Hyo neck lift: Preliminary report.

BACKGROUND

The aim of neck lift is to recreate an acute cervicomandibular angle. Surgical neck rejuvenation typically is associated with posterosuperior traction on the platysma (PLA) with an anterior vertical PLA corset or a digastric corset. Medium-term instability can exist with these procedures.

OBJECTIVES

A novel platysmaplasty technique called the hyo neck lift is described and its surgical efficacy is compared with those of previously described techniques.

METHODS

Ten patients underwent hyo neck lift and were evaluated in a preliminary prospective study. Hyo neck lift involved horizontal suturing of the PLA towards the hyoid and then to the skin to recreate a youthful cervicomandibular angle and to place tension on the submental area.

RESULTS

Six months postoperatively, all patients showed improvement in the definition and flattening of the submental area and in ptosis of the submandibular gland. Hyo neck lift is less invasive, without any specific dissection, like in the digastric corset.

CONCLUSIONS

The simplest way to achieve an acute cervicomandibular angle is to reattach the PLA and skin to the hyoid. Hyo neck lift is logical and efficient and produced satisfactory aesthetic and functional outcomes in this preliminary study.