Turkey Neck in Cincinnati
Correct Sagging Neck Bands and Loss of DefinitionIf you are noticing sagging skin, neck bands, or a loss of jawline definition, you are not alone. These changes can develop gradually or after significant weight loss. Dr. Jeffrey Harmon offers advanced surgical treatment in Cincinnati designed to restore natural neck contour with precise, anatomically informed technique.
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What Is Turkey Neck?
Turkey neck is a descriptive - not a scientific - term that describes a specific "look" to the neck that develops with age and can worsen with massive, rapid weight loss. It refers to visible laxity and structural descent in the tissues beneath the chin and along the front of the neck. While the term is informal, the changes it describes are rooted in predictable age-related shifts in muscle tone, skin elasticity, and soft tissue support.
Common Signs of an Aging Neck and Sagging Neck
The features of turkey neck include:
Neck Bands and Central Hanging Tissue
Loose, hanging band(s) of tissue in the central neck. Some people have one (1), wide band. Others have two (2), narrower bands on either side of the midline of the neck.
Blending of the Jawline and Neck
A blending of the jawline with the neck, which limits the appearance of the jawline and makes it difficult to distinguish the lower face from the upper neck. This does not occur in everyone and is probably the most difficult quality to improve/treat.
Loss of Cervicomental Angle and Jawline Definition
A blunting, i.e., more obtuse angle between the jawline and the neck. The angle between the jawline and the neck is called the cervicomental angle. Multiple anatomic features contribute to this angle, including more superficial structures that can be addressed surgically and deeper structures that cannot be addressed surgically. Think about your jawline and neck in youth. Look at old photos from this time. It is unlikely that you had a perfectly crisp, carved out jawline and an exact 90-degree angle (cervicomental) between your jawline and your neck. This is due to deeper structures. But whereas we all start at a different position, the same age-related anatomic changes affect all of us. Frankly, things in the neck fall.
Why Turkey Neck Develops: Anatomy of the Aging Neck
Turkey neck develops as a result of predictable, age-related changes involving three key components of the neck: muscle, fat, and skin. Each plays a distinct role in how the neck ages, and together they contribute to the visible changes that define this condition.
The Platysma Muscle
This long, fanning muscle extends from the clavicle up into the face and laterally to a thick, strong pair of muscles on the side of the neck. The platysma muscle is relatively weak at the center. Hanging central platysma muscle is the primary cause of turkey neck.
Fat
Fat exists between the skin and the platysma muscle and deep to the platysma muscle immediately under/between the jawline. Accumulation of fat contributes to stretched skin that can become more evident with massive weight loss.
Skin
If the platysma muscle is the culprit, then skin is the bystander when it comes to turkey neck. Skin thins and becomes less elastic with age. It stretches with loosening platysma and increased fat in the neck.
Treatment for Turkey Neck in Cincinnati: Why Surgery Is Most Effective
The best way to treat a turkey neck is with a deep neck lift surgical procedure. In contrast with surgery:
- Adding volume using filler could worsen the appearance of the neck.
- Treating the platysma muscle with a neuromodulator such as Botox© does not adequately treat this.
- The potential benefits of an energy-based device (e.g., ultrasound, radiofrequency) tend to be marginal at best and usually make future surgical procedures more technically difficult.
An ideal candidate for a neck lift has one or more of the features discussed previously.
Expected Results After Turkey Neck Surgery
Expected improvements with a neck lift include:
- Jawline - While it does not correct jowls, the procedure can tighten the tissue that sits under the jawline in the submentum.
- Cervicomental angle - This angle can become less obtuse, more acute.
- Contour of the central lower neck - The contours of the deeper tissues can become more apparent - as in youth - like a properly-made bed.
What Neck Lift Surgery Does Not Correct
Features that a neck lift is not expected to improve include:
- Creepiness of the central neck skin - There is often some improvement, but this is not consistent with every patient.
- Sun damage to the neck skin - Resurfacing procedures such as chemical peels are necessary to improve this.
- Volume loss leading to horizontal lines in the neck - Fat grafting can help improve this.
Why Choose Dr. Harmon for Advanced Turkey Neck Treatment in Cincinnati
Dr. Jeffrey Harmon is a double board-certified, fellowship-trained, facial plastic surgeon who is one of the few people in the world trained by the surgeon who developed the extended deep plane facelift, а gold standard approach to facelift surgery that enhances the effects of a neck lift through a lift and suspension of the platysma muscle in the side of the neck under the jawline.
That effectively creates a “hammock” lifting and supporting the tissue under the jawline and tightening laterally in addition to centrally, which is also performed with almost all neck lifts. It is for the above reasons that a conversation is had about the potential added benefits to the neck of combining a facelift with a neck lift in consultation.
QUAD A ACCREDITED SURGERY SUITE
Harmon Facial Plastic Surgery is proud to have a Quad A-accredited operating room and facility in our office. Our single-physician, single-specialty facility meets or exceeds the strict guidelines and high standards set forth by Quad A, demonstrating our strong commitment to patient safety and excellence in surgical care. We utilize the services of board-certified anesthesiology physicians only, as well as our own personal clinical support staff, to ensure the most comfortable, safest experience for our clients.
Have More Questions?
Dr. Harmon is ready to shed light on facial aging concerns and skin tightening treatment concerns for patients throughout Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky, and the greater Ohio area.
Written by Dr. Harmon
Discover the expertise and compassionate care of Dr. Jeff Harmon, a fellowship-trained facial plastic surgeon deeply rooted in the Cincinnati community. A former collegiate athlete and Cornell University graduate, Dr. Harmon brings discipline, precision, and a global perspective to his surgical practice—refined through elite fellowship training in New York City.
Located in Hyde Park, Harmon Facial Plastic Surgery proudly serves patients throughout the Cincinnati area offering personalized facial aesthetics with world-class skill and a hometown heart.