WHAT LIES BENEATH THE CHIN?

Dr Priya Bansal, board-certified cosmetic plastic surgeon, presents a case study on turkey neck and discusses if one-size-fits-all approach is the way to go

A turkey neck is typically characterised by a visibly sagging neck. It usually happens when platysma, a sheet-like muscle in the front of the neck weakens; and subsequently the skin that wraps it loses its elasticity. The drooping wrinkled skin on the neck and the excess fat stored lead to the formation of jowls, which appears like pockets of flesh hanging from the jawline. This resembles a turkey’s neck, adding a heaviness to your face, and numbers to your age besides affecting your self-confidence.

Turkey neck can be attributed to factors like reduced collagen production because of natural ageing, weight gain, genetics, environmental toxicity, prolonged sun exposure, smoking and an unhealthy diet.

CASE STUDY

The patient is a 55-year-old female who felt insecure and lost her self-confidence after the appearance of turkey neck. She had tried several non-invasive treatments like neck exercises, cosmetic creams, laser skin rejuvenation, injectable filler and botulinum toxin for several months without encouraging improvements. She wanted to opt for plastic surgery to get long-term results.

The patient was healthy for her age and did not have medical complications that would affect the surgery outcome and recovery.

INITIAL CONSULTATION AND PLANNING

First, I had a face-to-face interaction to understand her expectations from plastic surgery. Based on our conversation, I explained the available treatment options and their benefits and risks to her so she could make an informed choice. I also provided before and after transformation images from previous turkey neck surgeries to show her the real-time results. The patient chose to have a classical facelift, which is a combination of cervicoplasty for the neck and a superficial musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS) plication subcutaneous facelift.

PROCEDURE

The procedure took three hours and was performed under general anaesthesia. I made incisions beneath her hairline and along the preauricular margin continued up to behind the ear, so the scars can remain well-hidden once they have healed. SMAS plication was done for the face along with excision of excess skin. The platysma muscle in the neck, which is a part of the SMAS was then tightened. The loose skin on her neck was excised as part of the cervicoplasty and the incisions were closed with sutures.

Now, all she had to do was take rest as she recovered and keep herself hydrated while following all the postop recovery care guidance that was provided.

POST-OP RECOVERY

The patient was discharged the next day of the surgery. She experienced mild swelling, bruising and numbness of the skin in the initial post-op period, which is to be expected. Wearing a compression garment for the neck and face during this period aided her quick recovery while retaining the facial muscles in the right position. The sutures were removed after five days as the surgical wound gradually healed. I advised her to avoid any heavy lifting work or exercises for the first two to three weeks to keep her facial muscles relaxed. After two weeks, the inflammations started subsiding and the outcome was visibly perceptible.

THE RESULTS

The patient was ecstatic with the changes in her neck and face contour. She was happy that she finally got rid of her turkey neck. More than her physical appearance, the surgery gave her a much-needed confidence boost, which improved her overall quality of life. I also gave her tips for healthy skin care, simple exercises and a balanced diet post-surgery so that she can enjoy the results of the surgery for a long time.

CONCLUSION

The one-size-fits-all approach will not work for turkey neck treatment. Depending on the cause of the issue, the patient’s age, genetics, general health and expectations from the treatment, a customised treatment plan should be developed. Only a board-certified surgeon can craft a treatment plan that works best for each patient and gives the desired results while minimising any potential risks and side effects. In the case of the 55-year-old patient, a combination of neck lift and facelift helped her achieve an aesthetic neck contour by losing the turkey neck. She was extremely happy to witness the real-time results after the complete post-op recovery.

DR PRIYA BANSAL

MBBS, MS (General Surgery), DNB (Plastic Surgery), is a board-certified cosmetic and plastic surgeon with over a decade of experience. She has been presented with many awards for her international presentations and has also won gold medal for her surgical skills. She is known for her personalised counselling, compelling results, and unrivalled patient experience. She has been associated with renowned institutes like rosewalk Healthcare (Delhi) CK Birla (Gurgaon) and Fortis lafemme (GK, Delhi) as a part of rG Aesthetics.