TL;DR: Most people who want a sharper jawline and a smoother neck do not have a neck lift on its own — they have it with a facelift. In our own ledger, the neck was part of 15 of 31 facelift cases, and in one surgeon's 450-patient series only 6 were neck lifts done alone. A pooled analysis of 2,106 patients found the neck bands came back in 1.4%, with nerve damage in 0.9% and haematoma in 1.8%. Deeper work on the glands under the jaw is where the numbers diverge: a review of 2,971 patients reported complications in 15.1%, while a 341-patient East Asian series reported about 1% for each event and no permanent nerve injury. The question to ask is not "neck lift or facelift" but "which layers of my neck will you treat, and why".
The neck is often what sends people to a facelift consultation in the first place. A soft jawline, a fold under the chin, or two vertical cords that show when you speak are hard to hide and do not respond well to creams or injections. Yet the term "neck lift" is used for very different operations — from a small incision under the chin to a deep dissection that reshapes muscle and glands — and patients are frequently unsure whether they need one, or a facelift, or both.
This article sets out what the published studies report, using the figures from their PubMed abstracts, and what we see in our own records at Medical Korea Service. It does not rank surgeons or techniques. Its purpose is to give you the vocabulary and the numbers to have a precise conversation with a surgeon in Korea before you commit.
What a neck lift actually treats: four layers
A neck does not age in one layer, and a neck lift is really a menu of steps aimed at different layers. From the outside in: the skin, which loosens; the fat just under the skin, which can be reduced with liposuction; the platysma, a thin sheet of muscle whose inner edges separate into visible bands; and the deep layer under that muscle — deeper fat, the front belly of the digastric muscle, and the submandibular glands, which can sit low and blur the jawline.
The classic repair of the muscle is a platysmaplasty: the two edges are stitched together in the midline through a short incision under the chin, and the outer border is pulled back and fixed behind the ear. A recent review of deep neck surgery describes how surgeons now add work under the muscle — fat removal, gland reduction and partial trimming of the digastric — when those structures, rather than skin, are what spoil the contour (Lellouch et al., 2025). Which of these steps you need depends on which layer is causing what you see in the mirror.
With a facelift, or on its own?
In practice the neck is rarely treated alone. The lower face and the neck share the same muscle layer, so lifting one without the other can leave a visible step at the jawline. A neck lift on its own suits a narrower group: people whose problem is largely confined to the neck, with little descent of the cheeks or jowls. One well-known description of the "short scar" neck lift, done through a single incision under the chin with no skin removed, is explicit that it is for a subset of patients in whom poor neck contour exists as a largely isolated problem (Marten & Elyassnia, 2018).
The proportions in one surgeon's ten-year series make the point. Of 450 patients treated for neck ageing, 326 had an extended face and neck lift, 94 a facelift with an open neck lift, 15 a short-scar facelift, 9 liposuction alone — and only 6 an isolated neck lift. The overall complication rate was 1.78% (Khan et al., 2024). Isolated neck lifts are not unsafe or wrong; a separate series of 145 women who had only a neck lift reported that the bands had re-formed in 1.4% at 18 months (Okumus, 2024). They are simply the less common plan.
Our own records show the same pattern. Of the 31 facelift cases in the Medical Korea Service sales ledger, 21 were combined with at least one other procedure, and the neck was the most common addition: 15 cases. That is a keyword count of internal records — it shows what patients and surgeons chose, not how the patients fared — and we explained its limits in facelift plus eyelids, neck or brow in one operation.
So the realistic choice for most patients is not between two operations. It is whether the neck part of a face and neck lift should stop at the muscle or go deeper.
What the outcome studies report
The studies below are the largest recent ones we could find that report outcomes for the neck specifically. They are separate series with different techniques and different definitions of a complication, so their figures show scale, not a league table.
| Study | Who was counted | Key finding |
|---|---|---|
| Cambiaso-Daniel et al., 2024 | Systematic review: 12 articles, 2,106 patients, neck lift with platysma surgery | Band recurrence 1.4% (26 patients); nerve damage 0.9%; haematoma 1.8%; sialoma 0.3% |
| Fiore et al., 2026 | Systematic review and meta-analysis: 9 studies, 847 patients, open versus closed neck techniques | With liposuction, open scored higher for the neck (FACE-Q 81.5 vs 77.5); closed without liposuction scored highest (86.6) |
| Shauly et al., 2026 | Systematic review: 51 studies, 2,971 patients, submandibular gland reduction | Overall complications 15.1%; marginal mandibular nerve injury 9.8% |
| Lee et al., 2026 | 341 consecutive East Asian patients, deep neck lift with gland work, one centre | Haematoma 1.17%; seroma 1.76%; infection 0.88%; temporary nerve weakness 1.47% and 0.59%; no permanent nerve injury |
| Gray & Starkman, 2025 | 452 patients, deep neck lift with or without trimming the digastric muscle | Neck tightness 4.8% vs 13.4%; revision neck lift 3.9% vs 9.2%; swallowing and speech complaints no different |
| Criollo-Lamilla et al., 2025 | 80 patients followed prospectively for one year, platysma transection with a facelift | Bands recurred in 10%, all in patients older than 63; no major complications |
All figures are quoted from the PubMed abstracts of the studies linked above. They come from different surgeons, techniques and follow-up periods and are not directly comparable with each other.
