Treatment of Anterior Neck Aging without a Submental Approach: Lateral Skin-Platysma Displacement, a New and Proven Technique for Platysma Bands and Skin Laxity

Plast Reconstr Surg. 2017 Feb;139(2):308-321. doi: 10.1097/PRS.0000000000003030.

Abstract

Background: A high rate of recurrence of anterior platysma bands and anterior skin laxity was reported at the 1-year follow-up of 150 patients who underwent complete neck undermining and full-width platysma transection for neck rejuvenation. The authors propose a new technique-lateral skin-platysma displacement-to treat these two aesthetic problems using only a lateral approach to avoid "opening" the anterior neck. The authors' objective was to compare outcomes following full-width platysma transection technique and lateral skin-platysma displacement technique in terms of patient satisfaction, complications, and long-term effectiveness in the treatment of bands and anterior skin laxity.

Methods: A prospective study was carried out on 100 patients. All patients were operated on by the senior surgeon (M.P.C.). Patient questionnaires were used to assess their levels of satisfaction.

Results: Patient satisfaction was extremely high following both techniques. Successful correction of bands at 1 year was observed in 83.5 percent of the lateral skin-platysma displacement patients and 56 percent of the full platysma section patients. Regarding recurrent skin laxity, 68 percent of those who underwent lateral skin-platysma displacement did not show any obvious recurrence of excess skin at 1 year compared with 52 percent of the full platysma section group. Prolonged edema was the main complication and was considerably more frequent in the patients undergoing complete neck undermining.

Conclusions: The 1-year patient satisfaction ratings were higher for those treated with the lateral skin-platysma displacement technique. The lateral skin-platysma displacement technique has proved to have a much shorter recovery and better outcomes in the correction of platysma bands and of the anterior neck skin laxity.

Clinical question/level of evidence: Therapeutic, IV.

Publication types

  • Video-Audio Media

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Aging
  • Dermatologic Surgical Procedures / methods
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neck / surgery*
  • Patient Satisfaction
  • Prospective Studies
  • Rhytidoplasty / methods*
  • Self Report