New Study Improves and Refines Surgical Approach to Neck Lifts for Better, Longer Lasting Results
Dallas, Texas (PRWEB) May 12, 2016 -- In a recent study published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, plastic surgeon and Dallas facelift specialist Dr. Rod J. Rohrich and colleagues review secondary neck lift patients, and evaluate the quality, condition, and longevity of various approaches to neck lifts. The study includes a detailed analysis of the methods used and objectively measures their success over the long term.
A neck lift, sometimes called a lower rhytidectomy, is a surgery performed in order to help reduce the premature signs of aging. Often performed in tandem with a facelift, neck lifts can help with issues such as premature jowling and banding in the neck.
"The neck is one of the areas that shows our age the most," says Dr. Rohrich, who performs neck lifts often in conjunction with facelifts for which he is well known. "In many ways, the neck lift goes hand-in-hand with a facelift, and a facelift alone might not look right unless the lower face and neck are also treated correctly to ensure the facelift looks natural and youthful."
Dr. Rohrich and his team carefully examined 101 neck lift patients who sought secondary surgery for recurrent issues which the primary surgery were not able to fully address in the long term. Common issues related to the neck which bother patients include platysmal banding (that is, vertical lines showing on the neck from the chin to the collar area), early or excessive jowling, and general asymmetry in the neck area. Some of these issues can be treated with careful Botox applications and sometimes precision liposuction can correct asymmetry, but often, surgery is needed to fully address the issues.
"This is one of the largest studies of its kind which examines secondary neck lifts at the 10 year's mark," says Dr. Rohrich, who currently serves as a Distinguished Professor of Plastic Surgery at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. "The insights these kind of studies provide us as plastic surgeons are invaluable to help us properly evaluate each patient and their unique circumstances with long term results in mind. It's part of the process which continually helps to improve the quality of plastic surgery outcomes and medical care in general."
By observing issues with the secondary neck lift patients, Dr. Rohrich and his team were able to identify which surgical approaches were more and less successful and link them to specific facial features that were being addressed. Because they had so many examples to study, Dr. Rohrich was able to develop an algorithmic process which asks Yes/No questions and provides a suggested course of action.
"Neck lift surgery has changed considerably over the years and continues to evolve," says Dr. Rohrich. "I believe evidence based studies such as this one are helping to usher in the next generation of neck lifts and provide better, longer lasting results to our patients."
About Rod J. Rohrich, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Dr. Rod J. Rohrich is a Distinguished Teaching Professor and Founding Chairman of the Department of Plastic Surgery at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. Dr. Rohrich graduated from Baylor College of Medicine with high honors, and completed his Plastic Surgery training at the University of Michigan Medical Center and fellowships at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard (hand/microsurgery) and Oxford University (pediatric plastic surgery). He is Chairman of the Dallas Rhinoplasty Symposium, Founding Chairman of the Dallas Cosmetic Symposium, President and Founding Member of the Alliance in Reconstructive Surgery, and a Founding Partner of the Dallas Plastic Surgery Institute. Dr. Rohrich has also served as president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the largest organization of board certified plastic surgeons in the world. He repeatedly has been selected by his peers as one of America's best doctors, and twice has received one of his profession's highest honors, the Plastic Surgery Educational Foundation Distinguished Service Award, which recognizes his contributions to education in plastic surgery. Dr. Rohrich participates in and has led numerous associations and councils for the advancement of plastic and reconstructive surgery.
Department of Plastic Surgery, Rod J. Rohrich, http://drrohrich.com, +1 (214) 645-3119, [email protected]
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