What is "behind ear" muscle tightening of neck?

This description is like one surgeons twist on the mini face/neck lift. It means to tighten the platysma muscle to help give the jawline and neck more definition. Some people only require incisions behind the ear though in my hands extending the excision onto the front of the ear (still hidden well) makes a big difference in a good way for the lower face and jawline. Hope this helps.Best of luck,DrC

Thank you for your question. In the laser-assisted weekend necklift, a small incision is made under the chin and behind the ears to tighten the neck for a natural looking result. I suggest that you consult with your board certified facial plastic surgeon.
Best wishes,

Most surgeons routinely perform a neck lift with both a submental incision (under the chin) and postauricular incision (behind the ears).  It is possible, however, to lift the neck in a stable and lasting manner using ONLY the postauricular approach.  The platysma muscle can be addressed through the submental approach -- sewing the bands together in the midline.  The muscle can also be lifted and tightened from the postauricular approach as well.  Some surgeons say that by tightening the muscle in the middle it limits the amount of tightening that can be accomplished from behind the ears.  In any case, there are numerous ways to address the platysma, and there is no one-size-fits-all treatment.  One way to lift the neck without a submental incision is by accessing the neck muscle (platysma) from the postauricular incision, cutting across the platysma (partially or completely) through the banding in the middle, securing the muscle remnants to the fascia behind the ear, and then re-draping and removing the excess skin.  There are multiple other ways to do this as well.  Really it all comes down to the technique(s) that your surgeon is (are) comfortable with and whether you like the results you have seen in his/ her before and after photographs.  Visit with an experienced board certified facial plastic surgeon or plastic surgeon.  Good luck!    

There is a lot of terminology thrown around when it comes to facelift surgery. The most important thing is that you are getting the correct procedure to address your specific issues. Typically, when tightening only behind the ear, you are lifting the tissues only laterally, which is not ideal. There should also be a vertical component to your lift to get the most natural result. It's always good to get more than one opinion when considering any type of plastic surgery.

With facelifts and neck lifts, both the skin and muscle are address to rejuvenate.  The excess skin is repositioned and removed.  The muscle is tightening in the cheek and neck to improve the jawline and neck contour.  Additionally, fat may be added or repositioned for facial aesthetics.  Similarly in isolated neck lifts, the skin and muscle are repositioned and "tightened".

When discussing your procedure with the surgeon who you choose, it's important to have an understanding of what type of procedure will be performed. A "behind the ear" neck lift most likely refers to a partial neck lift where only the side (lateral) of the "neck muscle" (platysma) is tightened.  The incisions will most likely be near the earlobe and extend behind the ear and along the hairline behind the ear. When a midline necklift is performed at the same time (i.e. Midline Platysmaplasty), the procedure essentially becomes a full neck lift. 

Patients seeking rejuvenation of their neck frequently have loose skin, lax platysma muscle and excess fat deposits.  All must be treated to give the best overall neck contour.  Fat is usually either liposuctioned or directly excised to reduce the fullness of the neck.  The platysma muscle extends from under the chin to under the angle of the mandible.  To smooth the neck, the edge of this muscle just under the angle of the jaw is slightly elevated and sutured to firm tissue behind the ear.  Occasionally this tightening also needs to be done under he chin to tighten the loose muscle.  The result is an improved neck contour.

Hello and thank you for your question.  The
best advice you can receive is from an in-person consultation.  Behind the ear tightening is part of a necklift.  In order to properly tighten the neck, behind the ear tightening is only one part of the procedure.  If good technique is used,
this can be done with minimal scarring and can result in a natural look, not
over-done look, with rejuvenation of your neck.    Make sure you specifically look
at before and after pictures of real patients who have had this surgery
performed by your surgeon and evaluate their results.   The most
important aspect is to find a surgeon you are comfortable with. I recommend
that you seek consultation with a qualified board-certified plastic surgeon who
can evaluate you in person.
Best wishes and good luck.
Richard G. Reish, M.D.  FACS
Harvard-trained plastic surgeon

A neck lift is a set of procedures that can tighten the neck skin and muscle in an effort to remove excess skin and restore better contour to the neck. The extent of the procedure is tailored to the needs of each patient but often involves neck liposuction or direct fat excision, tightening of the underlying neck muscle (cervicoplasty or platysmaplasty), and skin tightening and excision. There are often two incisions around each ear. The incisions around the ears are used to dissect the skin free of the underlying muscle (the platysma) and to access the lateral (outer) part of the muscle for tightening. The edge of this thin muscle is then pulled back behind the ear and sutured to the deep tissues in order to tighten the neck - "behind the ear tightening."See more inför at the link below.A detailed examination will help delineate the best surgical option. Consultation with a surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery would be the next best step.

A lower neck lift with partial tightening can be done with incisions behind the ear, but this will have a very limited effect in my experience on the upper neck, jawline, and the face.  Be sure to discuss your goals and concerns with your board certified plastic surgeon and consider the pros and the cons. Be certain your surgeon is properly certified.  I've attached a link where you can start your search.