Facial exercises, or cosmetic surgery, in the quest to look younger, or for feature perfection, are all about choice after weighing up the advantages and disadvantages. We look at the advantages of both solutions.
You get two forms of cosmetic surgery: aesthetics and reconstructive. Aesthetics or cosmetic is when you wish to enhance or improve upon a certain feature of one?s looks. Reconstructive surgery is repairing a malformation or wound e.g. Help for an accident or burn patient.
Cosmetic surgery has the following advantages:
1. Cosmetic surgery has swift, radical results. after healing, you can literally look 10 to 15 years younger in a space of about three weeks.
2. Cosmetic surgery, in the form of repairing or reconstructive procedures, can work wonders for the patient to permanently better his or her look.
3. Contingent on the proficiency of your doctor, you can get the exact outcome that you seek.
4. one can concentrate on very specific regions on the face and neck, such as under or around the eyes, or by lifting and snipping away skin to do away with ?turkey neck?.
5. one?s self-confidence levels will get better because of the psychological aspects. You look better, so you feel better, even indestructible!
6. Cosmetic surgery and plastic surgery can rectify certain flaws or malformations of the face to make you look better, or younger.
7. these days, cosmetic surgery is more affordable than it was once, and the probability of plastic or cosmetic surgery gone wrong is uncommon, due to stringent medical standards and policy.
As people age, the skin and fats around their chin and jaw start to sag while their neck muscles and skin become “weak” and loose, thus resulting to the formation of jowls and “turkey” neck. Fortunately, these aesthetic problems can be treated with a procedure called lower facelift surgery.
According to Los Angeles plastic surgeons, this procedure is primarily used to treat the jowls or the formation of hanging skin and tissue around the chin and jaw area that relatively destroys the facial contour. this is done by trimming the excess skin, smoothing out the facial creases, and lifting the bottom third of the face.
This “isolated” procedure, which is popular in cosmetic plastic surgery, is recommended for patients who have skin laxity on the neck and jawline, deep wrinkles, and downturned lips especially around the corners. but since it involves recovery and certain risks, it is of course important that they are physically fit with no major health issues that can lead to delayed healing, infection, and other severe complications.
To perform this treatment, cosmeticplastic surgeons use a small incision that begins in front of the ear and travels down and behind it. but if they use an endoscope,—a small probe with a lighted camera attached to a monitor—a few short incisions instead of an extensive one in the same area are enough to address the sagginess and wrinkles.
Through the incisions, surgeons can separate the skin and tissue, trim the excess fats, tighten and reshape the facial muscles, and smoothen out the wrinkles and sagginess. Once the necessary changes have been completed, they will close the incision sites using sutures.
In terms of safety, most doctors inplastic surgery believe that the endoscope lower facelift is slightly better than the traditional approach. Meanwhile, other advantages of this procedure include shorter recovery, reduced risk of complications, and less scarring.
However, the lower facelift procedure may not be the best choice for older individuals who have sagginess and wrinkles on their entire face, according to LA plastic surgery specialists. for these patients, the most ideal facial rejuvenation surgery is the SMAS facelift which goes into the deeper layers of muscles and fatty and connective tissues.
The SMAS facelift requires a longer incision than the lower facelift; it uses a surgical cut that starts behind the temple and travels in front and back of the ear (forming an S-shaped scar). Plastic surgeons make sure that the incisions are placed behind the hairline and along the natural creases of the skin to hide the scars which will fade over time and turn into a thin, white line.
Some people believe that they are required to go through life with unsightly physical features. These people might be unaware that there are options to improve their appearance or might think that options such a surgery are overly dangerous or costly. however, the existence of safe, modern cosmetic surgical procedures provides people with options for improving conditions like turkey neck, or excess neck skin. With modern surgical procedures, however, these conditions can be quickly and safely rectified to improve a person’s look for life.
The procedure to remove extra skin on a person’s neck is known as platymaplasty. With platymaplasty, ones appearance can be significantly improved along with their self esteem and self-confidence. Platysmaplasty is a surgical procedure where the skin becomes lifted and tightened with the end being a smoother, younger look.
