Surgical Neck Lift

Hi! I am Dr M Szalay and today I am going to talk about neck lift.

Improving the appearance of the neck is a common reason why patients come to see me. Some patients are bothered by the appearance of their neck and wear a scarf to cover it up, which can be a bit inconvenient in a warm climate such as ours.

When it comes to sagging skin resulting from ageing, many individuals are more concerned about the looseness of their neck than their facial skin. Neck laxity also results in a loss of definition between the neck and jaw, resulting in a more aged appearance of the lower face.

There are some different techniques that can be used to tighten loose neck tissue.

Neck Liposuction

Neck Liposuction involves removing excess fat beneath the chin that is causing a loss of definition of your profile.

In order to be a good candidate for for neck liposuction, there needs to be good elasticity of the skin and this usually means that if you wish to have this procedure without also having a lifting procedure, you need to be less than 40.

Over the age of 40 neck liposuction can still be performed, but it is usually necessary to combine it with a tightening procedure listed below.

Minimally invasive neck lift

A minimally invasive neck lift involves using multiple fine sutures to lift and tighten the tissue of the neck. Excess skin is removed by an incision that carries backwards, behind the ear, into the hairline. The reason that I use this technique is that there is less undermining of the skin than more invasive neck lifts.

Does a minimally invasive neck lift need to be combined with a minimally invasive facelift?
The answer to this question is yes, it usually does. The reason for this is that the direction of the lift carries backwards, but also upwards on to the face. In order to achieve a blended result, it is usually necessary to improve the loose facial tissues as well as the neck.

Platysmal plication

The muscle of the neck is called the platysma. As this loosens, the neck sags and often 2 separate loose bands can be seen travelling downwards from beneath the chin.

A platysmal plication involves a small incision beneath the chin and tightening the platysma muscle with sutures under direct vision.

I find the platysmal plication procedure useful for patients who have early loosening of the neck, and sometimes for patients having revision neck surgery. If the neck loosening is more extensive, I find the minimally invasive neck lift a more effective procedure.

I have performed over 900 minimally invasive face and neck lifts. The following are a few of the neck lifts which I have performed.

* Results may vary among individuals. Any procedure has risks and it is wise to seek a second opinion. For more information visit http://www.precisioncosmetic.com.au

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Why Choose A Minimally Invasive Facelift or Necklift? – II

Hi! I am Dr M Szalay and I have performed over 900 facelifts and necklifts using a minimally invasive technique I call the Lift-Plus.

[Check out the 1st part of the blog here!]

HOW EFFECTIVE IS THE LIFT-PLUS?

The Lift-Plus is just as effective as a standard facelift. Here are some photos of some patients that I have used this technique on.

       

3 common questions I am often asked are:

• “Can the sutures break?”

Having performed over 900 procedures, I have not yet seen that happen. The reason for this is that multiple sutures are inserted and they support one another.

• “Can you feel the sutures?”

You cannot feel the sutures in the face but occasionally you can feel a small knot behind the ear where the sutures are tied.

• “What are the sutures made of?”

The sutures are made of Prolene, a biocompatible material that has been used for decades in all forms of surgery.

IS THE SAME TECHNIQUE USED FOR A MINIMALLY INVASIVE NECKLIFT?

Yes, but in this case, it is the platysma muscle which is being lifted into a more youthful position.

2 common questions I am often asked about the Lift-Plus Neck are:

• Can we do my neck without doing my face?

The neck can be done by itself if there is minimal sagging (see image). This patient had slight loosening of the folds just below her chin with minimal changes on her face so it was possible to just tighten the neck by itself without involving the face. If the loosening in the neck is more extensive, it is usually necessary to involve the face also as the direction of the lift is backwards as well as upwards onto the face. Remember that the platysma is joined to the SMAS and for the best result, it is often necessary to lift them as a single unit.

• Can you remove fat from the neck at the same time as the Lift-Plus?

Yes. When you come in for your consultation, I will carefully examine your neck to see if there is excess fat. If so, it is a simple matter to remove this at the same time as the Lift-Plus procedure. Here is an image of a patient I did some neck liposuction on at the same time as I performed the Lift-Plus of her neck and jowls.

Results can vary among individuals. Any procedure has risks and it is wise to seek a second opinion. For more information visitwww.precisioncosmetic.com.au

Why Choose A Minimally Invasive Facelift or Necklift? – I

Hi! I am Dr M Szalay and I have performed over 900 facelifts and necklifts using a minimally invasive technique I call the Lift-Plus.

I have found that the typical patient that I see for a face-lift is well informed and likes to know how my technique differs from other facelifts.

I think the best way to answer this is first to explain what all facelifts rely on to be effective.

THE SMAS

The SMAS is the firm layer of tissue lying above your muscles which supports your face. In the neck, the SMAS blends into a muscle called the platysma, which supports your neck (see diagram).

SMAS

As you age, the SMAS and platysma weaken, causing parts of your face and neck to sag and possibly wrinkle (see diagram below).

Ageing Face

In order to work, a facelift needs to tighten the SMAS, lifting your tissues into a more youthful position.

HOW IS A STANDARD FACELIFT PERFORMED?

A standard facelift can only reach the SMAS by peeling the skin back extensively (see diagram).

Facelift Peel

The potential problem with this technique is that after the SMAS has been tightened, and after the skin is has been laid back down again, a large space is present which can collect a large pool of blood (haematoma). This is a very painful condition and threatens the viability of the skin. Another potential problem is that the extensive peeling of skin can damage the blood supply to the skin, causing skin necrosis, or death of the skin.

HOW IS THE LIFT-PLUS (MINIMALLY INVASIVE FACELIFT) DIFFERENT?

With the Lift-Plus, the SMAS is reached with fine hollow needles inserted through the skin using a specialized technique. Fine sutures are used to lift and then secure the SMAS, resulting in a firmer and rejuvenated appearance of the face. The specialized technique involves minimal peeling back of the skin (see diagram).

Facelift Minimal Skin Peel

Because there is minimal peeling back of the skin with this method, the blood supply to the skin is preserved and there is little room for any blood to collect. The arrows on the diagram show the areas where the sutures are inserted and the direction of the lift. See more here

Results can vary among individuals. Any procedure has risks and it is wise to seek a second opinion. For more information visitwww.precisioncosmetic.com.au