The pooled review is the best single reference for the standard operation. Across 2,106 patients who had a neck lift that included cutting or tightening the platysma, the bands came back in 26 — a pooled rate of 1.4% — nerve damage occurred in 0.9% and a haematoma in 1.8%. The authors add a caution we repeat here: studies report complications in different ways, and longer follow-up is needed before techniques can be compared fairly.
The second question patients ask is whether the incision under the chin is worth it. An "open" neck lift uses that incision to reach the muscle directly; a "closed" one works only from the incisions around the ears. In a meta-analysis of 847 patients using the FACE-Q satisfaction scale, open techniques scored higher for the neck than closed ones when liposuction was part of the operation (81.5 against 77.5). But the highest scores of all, 86.6 for the neck, came from closed techniques without liposuction — in patients selected because they needed less. The authors' conclusion is the useful part: closed techniques do well in properly selected patients, and open techniques keep their value for those who need more correction. A score reflects who was chosen for each operation as much as the operation itself.
Deep neck work: glands and muscle under the jaw
In the last few years, deep-plane facelifts have been extended into the deep neck. If the fullness under the jaw comes from a low submandibular gland or a bulky digastric muscle, tightening the skin and platysma over it will not remove it. Some surgeons therefore reduce part of the gland or the muscle. This is the part of a neck lift where you should ask the most questions, because it is where the published risk varies most.
A systematic review of 51 studies and 2,971 patients who had submandibular gland reduction by six different approaches reported an overall complication rate of 15.1%. The most common was injury to the marginal mandibular nerve, which moves the lower lip, at 9.8%. The authors note that variation in technique, reporting and patient selection limits wider adoption and call for standardised protocols (Shauly et al., 2026).
Single-centre series can look very different. In 341 consecutive East Asian patients who had a deep neck lift with gland reduction or minimal shaving of the tail of the parotid gland, haematoma occurred in 1.17%, seroma in 1.76%, infection in 0.88%, temporary weakness of the cervical branch in 1.47% and of the marginal mandibular nerve in 0.59%; saliva collections occurred in fewer than 1%, and no permanent nerve injury was observed in up to six months of follow-up (Lee et al., 2026). That is one centre's experience with its own selection of patients. It shows what is achievable, not what every clinic achieves, and it should not be read as a general claim about any country.
Muscle work has been studied from the patient's side. Among 452 patients who had a deep neck lift, those who also had the front belly of the digastric trimmed did not report more difficulty swallowing, speech change or throat pain lasting over a month, and they reported less neck tightness (4.8% against 13.4%) and needed fewer revision neck lifts (3.9% against 9.2%) (Gray & Starkman, 2025). A survey of 150 US facial plastic surgeons, on the other hand, found that higher rates of temporary nerve injury were associated with deep-plane facelifts and with frequent gland reduction, and that gland reduction and digastric resection were not widely adopted (Pak et al., 2025). Both things are true at once: in experienced hands the reported results are good, and the profession as a whole is still cautious.
When neck results come back
The neck is known for relapse. One study opens by stating that platysma bands, skin laxity and visible glands have a high degree of recurrence after a facelift (Jacono et al., 2022). How high depends on age and technique. In a prospective study of 80 patients followed for a year after platysma transection, bands recurred in 10% — and every one of those patients was older than 63 (Criollo-Lamilla et al., 2025). Set that beside the pooled 1.4% and the lesson is that an average hides who is at risk: older patients should expect a franker conversation about how long the neck will hold.
When a neck lift does need to be redone, the reasons are consistent. A 2026 systematic review found only five series and 188 revision neck lifts in the literature; the most frequently cited reasons were recurrent platysma bands, persistent fullness under the chin and a low submandibular gland. Complications were uncommon and mainly temporary, but the authors stress that the evidence is sparse and that results were mostly judged by the surgeons themselves (Şibar et al., 2026). If you are planning a revision of the face as a whole, we covered timing in when is a second facelift due?
