What Do Neck Lift Scars Look Like?

Neck lift scars are one of the first things people ask about before surgery, and it is a fair question: the aim of a neck lift is a smoother, more defined jawline and neck, and nobody wants to swap one concern for another. In practice, necklift scars are short, placed deliberately and usually hard to spot once healed, though how a scar heals also depends on your skin, your aftercare and the operation you have^[1].

This guide explains where neck lift incisions go, what the scars look like week by week, how a short scar neck lift compares with a full one, and what you can do to help scars fade. If you are still deciding between procedures, our guide to the different types of neck lift sets out how each approach works, and the neck lift recovery guide covers the first weeks in detail.

Where Are Neck Lift Scars Placed?

The position of neck lift scars depends on how much work the neck needs. A neck lift tightens the platysma muscle, which is the thin sheet of muscle that runs down the front of the neck, deals with fat under the chin and, if there is genuine excess, removes loose skin. Each of those steps needs access, and the incisions are placed where healed scars are least noticeable.

Neck lift scars under the chin

Almost every neck lift includes a small horizontal incision in the crease just behind the chin, usually 2 to 3 cm long. Through it the surgeon reaches the platysma, sutures the separated muscle edges together in the midline and removes or liposuctions fat. Once healed, the scar sits in the natural shadow under the chin and is very hard to see when you look straight ahead. This is the main scar for people with platysmal bands or fullness under the chin and little loose skin.

Neck lift scars behind the ears

When there is loose skin along the sides of the neck, a fuller neck lift adds incisions around the ear: in front of the ear or in its natural crease, around the earlobe and a short distance behind the ear into the hairline. These allow the skin of the side of the neck to be lifted upwards and backwards and the genuine excess trimmed, without tension on the closure. Behind the ear, the scar is hidden in the fold and under hair, which is why neck lift scars behind the ears are rarely noticed by other people. Where there is a lot of excess skin, some surgeons extend the incision along the back hairline, and a 2008 case series of 27 patients in Aesthetic Plastic Surgery reported that none described the final scar as noticeable at six months^[3].

Neck lift scars with a facelift

A neck lift is often combined with a lower facelift or a full facelift, because the face and neck age together. The scars then continue from the neck incisions up in front of the ear and, where needed, into the hairline at the temple. Our guide to facelift scars shows how those heal.

What Do Neck Lift Scars Look Like?

Healed neck lift scars are fine, flat lines a similar colour to the surrounding skin, or slightly paler. Under the chin the scar is a short line in a crease; behind the ear it follows the fold and disappears into the hairline. A 2025 case series of 154 patients having a face and neck lift through a retro-auricular incision and a small submental incision, published in Aesthetic Plastic Surgery ↗, found 94% were satisfied with the result at a median of 12 months. Hypertrophic (thickened) scarring occurred in 1.5% and wound edge breakdown in 7.7%^[2].

If you want to see real examples, our neck lift before and after photos page has more, and the two results below show the neck and the area behind the ear after surgery at Centre for Surgery. Individual results vary, and scars look different in every person.

Are neck lift scars visible?

Most people find them difficult to see in everyday life. Under the chin the scar is in shadow and, with the head level, usually out of view. Behind and below the ear it is covered by the ear itself and by hair, and can be covered with make-up once the stitches are out and the skin has settled. Short hair, hair worn up and bright lighting from below make scars easier to see, so it is worth telling your surgeon how you wear your hair.

How Long Do Neck Lift Scars Take to Heal?

Neck lift scars take about 6 to 12 months to settle, and they keep refining for a little longer. The stages below are typical; healing varies with skin type, age, smoking and how the wound is looked after.

• Weeks 1 to 2: the incisions are red, slightly raised and a little tender. Stitches under the chin and around the ear are usually removed at about day 7, and a compression garment is worn for the first two weeks.
• Weeks 2 to 6: the scars are still pink and may feel firm or itchy. Bruising has largely faded and make-up can be used from about day 10 once the skin has settled.
• Months 2 to 3: redness fades and the scars flatten. Most of the visible result is in place, though numbness and tightness continue to improve.
• Months 3 to 6: scars soften, turn paler and become less noticeable. Lumps along the scar line soften.
• Months 6 to 12: scars mature to fine pale lines. Fine-tuning can continue beyond a year, and scars can take longer in people prone to thick scarring.

Are neck lift scars permanent?

Yes. Every full-thickness cut through skin leaves a scar that fades but does not disappear. The goal is a scar that is thin, flat and well hidden, rather than no scar at all. Scars are not stationary either: they usually look better in the second year than in the first, which is why it is worth judging a neck lift scar at 12 months rather than at 12 weeks. For general advice on how scars mature, see our guide to types of scars.

