Hyoid Suspension Neck Lift
A Youthful Neck is the Basis of a Youthful Face.
Dr. Yousif has been studying the aging neck over the last 15 years. In 2016, the Hyoid Suspension Neck Lift procedure was published with a review of 110 patients in the Journal of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. The results show that the Hyoid Suspension Neck lift gives much of the qualities of the aesthetic neck and lasts for years. A well-defined neck can give the entire face a more youthful appearance.
From those studies, Dr. Yousif has devised more new procedures to improve the results of surgery while at the same time limiting the surgical scars.
The neck is made up of various structures including skin, a variable amount of fat, and the underlying Platysma muscle. The variations in those structures, along with their respective relationships to the chin and other internal structures, gives the shape of the neck.
We, humans, have defined the beautiful neck as a long, well-defined structure with a visible angle from its vertical portion to its horizontal section. In some individuals because of genetic differences, or aging that visual appearance does not meet an individual’s desires. Surgical correction may help ameliorate those relationships.
Before
After
Treatment Options
There are a number of procedures available to enhance the appearance of the neck. They range from very minimal in-office treatments with no downtime, to more invasive procedures requiring anesthesia and time off for recovery. Those surgical procedures can be limited or more involved depending on the pre-operative appearance of the neck. A thorough discussion about which procedure is right for you is important prior to any surgical decision.
In youth, there are typically two issues that may need correction. One is the excess deposition of fat in the upper portion of the neck obscuring the desired defined angle and the other is the possible laxity of the muscular or the platysma. This muscular laxity is often overlooked in younger patients that are looking for a more defined neck, therefore, limiting the final results of surgery. In older patients, the ability to create a result with a well-defined neck that lasts has been difficult in part because of the muscular laxity and potentially the excess skin and possibly fat.
There are different aspects to the neck that at times may lead someone to want to change its visual presentation. There may be, even in youth, excess beneath the chin. This is usually a genetic deposition of fat in the area above or even below the muscle. The aging neck has many components. With time the soft tissue weakens and there may be soft tissue descent giving visible excess beneath the chin. Different procedures may be performed to enhance the appearance of the neck by removing excess skin (cervicoplasty), altering neck muscles (platysmaplasty), or removing excess fat (liposuction.)
Hyoid Suspension Neck Lift
The hyoid suspension neck lift is a procedure developed by Dr. Yousif. He has performed this operation over the last 15 years. It attaches the platysma to the hyoid and forms the contour of a youthful neck. The procedure makes dramatic changes in the neck and its results are extremely long lasting. A recent review showed that the results last for more than 10 years.
In some patients these can be done only through small incisions beneath the chin. This new “limited scar neck lift” can have dramatic results with only a small scar beneath the chin.
Botox Injections
The vertical bands that extend from under the chin to the base of the neck are caused by the neck muscle called the platysma. Botox can be injected into the muscle to temporarily reduce the appearance of these bands. This is a simple in office procedure that requires no anesthesia and allows you to get right back to your normal activities.
Neck Liposuction for Fat Removal
Removal of fat in the neck may be part of the treatment of the aging neck. It is more frequently done in younger individuals. In those patients removal of fat alone may help define the neck. In older individuals the laxity of skin may not allow appropriate shaping of the neck with removal of fat alone, In those patients contouring of the underlying muscle is usually required. This can be done through small incisions beneath the chin.
What to Expect
Anesthesia
Depending on the extent of the operation anesthesia can be either general or local with some sedation.
Recovery
General recovery is usually just a few days but some support of the skin may be required for 2-3 weeks. This is usually done with some type of elastic garment worn for a portion of time during the day and for a bit longer at night.