once stitches are removed |
| How long results last | About 5–7 years |
Prices
Neck lift cost in South Korea
A neck lift quote has two fixed parts: the surgery fee and IV sedation, which the clinic charges separately for every operation, even when general anesthesia is used. Both are pre-VAT amounts, and 10% VAT is added at payment.
Face and neck lift
Lifting the face and neck together is a separate item on the clinic's price list with its own fee. It sits with the SMAS facelift, so the neck lift card here applies when the work stays below the jawline.
Prices exclude VAT (10% VAT is added at payment).
Recovery
Neck lift recovery, day by day
Start the prescribed medicine, taken twice a day, morning and evening, and keep your head raised when resting. Swelling or pain that builds quickly on one side of the neck needs an immediate call.
A light shower is allowed from the day after surgery. Keep water pressure off the incisions and pat the area dry.
Partial face washing can begin. Bruising may spread down toward the collarbone as it fades, which is expected.
The stitches are removed at a visit in this window. Makeup can go back on from the next day, and the clinic's guidance allows the flight home 7–10 days after surgery once the stitches are out.
Bruising and swelling largely settle within one to two weeks. Do not rub or massage the neck until the third week, even though the stitches are already out.
Avoid hard foods and opening the mouth wide until four weeks have passed. Hair dyeing and perms can resume one month after surgery.
Safety
Risks of neck lift surgery
A neck lift is a full surgical operation, and its complications are the ones described for facelift surgery. A 2025 systematic review of 59 studies found that overall complication rates were low and that hematoma made up about a third of all complications, with recent studies reporting more poor scarring and nerve injury and fewer seromas (Fang, 2025).
- Hematoma, a collection of blood under the skin that can need draining and causes rapid one-sided swelling.
- Injury to the nerve branch that moves the lower lip, causing weakness that may be temporary or lasting.
- Seroma, a pocket of clear fluid under the skin.
- Wide, raised or dark scars along the incision lines.
- Numbness of the neck skin and around the ears for a period.
- Return of platysma bands or neck laxity over the years, which can lead to revision surgery.
In the 2020 platysmaplasty series, nerve palsy occurred in 0.6% of patients, hematoma in 1.8% and seroma in 1.2%; these are published figures from one group and do not predict an individual result.
Evidence
Research behind this page
- A Systematic Review of Rhytidectomy Complications and Prevention MethodsAnnals of Plastic Surgery · 2025 · Fang A · doi:10.1097/sap.0000000000004272
Systematic review of 59 studies on facelift complications: rates were low overall, hematoma was the most common at about a third of complications, and recent reports show more poor scarring and nerve injury.
- Neck Contouring and Rejuvenation in Male Patients Through Dual-Plane Reduction Neck LiftClinics in Plastic Surgery · 2022 · Bravo F · doi:10.1016/j.cps.2021.12.002
Technique review on neck contouring in men: treating deep structures under the platysma separately from low-tension repositioning of muscle and skin; a descriptive, very low-evidence source.
- Secondary Neck Lift and the Importance of Midline Platysmaplasty: Review of 101 CasesPlastic & Reconstructive Surgery · 2016 · Narasimhan K et al. · doi:10.1097/prs.0000000000002003
Among 1,089 neck lifts, about 10% had a secondary procedure an average of 10.3 years later, mostly for recurrent platysma bands or jawline laxity; the authors stress midline platysmaplasty.
- Modified Medial and Lateral PlatysmaplastyJournal of Craniofacial Surgery · 2020 · Choi J · doi:10.1097/scs.0000000000006515
Series of 168 platysmaplasty patients: midline plus lateral repair improved neck bands and submental laxity more than lateral pull alone, with nerve palsy 0.6% and hematoma 1.8%.
FAQ
Neck lift FAQ
When do bruising and swelling settle after a neck lift?
Bruising and swelling largely fade within one to two weeks, according to the clinic's aftercare guidance. The neck can feel tight or firm for longer than it looks swollen. Even after the stitches are out, avoid rubbing or massaging the area until the third week.
How long should I stay in Seoul after a neck lift?
Plan for seven to ten days after surgery at minimum. The clinic's guidance is that you can fly once the stitches have been removed, and stitch removal falls between day 7 and day 14, so a stay closer to two weeks leaves room if your stitches are due late in that window.
Who performs neck lift surgery at ENTER Plastic Surgery?
Dr. Jang Jin-woo performs the operation. Dr. Jang is a Korean board-certified plastic surgeon who trained at Kyung Hee University Medical Center and is a member of ISAPS and the Korean Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. Facelift and neck surgery are part of that surgical practice.
Is IV sedation charged on top of the neck lift fee?
Yes. The clinic bills IV sedation as a separate line for every operation, including those done under general anesthesia (anaesthesia in UK spelling). Both the surgery fee and the sedation line are listed before 10% VAT. Ask for any medication or compression items to be itemized in your quote.
Is a face and neck lift priced differently from a neck lift alone?
Yes. The combined face and neck lift is a separate item on the clinic's price list with its own fee, and it is covered with the SMAS facelift. The neck lift fee on this page applies when the work is limited to the neck and jawline.
Will I be asleep for a neck lift?
The operation is done under either IV sedation or general anesthesia. Under sedation you are deeply relaxed and breathing on your own; under general anesthesia you are fully asleep. The extent of the work and your health history shape which one is used, so raise any past reactions to anesthesia early.
Is a neck lift done for men?
Yes. Men are candidates when loose skin or a blunted jawline is the concern, and their thicker skin and beard area are factors in planning. A review of neck contouring in male patients describes handling deeper neck structures separately from the platysma and skin (Bravo, 2022).
When can I wear makeup or dye my hair after a neck lift?
Makeup can go back on from the day after your stitches come out. Hair dyeing and perms should wait one month from surgery, because chemicals near healing incisions can irritate them. Light showers are allowed from the day after surgery and partial face washing from day three.
What should I avoid eating in the first month after a neck lift?
For four weeks the clinic asks you to avoid hard foods and opening your mouth wide, because both put tension on the healing neck and jawline. Soft foods cut into small pieces make this easier. Chewing gum and very large bites are best left until after that month.
How do I start a neck lift consultation from abroad?
Send the form on this page or message us on WhatsApp, and we will get back to you as soon as possible. English-speaking staff are available at the clinic. Sharing your planned dates in Seoul early lets the surgery be scheduled with enough time for stitch removal before your flight.
What deposit and cancellation terms apply to neck lift surgery?
The clinic sets deposit and cancellation terms for each booking, and they are not published here. Get them in writing before paying, and read them against your travel dates, since moving the surgery also moves the stitch removal that decides when you can fly.
Google reviews
Reviews on Google Maps
Great experience! Dr. is very sweet and kind. He listened to what I wanted to fix and correct. He explained everything very well. Wasn’t pushy and didn’t try to sell anything extra. This isn’t a clinic that comes out on instagram, which I…
Jennifer LyuA month agoI came to Enter Plastic Surgery on a friend’s recommendation for under-eye fat repositioning. I was pretty nervous going in, but the doctor took the time to explain what would work for my under-eyes, what the procedure involved, and what…
Michael2 months agoThe staff are incredibly friendly, and the consultation was very thorough. I was very worried since it was my first procedure, but the director explained the aftercare in detail, so I felt completely confident trusting them!!
ROOHEUI SHIN (RHS)2 months ago · Translated by Google