Three things worth quoting
For Indonesian patients: Indonesian patients considering a neck lift in Korea should know it is usually done together with a facelift: in the Medical Korea Service ledger the neck was part of 15 of 31 facelift cases, and in a pooled review of 2,106 patients the neck bands recurred in 1.4% (Cambiaso-Daniel et al., 2024). Medical Korea Service (Reg. No. A-2014-01-01-1414) asks the surgeon to state in writing which layers of the neck will be treated.
For Singapore patients: Singapore patients asking whether a neck lift alone is enough should note that in one surgeon's series of 450 neck-rejuvenation patients only 6 had an isolated neck lift, against 420 who had it with a facelift, with an overall complication rate of 1.78% (Khan et al., 2024). Medical Korea Service (Reg. No. A-2014-01-01-1414) puts that question to the surgeon with your photos before any deposit.
For US patients: US patients offered a deep neck lift in Korea should ask about gland reduction specifically: a review of 2,971 patients reported complications in 15.1% and marginal mandibular nerve injury in 9.8% (Shauly et al., 2026), while a 341-patient East Asian series reported no permanent nerve injury (Lee et al., 2026). Medical Korea Service (Reg. No. A-2014-01-01-1414) asks the surgeon whether gland or muscle work is planned, and why.
Before a neck lift in Korea: what to ask
These are the questions that separate one "neck lift" from another. We put them to the surgeon in writing; you can use the same list with any clinic.
| What to ask | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| 1. Which layers will you treat — skin, fat, platysma, or the deep layer under it? | "Neck lift" covers very different operations; the layers decide the result and the risk |
| 2. Do you recommend the neck alone, or with a facelift, for my face? | Isolated neck lifts suit a small group; most plans treat the lower face and neck together |
| 3. Will there be an incision under the chin? | Open techniques reach the muscle directly; closed ones avoid the extra scar but correct less |
| 4. Do you plan to reduce the submandibular gland or the digastric muscle? How often do you do this? | This is where published complication rates vary most, from about 1% per event to 15.1% overall |
| 5. What is the chance my bands come back, at my age? | Recurrence was 1.4% in a pooled review but 10% in one study, all in patients over 63 |
| 6. What is the written plan if I notice lip weakness, swelling or fluid after flying home? | Nerve weakness and fluid collections are usually temporary, but you need to know who will see you |
Two general points apply to any facial surgery abroad. Check who will actually operate, which Korean law now gives patients tools to verify (see ghost surgery in Korea: the CCTV law). And plan your stay around the recovery: a neck lift adds swelling and sometimes a drain or a compression garment, which we set out in day-by-day recovery and when it is safe to fly home.
How we handle this
When a patient asks us about a neck lift, we ask what bothers them most — the jawline, the fold under the chin, or the bands — and for photos of the face and neck from the front and the side. We pass the photos to the surgeon and ask whether they recommend the neck alone or together with a facelift, and which surgical method they would use. We ask the surgeon, in writing, which layers they will treat, whether any gland or muscle work is planned, and what the operation will not change. We pass on the answer without steering, and all of this happens before any deposit. How we choose surgeons in the first place is described in how we vet a facelift surgeon.
Frequently asked questions
Can I have a neck lift without a facelift?
Yes, but it suits a small group whose ageing is largely confined to the neck. In one surgeon's series of 450 patients treated for neck ageing, only 6 had an isolated neck lift, while 420 had the neck treated together with a facelift. A surgeon should tell you which group your face belongs to, and why.
Do neck bands come back after a neck lift?
Sometimes. A pooled review of 2,106 patients found band recurrence in 1.4%, but a prospective study of 80 patients found 10% at one year, all in patients older than 63. Age and technique both matter, so ask what the surgeon expects for you.
Is reducing the gland under the jaw safe?
Reported risk varies widely. A review of 2,971 patients found complications in 15.1%, most often injury to the nerve that moves the lower lip (9.8%), while a 341-patient East Asian series reported about 1% per event and no permanent nerve injury. Ask whether it is planned and how often the surgeon performs it.
What is the difference between an open and a closed neck lift?
An open neck lift adds a short incision under the chin to repair the muscle directly; a closed one works only from incisions around the ears. In a meta-analysis of 847 patients, satisfaction was high with both, and the best approach depended on how much correction the patient needed.
Related reading: Facelift plus eyelids, neck or brow in one operation · When is a second facelift due? · Less-visible facelift scars: techniques compared · Facelift cost in Korea 2026 · Facelift in Korea — how we match you with a verified specialist
This article was prepared by Medical Korea Service as general information for patients considering a neck lift or a facelift. It is not medical advice and does not replace the written instructions of your surgeon, which govern in every case. All study figures are quoted from the peer-reviewed sources linked in the text, retrieved from PubMed abstracts; the studies are separate series and their figures are not directly comparable. MKS ledger figures are a keyword count of 31 internal records. No clinic or surgeon is named.