Neck Lift / Platysmaplasty
Platysmaplasty is a type of facelift named after a prominent neck muscle (the platysma) that travels from the chest to several points of your neck. This muscle, along with other tissues, can become lax over time. Neck lift surgery or another procedure in neck contouring can correct the sagging tissues that reside below your chin that hide the natural, angular transition from your neck to your face.
Are You a Candidate for a Neck Lift?
If you exhibit conditions such as the following, you should schedule a consultation to discuss the options in neck contouring:
- Jowls
- Neck bands
- Neck fat or fat below the chin
- Sagging or crepey skin on the neck
These conditions are very common and they make a negative impact on one’s appearance. Contrastingly, the desirable aesthetic characteristics in this area include a well-defined jaw line, strong chin, absence of neck fat, smooth skin, no platysmal folds, and a long narrow neck.
The goals of neck contouring are designed to meet or at least approach these aesthetic goals. Procedures such as platysmaplasty and neck liposuction can create a sharper cervicomental angle with a visible depression beneath the hyoid bone, thereby creating the appearance of a longer, slimmer neck. They can also enhance definition of the transition from your jaw to your neck, restoring the sharp angles that you probably had during youth. Other areas such as the chin can be enhanced and the presence of heavy jowls can be improved.
How Neck Contouring Works
Neck contouring is an individualized procedure, so certain patients may benefit from a less extensive procedure. For example, neck liposuction alone may be sufficient for young patients who have good skin tone.
Typical neck lift procedures require techniques similar to a facelift, combined with liposuction to remove excess neck fat. The surgeon makes an incision near the earlobe, extending it around to the hairline. One or two small incisions are also made below the chin to remove fat with liposuction. The platysma muscle and digastric muscles may be remodeled or partially removed, while excess skin is trimmed. The incisions are then closed with sutures.
What to Expect After Neck Contouring
Dr. Ljung will send you home with special post-operative instructions, which you should closely follow. These instructions may include a list of medications to avoid (such as aspirin or vitamin E) and steps to ensure a smoother recovery.
You may need to elevate your head when resting, using pillows to avoid turning during sleep. An elastic compression garment is usually worn for a few weeks, which you may be able to hide with a scarf or high-necked garment. You can usually shower and wash your hair the day after surgery, but you’ll need to avoid rigorous exercise, bending and lifting for about 2 weeks. The results are not immediately clear after a neck lift. It takes some time for the swelling to subside, so it may be as long as 3 weeks before you can appreciate the aesthetic improvement in your neck.
Possible Complications
The risk of complications may vary depending on the technique chosen for your neck contouring procedure. Possible adverse events include but are not limited to hematoma, seroma, temporary loss of sensation, prominence of platysmal bands, and unsatisfactory aesthetic outcome. If you are concerned about side effects, ask Dr. Ljung for more information during your consultation.
To learn more about neck lift surgery and neck contouring in Wilmington and Jacksonville, contact Azalea Coast Plastic Surgery today.
