Real Talk About Getting Your Neck Back
I remember Maria walking into our Santa Ana office last year. She was 59, owned a bakery on 4th Street, and worked hard every day. But her neck made her look exhausted. "Customers ask if I'm okay," she said. "I'm fine, my neck just looks bad." That's what neck lift surgery fixes. You don't look like someone else. You just get your neck back.
Dr. Mirrafati has been doing this for over 30 years now. He's treated more than 50,000 patients and is a Diplomate of the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery. That experience matters when someone's working on your neck.
What Neck Lift Surgery Actually Is
A neck lift – the medical term is cervicoplasty – tightens loose skin and muscles in your neck. Gets rid of saggy skin and that double chin look. Takes a few hours. You're asleep for it. Everyone goes home the same day.
Your neck ages just like your face. Skin loses elasticity. Fat builds up under your chin. Muscles separate. Gravity pulls everything down. Some people see it happen faster. If your parents had neck problems early, you probably will too.
In Santa Ana we see lots of people who worked outside for years. That sun exposure adds up. Makes skin age faster. Your neck shows it first because the skin there is thin.
Why People Get Cervicoplasty
Most people want their neck to stop looking old. They feel okay but their neck shows someone worn out. That disconnect bothers them.
I had a patient named Carlos who manages a restaurant. He was only 56 but his neck made him look 70. Employees didn't take him seriously because they thought he was ready to retire. After his neck lift, that changed. Sometimes how you look affects how people treat you.
But lots of people get it just for themselves. They hate their neck in photos. They wear scarves all the time to hide it. They avoid looking in mirrors. That's no way to live.
Turkey Neck Surgery Santa Ana
Turkey neck – that's when your neck skin hangs loose and wrinkly. It's caused by loose skin, weak muscles, and sometimes extra fat under your chin.
A neck lift fixes all that. We remove the extra skin. Tighten the muscles. Remove fat if needed. Your neck looks smooth again.
When we tighten the neck muscles, we're doing a platysmaplasty. Those vertical bands you see are separated muscles. We stitch them back together. That creates the smooth look.
Neck Tightening Surgery Process
First visit is consultation. We look at your neck, take pictures, talk about what bugs you. Dr. Mirrafati tells you what he thinks you need. You tell him what you want. Sometimes we agree right away. Sometimes we need to adjust expectations.
Surgery day you come in early. We mark your neck with a pen. Cuts go behind your ears and maybe under your chin. Small cuts that hide well.
Dr. Mirrafati does liposuction first if you got fat under your chin. Then he tightens the neck muscles. Pulls them together in the middle and stitches them tight. Then removes extra skin and closes everything up.
Takes about three hours. You're asleep for all of it. Then you rest in recovery. Someone drives you home. Everyone goes home the same day.
Affordable Neck Lift Options
Neck lifts cost money but they last 10-15 years. That's different than fillers every six months that add up over time.
We offer financing through companies like CareCredit and Cherry. Monthly payments make it more doable. You don't have to pay everything upfront.
Dr. Mirrafati gives honest pricing during consultation. No surprise fees later. What he quotes is what you pay.
Some places in Santa Ana advertise super cheap neck lifts. Be really careful. Cheap usually means inexperienced or cutting corners. Your neck isn't where you want to save money.
Neck Lift Payment Plans
We work with several financing companies. Can find a payment plan that fits your budget. Make monthly payments instead of paying everything at once.
CareCredit and Cherry are medical financing companies lots of people use. Application is easy. Get approved usually same day. Then you can schedule your surgery.
Don't let cost stop you from getting a consultation. Come in and find out what it costs. Then decide if it's worth it for you.
Submental Liposuction
Sometimes people don't need a full neck lift. They just got fat under their chin making a double chin. That's where submental liposuction helps.
We make a tiny cut under your chin. Use a thin tube to suck out the fat. Takes about an hour. Way less recovery than full neck lift.
Only works if your skin has good elasticity though. If your skin is really loose, liposuction alone won't help. You'd need the full neck lift to remove excess skin too.
Dr. Mirrafati figures out during consultation what you actually need. Sometimes it's just lipo. Sometimes it's the full lift. He'll be honest about it.
Double Chin Removal
Double chin can be caused by fat, loose skin, or both. Treatment depends on what's causing it.
If it's just fat and your skin is tight, liposuction works great. If it's loose skin, you need a neck lift to remove that skin. If it's both, you need both procedures.
Lots of people in Santa Ana come in wanting to get rid of their double chin. Dr. Mirrafati examines you and tells you the best way to fix it. Not everyone needs the same thing.
Recovery Timeline
First few days you're swollen and bruised. Neck feels tight. Pain medication helps. Ice packs reduce swelling. Sleep with head elevated.
Bandages come off after a day or two. Stitches come out after about a week. By two weeks most swelling is down. Can go out with a scarf if you want.
Most people go back to work after two weeks. Light activities are okay. No gym or heavy lifting for three weeks.
You see final results around three months when all swelling is gone. Look better every week though.
Natural Looking Results
The worry people have is looking fake or pulled. That happens when surgeons pull skin too tight or don't fix the muscles underneath.
Dr. Mirrafati fixes the foundation first – tightens the muscles. Then removes extra skin. Creates results that look natural, not surgical.
You still look like you. Your neck just looks younger and tighter. People think you lost weight or started exercising. They don't know you had surgery unless you tell them.
With over 30 years experience, Dr. Mirrafati knows how to make necks look natural. That's what Santa Ana patients want.
Finding Good Surgeon
Experience really matters with neck lifts. Your neck has important nerves and blood vessels. You want someone who's done this thousands of times.
Dr. Mirrafati is a Diplomate of the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery with over 30 years of experience and more than 50,000 patients treated. He's seen every type of neck problem and knows how to fix them.
Ask to see before and after photos. Check their credentials. Board certification means extra training. Thousands of surgeries means they know what they're doing.
Santa Ana has surgeons doing neck lifts. Not all are equally good. Do research before choosing. Read our page about Neck Lift Surgery.
Why Choose Santa Ana
Santa Ana is central in Orange County. Easy to reach from Irvine, Costa Mesa, Garden Grove, Tustin, Anaheim. Our office is right off the 5 freeway near MainPlace Mall.
Dr. Mirrafati has served Santa Ana and surrounding areas for over 30 years. That kind of established practice with 50,000+ patients comes from good consistent results.
We see diverse patients here. All types of necks and skin. That experience helps us get better results for everyone.
Questions People Ask
"Does it hurt?" – Not during surgery. After, your neck is sore for a few days. Pain meds handle it.
"Will I have scars?" – Yes but they hide behind your ears and under your chin. Can't see them after healing.
"How long does it last?" – Typically 10-15 years before you might need a touch-up.
"When can I work again?" – Usually 2 weeks.
"Can I do neck without face?" – Yes. Lots of people just need their neck done.
Schedule Your Consultation
Come in and we'll look at your neck. Dr. Mirrafati tells you what he sees. You tell him what bothers you. No pressure to book surgery that day.
Bring old photos if you got them. Helps show what changed over time.
Ask all your questions. With over 30 years experience, Dr. Mirrafati has heard everything and gives honest answers.
This is your neck. Take time deciding. But if saggy neck skin bugs you every day, fixing it might change how you feel.
Ready to talk about a neck lift? Call our office at (714) 544-8678 and set up a consultation with Dr. Mirrafati. We'll see if neck lift surgery makes sense for you.
Featured on the following networks
