An Innovative Approach To Neck Surgery

GARDEN CITY, N.Y., June 10, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- A prominent Long Island plastic surgeon has developed an innovative new technique for dealing with sagging necks that offers minimal risk, maximum benefit and can be performed in the doctor's office in just 15 minutes under local anesthesia.

Vincent DiGregorio, MD, FACS, a senior surgeon in the Garden City-based Long Island Plastic Surgical Group with more than 20 years of experience, has developed the technique over the past two years. He calls it the Minimal Neck Lift.

The neck area is one of the first places to show signs of ageing. Sagging skin is not only a giveaway of age but also almost impossible to fight with over-the-counter products. Traditionally, the only sure way to tighten neck skin has been to undergo a face or neck lift. Unfortunately, both procedures are costly, time-consuming and invasive.

"There is really no good solution for lifting up necks, especially in people who have minimal laxity, which is common in men," said DiGregorio. A full facelift is a time consuming commitment that requires ten days of recovery. Similarly, a posterior neck lift involves a two week healing period and still leaves patients with significant scarring around the hairline and anterior of the neck beneath the chin and the Adam's apple. The minimal neck lift may not be for everyone. However, Dr. DiGregorio feels passionate about introducing a procedure that will begin mediating this clinical problem.

His solution: The minimal neck lift, which is performed under local anesthetic and takes just 15 minutes. "It's done in the office, and you can go to work the very next day." The incision — the size of a pinky fingernail — in a natural crease beneath the chin, is so tiny it is covered with a Band-Aid. "This is one of those circumstances which have minimal risk and maximum benefit," he added.

An ideal candidate for the minimal neck lift is a man or woman, 35 to 65, who is happy with his or her face, but is unhappy with the amount of loose skin and wrinkles in the neck. "It's a function of the healthy, skin elasticity," said DiGregorio. "The strategy is to use the patient's natural, native elastic qualities of their skin to contract and re-drape over the anterior neck structure."

Dr. DiGregorio likened the result to what happens to a woman after pregnancy, when her skin, stretched out, returns to conform to her abdominal wall. The procedure, he noted, "relies on the natural elastic quality of the skin."

"The technique is especially great for men," DiGregorio noted. "There are no real alternatives for them at this point." Men typically have short hair, making a neck lift from the posterior difficult to hide and most men do not want a face-lift, he explained.

Michael, 57, a retired college professor, who has undergone the procedure, said, "I am thrilled with the result. It took 10 to 12 years off my age. I'd recommend it to any one, hands down."

Michael, who developed laxity of skin on his anterior neck, said he opted for the procedure after DiGregorio ruled out a facelift. The procedure was quick and largely pain-free, he recalled, except for the initial injections of local anesthetic. "It gets you in and out very quickly. It really is absolutely nothing."

Still, it wasn't until several months after the surgery that Michael began to fully see the result. "It doesn't happen overnight," he said. "But it does wonders."

Dr. DiGregorio, who also has significant experience performing an innovative facelift technique known as the MACS Lift, which creates a youthful look with a substantially shorter scar, says he's had excellent results with the new minimal neck procedure in almost all cases. But, he cautions, "It's just like in post-pregnancy circumstances, it doesn't work every time."

About Long Island Plastic Surgical Group

For 65 years, Long Island Plastic Surgical Group has been dedicated to providing compassionate and comprehensive care, while pioneering and performing the most advanced reconstructive and cosmetic surgical procedures. As the largest and longest running private academic plastic surgical practice in the nation, LIPSG surgeons have more than 250 years of combined experience as leaders and innovators in the field. The size of the practice and diversity of expertise is reflected in its 10 specialty centers: Skin Care and Age Management; Non-invasive and Surgical Facial Rejuvenation; Pediatric Plastic and Craniofacial Surgery; Facial Reanimation and Peripheral Nerve Repair; Microsurgery and Hand Reconstruction; Breast and Body Cosmetic Surgery; Burns and Complex Wound Management; Breast Reconstruction Surgery; Post-Weight Loss Cosmetic and Reconstructive Surgery; and Migraine Treatment. For more information about LIPSG, visit lipsg.com.

CONTACT: Adam Mazur (646) 571-3131

SOURCE Long Island Plastic Surgical Group