The Process of Platysmaplasty
Prior to undergoing platymaplasty, the patient discusses with his surgeon the steps of the procedure. During the initial consultation the surgeon will explain the surgical process as well as explain the risks and benefits involved in surgery.
During the surgery, incisions will be made under the chin or behind the ears, or both. the surgeon will then insert a tiny instrument to either remove a portion of specific neck muscles or realign them, which will tighten the middle area of the neck. the surgeon then sutures the these in place and bandages are then applied across the chin or behind the ears (or both) to reduce swelling and discomfort. an elastic bandage will be wrapped around the neck and head. Depending on a patient’s particular needs, liposuction to get rid of excess fat or a face or eye lift procedure might be coupled with platymaplasty.
Once the patient awakens and some common swelling and bruising may occur. Oral pain medications and an antbiotics can be administered to reduce pain and stop infection. Extreme pain or abnormal symptoms should be reported to the physician immediately. With platymaplasty, people no longer have to hide their necks. the stunning results received from platymaplasty can change ones ones appearance for life.
As the face ages, so does the neck. For some, the neck is often one of the biggest areas of facial aging concern particularly as one gets older. the loss of the once smooth jaw line and a more well-defined neck angle are telltale signs of the effects of gravity and time. by definition, the use of the term ‘turkey neck’, which almost everyone knows what that means (as unflattering as it is), means an older neck problem as it implies a lot of loose hanging skin. this is usually seen in the 50+ age range and much more common in the 60s and 70s.
When the loose skin in the neck area makes up the biggest part of the problem, the options for treatment become surgical and need to be more aggressive to get a satisfactory result. Forget about non-invasive options or ‘lunchtime’ type procedures. these simply will not work no matter how they are marketed. if the neck and jowl problem is mainly fat, as often occurs in the younger patient, then fat removal methods alone will be successful. Whether it is non-surgical lipodissolve or surgical liposuction, good results can be had as the skin has the ability to shrink and tighten up. when the skin is loose and floppy, that is a sign that it has lost any ability to contract and fat removal methods alone with only be met with disappointing results.
With considerable excess neck skin, variations of a facelift procedure are what is needed. using the term facelift for many patients is confusing as this procedure often conjures up images of extensive facial surgery throughout the whole face. in reality, a facelift only effects the neck and jowl area and will do nothing for the face above the jaw line. it is a poorly named procedure and a facelift should be called a neck-jowl lift. it is really less extensive and easier to go through than most patients actually think. there are many facelift names and procedures today but most of them are just variations on marketing and advertising.
In actuality, there are only two types of facelifts, limited and full. Which one is best for any patient is determined by the amount of loose neck skin that is present. if the loose neck skin is not extensive, a limited facelift may be enough as this lifts the loose jowl skin a lot and the loose neck skin a little. if there is a lot of loose neck skin, then a full facelift is really needed. this is the most powerful neck procedure and can produce some really dramatic results. the differences between the two are how much of an incision is needed around the ear and the number of days of recovery needed. (even though the recovery is really about how you look or a social issue, there is next to pain at all for either. to put a number to that difference, 4 (limited) vs. 8 (full) and 5 days (limited) vs. 7 to 10 days (full).
If you hear a faint gobble-gobble noise every time you look in the mirror, your ego may be telling you something. It might be saying: Time you invested in a spot of old platysmaplasty in laymen’s terms, platymaplasty is a neck lift operation, a cosmetic procedure that tightens the skin of the neck and confines a turkey neck to history.
Yes, men get turkey necks as well – although with the invention of the tie they can hide it easier than women can.
Let’s face it: unless you have God-like genes or indulge in two hours of excruciating neck-lifting exercises daily, most of us have necks that begin to sag, droop and look generally less pleasing the older we get. Some people believe that women with turkey necks and relatively young faces have had facial plastic surgery – the sad fact is that our necks age at a much faster rate than the rest of us. and yes, men get turkey necks as well – although with the invention of the tie they can hide it easier than women can.
