 |
Featured Procedure
Facelift
Drooping jowls, sagging facial skin, and wrinkles add years to your appearance. Facelift or rhytidectomy, commonly performed at Campbell Facial Plastic Surgery to help reverse the signs of aging and drastically improve the appearance of the face and jaw... Read more
|
| |
|
Home > Procedures >
Restore your skin's elasticity with a neck lift or platysmaplasty
As we get older, the skin on our neck can lose its elasticity and sag. Some call this fatty jowls, or the dreaded "turkey-wattle." Regardless, it often make us look much older before our time. A neck lift (or platysmaplasty, so named for the plastysma muscles which run along the front of the neck) will remedy this situation by tightening the underlying muscles to lift the neck plus improve or sharpen the contour of the jawline. Dr. Campbell will often perform this procedure in conjunction with a face lift, but it may also be done as a stand-alone procedure in younger patients.
Platysmaplasty Candidates
The best candidates for a neck lift are those who are in generally good health and who have a positive outlook and realistic expectations about outcome. Sagging of the neck may be due to age, but may also be a result of significant weight loss or simple heredity. Those who have sagging and/or wrinkling of the neck and a loss of separation between the neck and the chin or jaw can benefit from a neck lift procedure.
Personal Platysmaplasty Consultation
Before platysmaplasty surgery, Dr. Campbell will discuss with you your medical history and perform a thorough examination of your neck and chin area in order to create a plan for the reshaping of these problem areas.
|
|
| |
|
The Platysmaplasty Procedure
The outpatient platysmaplasty procedure typically takes about one hour and is performed at the Sheboygan Surgical Center. Depending on the amount desired to be lifted, Dr. Campbell will have general anesthesia administered for the traditional neck lift, or local anesthesia for a very minimal lift. With a traditional neck lift, an incision may be made in front of the ear lobe and loops under and behind the ear ending in the scalp towards the back of the neck. To tighten the platysma muscles directly, there is an additional small incision under the chin. Dr. Campbell prefers to make as little of an incision as needed to gain the desired effect. For this reason, he may also employ a small incision behind the ear or near the hairline at the back of the neck (for a posterior neck lift.) Using sutures, Dr. Campbell will sew these muscles back together in the center, using a technique that looks similar to lacing up a corset. It is also possible that a small piece of this muscle will be removed, and that some liposuction may be used on the under-side of the deeper layers of the skin. Incisions are closed and bandaged to suspend and hold the tissues in their new, higher position. If needed, drains will be placed at this time before bandaging the wounds.
Post-Operative Care:
Most neck lifts are performed on an outpatient basis. After surgery, Dr. Campbell will place a pressure dressing that will wrap around your head and underneath your chin. Your neck will feel tight and sore as the anesthesia wears off, and may show even more swelling and possible bruising over the next 3 days. Dressings may be removed the day after surgery and an elastic sling will be worn as much as possible for the first week. Sutures will be remove 6 days after the procedure.
Recovery & Downtime:
Most patients can return to non-strenuous work after 5-10 days. However, for the first several weeks after surgery, you should avoid bending over, lifting heavy objects, and even turning your head from side to side. You will also have to sleep with your head elevated for one or two weeks. These guidelines can vary widely based on the patient's personal health, the techniques used, and other variables. Always follow Dr. Campbell's recommendations.
Complementary Procedures:
As indicated previously, neck lift surgery is often done in conjunction with other surgeries to enhance the patient's results. These procedures can include a face lift to correct sagging of the mid and lower face, a brow or eyelid lift to correct "tired" looking eyes, a chin implant or liposuction under the chin to improve the contour of the jaw line, or skin resurfacing procedures (i.e., laser resurfacing or chemical peels) to improve the overall look and feel of the skin. Dr. Campbell may also recommend using Botox® injections or wrinkle fillers to further enhance the surrounding areas.
If you are interested in neck lift surgery, please contact Dr. Campbell for a free consultation. He has helped many patients throughout the Midwest and USA by helping patients look as young as they feel with neck lift surgery.
|