Short Scar Neck Lift vs Full Neck Lift: Which Leaves Smaller Scars?

A short scar neck lift, also called a mini neck lift or limited-incision neck lift, uses a small incision under the chin and, if needed, short incisions by the earlobes. It leaves less scar than a full neck lift, and usually less swelling and a shorter recovery. It suits early to moderate changes: some banding, modest fat under the chin and mild skin laxity, typically in people in their late 30s to early 50s. The detail is on our mini neck lift page.

The trade-off is reach. A short incision cannot remove much loose skin at the sides of the neck or tighten the lower face. A 2006 retrospective study of 82 patients having short-scar face lifts found similar satisfaction to the standard approach but concluded the neck result was moderate and that over half the group needed a further tuck at 24 months for jowling and redundant skin^[4]. If you have significant hanging skin, a limited incision can disappoint, and a full neck lift with ear incisions is the better operation. Your surgeon will tell you honestly which side of that line you are on. Where fat under the chin is the main issue, chin and neck liposuction may be enough, and our turkey neck guide compares the options.

Can You Have a Neck Lift Without Scars?

Not a surgical one. Any operation that tightens muscle and removes skin needs an incision, so a scarless neck lift in the strict sense is not possible. Two honest options sit around that statement.

The first is a neck lift that avoids scars around the ears. A 2026 study of 85 patients in Aesthetic Plastic Surgery ↗ described an anterior approach using liposuction and a limited platysma corset through the chin incision alone. Satisfaction averaged 4.5 out of 5, with three seromas needing aspiration and three temporary patches of chin numbness, but the authors stressed that it does not replace a cervicofacial lift and suits selected patients^[5]. In other words, it works when skin laxity is limited, and your surgeon will assess whether you are one of those people.

The second is a non-surgical route. Morpheus8 radiofrequency microneedling tightens skin gradually without incisions, anti-wrinkle injections can soften platysmal bands and dermal fillers can help the jawline, as our guides to a non-surgical neck lift and tightening neck skin without surgery explain. These treatments do not lift the way surgery does, and results last a limited time. Centre for Surgery does not offer thread lifts, so we would not suggest them as a route to a tighter neck here.

Neck Lift Scars in Men

Male neck lift scars follow the same principles, with some adjustments. Thicker, beard-bearing skin and a different hairline mean incisions are planned so that beard hair is not dragged behind the ear and the scar sits where short hair is least likely to expose it. Men often notice the loss of the jaw-neck angle first, and the aim is a defined neck that keeps a masculine width. Our male neck lift page explains how surgery is planned differently, and men with short hair should raise scar position at the consultation.

How to Reduce Neck Lift Scars

The position of the incisions is largely settled in the operating theatre, but how the scars heal is shaped afterwards. Our general guides to minimising scars after cosmetic surgery and scar management cover the principles; for the neck the following matter most.

Choose the right operation and tell your surgeon about your skin

Scar risk is influenced by skin type, ethnicity, scar location and conditions that delay healing, and a review of facial scarring emphasises that careful incision design, meticulous closure and wound care all reduce the risk^[1]. Tell your surgeon if you or your family have had thick or keloid scars, or have darker skin that scars more heavily.

Stop nicotine and follow the dressing instructions

Smoking and vaping slow healing and raise the risk of skin damage. We ask patients to stop all nicotine at least four weeks before neck lift surgery and for four weeks afterwards. Keep the wounds clean and dry, wear the compression garment for the first two weeks as instructed, and sleep with your head raised on your back for four weeks to reduce swelling and tension on the wounds.

Silicone gel or sheets

Silicone is widely used on healed surgical scars to keep them soft and hydrated. A 2022 systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised trials in Burns ↗ found fluid silicone gels were associated with both preventive and treatment effects on hypertrophic scars, although many of the trials were at high risk of bias^[6]. Your surgeon will say when to start, usually once the incisions have fully closed. Our guide to silicone strips and scars explains what to expect.

Compression and gentle scar massage

The compression garment mainly controls swelling after surgery. For scars specifically, a Cochrane review of pressure garments found the evidence for preventing thick scarring was very uncertain, although it noted they are already widely used and may help some people^[7]. Gentle massage can soften the firmness that forms along the scar line, but only start when your surgeon says the wound is ready.

Protect scars from the sun

Fresh scars can darken with sun exposure. Keep the area covered or shaded while healing, then use a high-factor sunscreen on the healed scar. Tanning and sunbeds are worth avoiding altogether, as our guide to the effects of tanning on cosmetic surgery scars explains.

What If a Neck Lift Scar Heals Badly?

Most neck lift scars heal well, but a minority do not. The usual problems are a widened scar, a thick raised (hypertrophic) scar, a keloid that grows beyond the original wound, or lasting redness or colour change. Our guides to hypertrophic scars and keloid scars explain the differences.