All About having a Platysmaplasty If the gobbling is getting louder every day, it may be time to consider surgery. while a platysmaplasty may sound gruesome, there’s a reason – it is A two-three hour operation in which the neck skin is tightened and excess flesh surgically excised away, this procedure is done under general anesthesia, for the most part, and involves at least one night in hospital.
Your surgeon will make tiny cuts to your hairline, beginning in back of and in front of the ears, and will then tighten or shorten the muscles to make them appear more taut. He or she may also involve a bit of the old liposuction to make the jaw appear more chiseled. Some people opt for a combined neck and face lift together to result in a more youthful appearance overall, while others choose a brow or eye lift as well.
Whatever you choose, the recovery period is not short, and you may experience some swelling, bruising and other unpleasant side effects for the first few weeks, during which time most people refrain from going to work. in fact, it can take up to six months for a full recovery to take place.
However, the vast majority of people who opt for a neck lift operation are happy with the result, although of course they vary according to the patient’s age, skin elasticity etc. It rarely has serious complications, although any surgery involving general anesthesia carried its own risks. To minimize the risks overall, shop around for a reputation, and use one certified by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, or its equivalent.
Taking It on the Chin One option to a traditional neck lift is a relatively new procedure called, simply, the (chin) sling. Made entirely from Gore-Tex plastic, it is inserted under the skin from earlobe to earlobe. The beauty part is that it is a permanent insertion, and that the surgeon can tighten it, when necessary, to make the neck appear tighter as well, in a procedure that takes only about 20 minutes. so top-ups are relatively easy.
An article in the facial Archives of Plastic Surgery gave the thumbs-up to the sling, saying that 90 percent of patients who had it inserted into their neck for at least three years were happy with it. Of those who weren’t, two suffered infections and two needed fluid to be drained from the area. The vast majority also said that they would recommend having the procedure to a friend. no matter slack-jawed days, then
Alternatives to Surgery If you want to get rid of your turkey neck without going under the knife, try these alternatives.
* The homeopathic Natural Sculpting System advertises itself as a natural alternative to liposuction, and promises to get rid of turkey necks in just a few treatments. A specially concocted gel and lotion are applied to a specially made cloth, then wrapped around the specific area. Voila – no more gobble gobble – or so the manufacturers claim.
* although most plastic surgeons would say that having a turkey neck is usually down to genetics, some people swear that specific exercises can keep that old piece of poultry at bay. try guerning regularly in the mirror, gargling with mouthwash for one minute or more at least twice daily, and/or do exercises that make your neck completely taut, then keep the position for up to ten minutes at a time.
* If you have lots of wrinkles on your neck, you can consider Botox injections, which will relax muscles and make the wrinkles appear less noticeable.
* Invest in lotions and potions to smear on your neck that stimulate the production of collagen.
* Thermage. This med-spa technique involves heating deep layers of the skin where collagen is located, to stimulate its production and therefore improve skin elasticity. Skin looks tightened and pores appear smaller – what’s not to like?
* Smartlipo. This is used to reduce the appearance of a double chin and make the neck look sleeker. both the neck and jowl are given a new, more contoured look as fat is melted and collagen tightened using a thin laser-fibre tool. Sometimes it is done in conjunction with Thermage for a two-pronged attack on the old bird.
If you decide that plastic surgery is your only option, remember that it rarely works miracles, and that you shouldn’t expect to go under the knife looking like Winston Churchill and wake up looking like Pamela Anderson. Realistic expectations are necessary when it comes to undertaking any form of cosmetic procedure, so discuss the procedure well in advance with your surgeon and understand in detail what you are having done.
If you don’t want an operation and no other alternative seems to make your turkey neck recede, remember that investing in a high-necked shirt or a brightly colored scarf can work wonders. and if all else fails, you can always save money on buying that turkey next Thanksgiving.
