Rejuvenating Aging Necks In Men

By William H. Lindsey, MD, FACS

Ophthalmic Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon

. http://www.beauty4eye.com/

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Rejuvenating Aging Necks In Men

Traditional neck rejuvenation has primarily been in the realm of extended face and neck lifts. While these are excellent procedures, they do have the disadvantage of prolonged recovery, scars around the ears and into the hairline, and possibly the need for general anesthesia.

In 2003, I had the occasion to have an older man with a large “turkey wattle” inquire about simply excising the extra skin. I told him, “Nobody does it that way.” At that time, the typical options for removing the extra neck skin were a traditional neck-lift or a complex z-plasty, which is generally used to treat severe scars. These are both complex procedures, with potential for additional scarring, costs and downtime.

After careful consideration and candid discussions with the patient, the excessive skin was excised directly under local anesthesia. Over the years, this procedure has grown and is now used frequently to treat this problem. It is quick, easy and removes approximately 90% of the loose neck skin. Scarring is always an issue. However, with proper patient selection, most of the time the scars are small and fade, making them acceptable.

This procedure, called “direct excision of the turkey jowl deformity,” has become a useful option to consider for the aging neck. Proper patient selection is key. This procedure is offered almost exclusively to men with “floppy” neck skin who are willing to tolerate a small scarline in the neck. The scar almost always fades to a thin line, particularly with shaving over it after the sutures are removed.

The advantages of this procedure for selected patients are a lower cost, an operative time of approximately 40 minutes while awake without sedation, a limited down-time of wearing a dressing for only 24 hours, and no significant nerves or vascular structures in the area of the neck which could be damaged. Additionally, extra fatty tissues are able to be sculpted from the neck, giving an added improvement in profile.

This minimally invasive procedure designed for men just might be the right option for you, consult your local facial plastic surgeon.