What is Cervicoplasty?

Cervicoplasty, also known as neck recontouring, or necklift, is a procedure that “lifts” the neck by tightening loose, sagging, and excess skin. This is done because loose and sagging skin can give an impression of poor health, age, even stress. By removing and tightening loose skin, the neck appears to be revitalized and more youthful, improving the overall appearance of the person.

Neck Recontouring Procedure

The procedure begins with an initial consultation with the surgeon. The patient and doctor exchange information, including what the patient wants from the procedure, what the surgeon can project as a result, any health related problems and issues that might hinder the procedure, and an explanation of how the procedure will go.

Once the patient is well informed and agreeable to the procedure, the surgeon begins taking measurements and notes of the areas that need to be treated. Once everything is in place, the patient is given anesthesia. Choices depend on the preference of the patient, but usually, a light anesthesia that makes the patient fall asleep is what is administered.

Tiny incisions are made, below the chin, and under each ear. These incisions are usually made in the natural crease of these two areas in order to reduce the visibility of any scarring. Once the incisions are made, the surgeon inserts an endoscope and is guided to the target areas, where the surgeon begins restructuring platysma muscle, reinforcing it and contouring it to give definition to the neck.

Next, the surgeon, using the endoscope, creates a tunnel from the back of one ear all the way to the back of the other, and places a device that acts like a corset, which helps in tightening the skin of the neck, smoothing the area where the chin meets the upper neck. The incisions are then closed, and the procedure is complete.

The whole process can take between 1-2 hours, depending on the amount of work that needs to be done.

Possible risks, complications, and recovery time

Possible risks include infection, which can happen at the areas where the incisions are made. It is important that patients take the prescribed medication regularly, and follow the surgeon’s instructions. Bruising and swelling can occur, which can be treated with ice packs. Recovery time can take anywhere between 3-4 weeks.

Overview

The first thing that is noticed in a person is definitely his or her face. Naturally, the eyes immediately move to the face to identify the person and to assess their appearance. And while this is the case, the neck plays a critical part in the person’s appearance as well. This is because the neck, just like the face, is a good indicator of the person’s age, health, and well-being.

Many times, people fix up their face with make-up, or some plastic surgery, to try and reduce the effects of aging. But when their necks show sagging and loose skin, it immediately gives away the true range of the person’s age. This is why it is also important to ensure that the neck looks just as rejuvenated and young as the face, and this can be done through a process called cervicoplasty.

cost

Before asking for a price, please make sure that you've found the right consultant to give you a diagnosis for what you dislike and then formulate an appropriate operation. If you have a localized fat deposit under your chin, liposuction of this submental area, may suffice. On the other hand, if you have excessive and poor quality skin with loose muscle bands, a formal "necklift" or cervicoplasty will be preferable. In my practice, we offer patients the choice of MAC (monitored anesthesia care) or general anesthesia, for both procedures. The salient differences between the two procedures are as follows:
a. Recovery time: Cervicoplasty 1 week; Submental lipo 3days
b. Length of scars: Cervicoplasty around and behind ears; Lipo 1-2 "stab" 1cm incisions.
c. Risks: comparable
d. Price: Cervicoplasty $5,000; Lipo $3000.
e. Operating time: Cervicoplasty 4hr; Lipo 1hr

Types of Neck Lift Surgery: Cervicoplasty & Platysmaplasty

Neck lift surgery, to achieve great results, tends to combine two main procedures, the cervicoplasty and the platysmaplasty. Both are usually incorporated in the surgery, though the use of the platysmaplasty procedure depends on the state of your neck muscles. If they are in good condition, i.e. they are taut and strong, then a platysmaplasty is unnecessary, but if they droop, creating what is called banding, a platysmaplasty can tighten the muscle.

Cervicoplasty

The cervicoplasty corrects limp and drooping skin caused by ageing, rapid weight loss or medical problems. This procedure is the least complicated of the two since it involves the reduction of drooping skin and a repositioning of the tissue.
To begin with, the surgeon makes an incision behind each ear to create a position from which to tighten the skin. The freed skin is then trimmed. How much is removed depends on what look you discussed with your surgeon. The reduced skin is then repositioned over the neck. The neckline is therefore tightened, because the trimmed skin is stretched over the same area as before. This means that the skin is pulled upwards and backwards, enabling the jaw line and neckline to be better defined. The redraped skin is then sutured by stitching, tissue glue or staples. A bandage will then be wrapped around the head to protect the suture. A compression bandage could be used; talk to your surgeon about what is best for you.

Platysmaplasty

For the platysmaplasty, an incision is usually made under the chin to gain better access to the neck muscles. The surgeon, depending on which procedure he or she is following, either realigns muscle, partially removes it, sutures muscle together, or perhaps does all three. This results in the tightening of the central area of the neck. Which procedure your surgeon follows, though, depends on your needs and desires and your surgeon’s abilities.

Corset Platysmaplasty

If you especially suffer from banding (in which your skin hangs off slack muscle), then it is likely that your surgeon will follow the corset platysmaplasty procedure. He or she may first remove some muscle or perhaps realign the muscle, but the corset platysmaplasty focuses particularly on creating a muscle sheet. This means skin cannot amass round drooping muscle. It also means that the chance of banding returning is reduced, therefore making the corset platysmaplasty especially suited for those predisposed to banding. To reduce the return of slack muscles the muscle is made stronger by suturing the muscle together in a continuous line down the front of the neck. When this is done, the incision is closed and the face bandaged.

Hammock Platysmaplasty & Purse-String Platysmaplasty

As said before, the corset platysmaplasty is best suited to people that suffer from banding. Other procedures exist that can be better suited to correcting a particular neck problem other than banding. Certainly the purse-string platysmaplasty is more suitable for a male patient. This is because the deeper structure of men’s faces and necks makes the process more appropriate.
The hammock platysmaplasty is another example of a different platysmaplasty procedure. It could, though, be used in conjunction with the corset platysmaplasty because it can further protect against neck banding. The procedure uses mesh or Alloderm as a “hammock” to capture loose muscle and keep the neck tight. A hammock platysmaplasty is certainly the best option for you if you suffer from banding and your muscles are very weak. A corset platysmaplasty would only be successful if the strengthened muscle has some remains of strength in it. If muscle is exhausted, then a “hammock” of mesh or Alloderm does the work for the muscle, therefore making it more appropriate for people with worn out muscles.