For a more “natural “and less “surgical” appearance

With the majority of today’s population being made up of highly educated, health conscience, and appearance driven consumers who lead extremely hectic lifestyles, alternatives to the conventional facelift are becoming ever so increasingly popular. Probably the most preferred over all no-invasive surgical procedures is the “mini-neck lift” also known as Tumescent Liposuction of the Chin, Cheek, and Jowls with Platysma Muscle Plication. This procedure is particularly appealing to patients due to the fact that there is very minimal downtime, fewer risks of disfiguring scars, elimination of dangers with systemic anesthesia, and it is more easily managed to fit into almost anyone's budget and/or schedule.

For a majority of men and women, one of the first signs of aging begins under the chin where gravity begins to take its toll pulling everything downwards. Loss of skin elasticity along with subcutaneous fat in the submental chin and jowl area is the leading cause for this sign of wisdom and maturity. The fatty deposits in this area are unresponsive to diet and exercise leaving liposuction as the only means for improvement. For some, excessively wrinkled redundant neck skin may be the only source of concern in which liposuction would be unresponsive. However, other alternative procedures such as Safelift ™ and Threadlift ™ are available to accommodate for these conditions.

Who is a Candidate for the Mini-Neck Lift
For the physician, the ideal candidate would be someone who is looking for subtle yet pleasing results with realistic expectations about liposuction. The patient would also be in good health and utilize a regular diet and exercise program. The prospect would be well informed of his/her decision by means of extensive research regarding the procedure itself, the physician performing the procedure, pre and post op criteria including medications to avoid, expected results achievable by tumescent liposuction, as well as cost and everything that is included under the given quote. Patients who respond well to the tumescent liposuction procedure are those who have good elasticity in their skin with minimal subcutaneous fat in localized areas that is unresponsive to diet and exercise.

What Is Tumescent Liposuction?
The Tumescent technique is quickly becoming the standard for care by physicians performing the liposuction procedure. This technique which utilizes local anesthesia has revolutionized liposuction by eliminating both the risk of general anesthesia and bleeding once associated with this procedure. With tumescent liposuction, large volumes of a solution containing dilute lidocaine (local anesthetic) and dilute epinephrine (shrinks capillaries to prevent blood loss) are injected with very minimal discomfort directly into the areas to be treated. Once the area is prepped tiny micro-incisions are created, called adits, with a skin biopsy punch. These adits are approximately 1.0-2.0mm in diameter which omits the need for sutures and greatly reduces the risks of scarring. Microcannulas, which have an inside diameter of less that or equal to 2.2 mm, are then inserted into the adits. The use of microcannulas versus large canulas allows the physician to safely and effectively remove the fat cells with better accuracy and less discomfort for the patient which results in a more smoother and natural appearance.

What is platysmal muscle plication?
Platysma Bands are prominent vertical folds of skin on the front of the neck that develop in older patients. Platysmal bands contain loose folds of superficial muscles as well as fat. Tumescent liposuction may improve the appearance of platysmal bands. In addition, the platysmal muscles can be tightened at the time of the liposuction procedure with the use of local anesthesia by making a tiny incision under the chin and using sutures to tie the muscles together.

How is this procedure safer than others?
In the early days of liposuction, there were many cases of complications reported with some even resulting in death. This was due mainly to the use of systemic anesthesia. The use of systemic anesthesia allows for large volumes of fat to be removed using large cannulas which can result in excessive bleeding, disfiguring scars, prolonged recovery, risk of infection and uneven results. Although some patients prefer the convenience of having multiple areas done at one time the safety of choosing the tumescent technique far outweighs the risk associated in doing so. The use of local anesthesia also allows for the patient to communicate directly with the physician to express any feelings of discomfort.

What kind of results can I expect?
The beauty of having a minimally invasive surgical procedure is that you can expect a natural, subtle improvement versus a “pulled” or “overdone” look. Patients have noted that they have a more youthful appearance with a well defined jaw line and slimmer, tighter features.

What is the downtime?
Most patients can resume regular activity in just a few short days. Rigorous movements such as jogging, lifting heavy objects or any other excessive physical activity should be avoided for 2-4 weeks.

Is there a risk of scarring?
As with any surgical procedure, the risk for scarring is always possible however, this specialized technique allows for the risk to be extremely minimal.

How long will the procedure take?
Without the need for general anesthesia the procedure can be performed in our office surgical suite which allows the doctor to complete the surgery in approximately 1-2 hours in most cases.

How long will the results last?
Another reason this procedure is favored among others is the fact that the results could last nearly a lifetime. Once the fat cells have been removed they will not reoccur in that area. Depending on how well the patient takes care of his/her self such as avoiding smoking, sun exposure, and environmental pollutants will determine the length of time that the skin starts to loose elasticity again which will result in an aged appearance.

How long would I have to wear the garments?
Garments should be worn continuously for 18 to 36 hours following the procedure to allow for adequate drainage of the microincisions. To achieve the best possible results, wearing the compression garments for 2 weeks post procedure at night is highly recommended.

What are the possible side effects or complications associated with this procedure?
Any surgery involves the risk of blood clots, infection, bleeding, scarring, or serious injury; however, tumescent liposuction has an amazingly good safety record. One of the reasons that this technique is so safe is that neither general anesthesia nor IV sedation is required. A recent survey involving over 15,000 patients who had tumescent liposuction revealed no serious complications, no serious infection, no hospitalizations, no blood transfusions, and no deaths. Patients can minimize the risk of surgical complications by not taking any medications or over-the-counter preparations that might adversely affect the surgery. Patients should inform their physician of all medications being taken either regularly, or occasionally, including vitamins and herbal remedies. To further minimize the risk of complications the patients must have full understanding of the procedure, they must actively participate in the pre and post op instructions, and they must have an honest open line of communication with the physician as well as the staff.

View the Channel 8 News segment on Mini-Neck Lift ® by clicking here

Watch Dr. Malouf perform the Mini-NeckLift Procedure on