As you get older, the skin on your neck gets looser. You can also have excess neck skin if you've lost a lot of weight. Along with excess skin in the neck area, as you age, the muscles in the area start to weaken and separate. Loose skin, weak muscles and extra fat all combine to produce a look that's often called "turkey neck," since it resembles the wattle that turkeys have under their beak.
A neck lift procedure, performed by a board-certified surgeon in Miami such as Dr. Ary Krau, is often the most effective way to rid yourself of turkey neck. The surgery can involve removing excess skin, a procedure known as cervicoplasty, as well as tightening the muscles of the neck, a procedure known as platysmaplasty.
Platysmaplasty and Cervicoplasty
During a platysmaplasty procedure, the surgeon makes a few small incisions, under the chin and in some cases by the ears. The procedure can be performed endoscopically, meaning a small camera is inserted into the neck, allowing the surgeon to see the area without making large incisions. Depending on the condition of your neck, the surgeon will tighten and adjust the neck muscle or remove a section of the muscle. After the neck muscle is adjusted or partially removed, the surgeon will work to lift the neck by cutting away excess skin.
Other Options
Depending on the amount of fat in your neck area, liposuction might be part of the neck lift procedure as well. The surgeon will suction out the fat to improve the look of the area.
You might not need a surgical procedure to reduce the look of turkey neck. In some cases, Botox injections in the neck area are sufficient. The injections relax the muscles and reduce the appearance of bands in the neck. Injections might not last long as surgery but the recovery time is sufficiently shorter.
If you are concerned about the look of your neck, contact us to set up a consultation and discuss which procedures are most suitable for you.