Neck lift (also called platysmaplasty) is a cosmetic plastic surgery procedure that removes excess skin and fat from the neck to address age-related wrinkling and creasing in this area, and provide a smoother, slimmer profile.

•  Excess fat and skin relaxation in the lower face that creates jowls.
•  Excess fatty deposits under the chin.
•  Loose neck skin.
•  Muscle banding in the neck, which created abnormal contours.

Incision is made just caudal to the submental crease. A judgment is made about defatting of the platysma muscle, An independent decision is made regarding removal of subplatysmal fat. The medial borders of the platysma muscle are plicated in the midline using buried interrupted sutures .

The medial borders of the platysma are plicated with a continuous monofilament suture that is run up and down the midline of the neck until the desired contour has been achieved. No manipulation of the lateral border of the platysma is performed.

A guiding principle is preservation of facial fat. This principle also applies to the neck but less so. Many patients benefit aesthetically from cervical defatting.

The single most powerful way to create a well-defined neck is to perform full-width transection of the platysma muscle across the neck.