There are treatments. A 2024 review of scar reduction in plastic surgery describes silicone, pressure, steroid injections and laser treatment as established options, with surgical revision where a scar remains wide or tethered^[8]. At Centre for Surgery, a thick scar after a neck lift may be treated with steroid injections, and persistent problems can be addressed with scar revision. Waiting is part of the process: a scar that looks prominent at three months may look very different at nine, so treatment is usually considered once the scar has had time to mature.

Neck Lift Scars vs Facelift Scars

A facelift has a longer incision, running from the temple hairline down in front of the ear, round the earlobe and behind the ear. A neck lift on its own has the chin incision and, when needed, the ear incisions only. When the two are combined the scars join up, and the surgeon’s planning aims to keep them in the same natural folds. If your main concern is jowls and the lower face rather than the neck, the lower facelift guide is a useful comparison.

Neck Lift Scar Problems: When to Call Your Surgeon

Contact the clinical team promptly if you notice sudden or one-sided swelling, increasing pain, a wound that opens, spreading redness, discharge or a fever. A haematoma, a collection of blood under the skin, is the complication most relevant to neck surgery. A British review of 1,078 facelifts by Grover and colleagues in 2001 ↗ found it in 4.2% of patients, with anterior platysmaplasty, raised blood pressure, being male, aspirin or anti-inflammatory use and smoking all independently associated^[9]. Minor skin edge healing problems and temporary numbness are also common. Our guide to the risks of neck lift surgery sets out the rest.

What Happens at a Neck Lift Consultation?

At consultation your surgeon examines the skin, the platysma bands and the fat under the chin, looks at your hairline and how you wear your hair, and explains which incisions you would need and where the scars would sit. All neck lift surgery at Centre for Surgery is carried out by GMC-registered surgeons at our CQC-regulated hospital on Baker Street, and the surgeon who assesses you is the surgeon who operates. Surgery is performed under TIVA or local anaesthetic with sedation, and we recommend a two-week cooling-off period after consent. Costs are confirmed in writing after your consultation, and finance options are available; see our neck lift cost guide for what the quote includes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Neck Lift Surgery in London

If you are weighing up a neck lift and want to see exactly where your scars would sit, book a consultation with a plastic surgeon at our Baker Street hospital.

Phone: 020 7993 4849 | Address: 95–97 Baker Street, Marylebone, London W1U 6RN
Contact us to schedule a consultation

References

1. Hom DB, Bernstein JD. Reducing risks of facial scarring. Facial Plastic Surgery Clinics of North America 2023;31(2):195–207. doi:10.1016/j.fsc.2023.01.003 ↗
2. Triana L, Sarvan M, Liscano E. Refined vertical neck lift with crisscrossed platysma traction sutures: a simple method for improving mandibular neck definition in face lifts. Aesthetic Plastic Surgery 2025;49(22):6240–6249. doi:10.1007/s00266-025-05152-9 ↗
3. Marshak H, Morrow DM. “The stork lift”: a circumoccipital extended neck-lift. Aesthetic Plastic Surgery 2008;32(6):850–855. doi:10.1007/s00266-008-9236-5 ↗
4. Prado A, Andrades P, Danilla S, Castillo P, Leniz P. A clinical retrospective study comparing two short-scar face lifts: minimal access cranial suspension versus lateral SMASectomy. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery 2006;117(5):1413–1425. doi:10.1097/01.prs.0000207402.53411.1e ↗
5. Abulafia AJ, Stoppani I, Espinoza Cisneros V, Cortiñas FE. Neck rejuvenation without periauricular scars. Aesthetic Plastic Surgery 2026;50(17):7211–7220. doi:10.1007/s00266-026-06075-9 ↗
6. De Decker I, Hoeksema H, Verbelen J, et al. The use of fluid silicone gels in the prevention and treatment of hypertrophic scars: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Burns 2022;48(3):491–509. doi:10.1016/j.burns.2022.03.004 ↗
7. Harris IM, Lee KC, Deeks JJ, et al. Pressure-garment therapy for preventing hypertrophic scarring after burn injury. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2024;(1):CD013530. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD013530.pub2 ↗
8. Meretsky CR, Polychronis A, Schiuma AT. A comparative analysis of the advances in scar reduction: techniques, technologies, and efficacy in plastic surgery. Cureus 2024;16(8):e66806. doi:10.7759/cureus.66806 ↗
9. Grover R, Jones BM, Waterhouse N. The prevention of haematoma following rhytidectomy: a review of 1078 consecutive facelifts. British Journal of Plastic Surgery 2001;54(6):481–486. doi:10.1054/bjps.2001.3623 ↗