6 months post-corset platysmaplasty, skin is tethered in central neck - might this resolve by itself? If not, can it be fixed?

Thank you for your question, heartsense. I suggest you continue to follow your surgeon's recovery guidelines to finish the post op recovery, and certainly mention your concerns to the board certified facial plastic surgeon who performed your surgery. It is not too early to begin planning for a revision so that if the healing does not remedy the issues then you have concrete steps to take next. Best wishes,

Hi heartsease.  I am sorry that you have concerns after your procedure.  The tightness that you are feeling will continue to lessen with time.  Contour irregularities after surgery, including lipo, change throughout the healing process and early findings are not representative of your final result. The release of tethering and adjustments to the platysma muscle, fat grafting into the tethered areas, etc. can be completed through an easily concealed incision under the chin if necessary .  Be sure to discuss your concerns and your surgical options at your next postoperative visit with your plastic surgeon and ask for any  interventions (e.g. massage) that might help.  Good luck!

Without examination (or at least high quality photographs) it is difficult to judge how best to address your concerns. After 6 months, it gets less likely for spontaneous resolution. Although revision surgery is best delayed until 12 months, planning can begin. 

Tethering of the skin can be corrected very easily through an incision under the chin.  After platysma plasty there can be abnormal movement of the platysma at times.  The area off abnormal movement can also be cut through the same incision to improve the overall appearance.  The existing scar tissue should not be any hindrance and revision surgery.RegardsDr. J

A question such as yours should always be accompanied by photographs so that we can have a more clear idea of the deformity you are trying to describe.  However, with that said, since you mention that fat removal was performed in the neck by liposuction, it is possible that too much subcutaneous fat was removed in some areas, causing direct attachment of the deep dermis to the underlying platysma muscle. This can cause deformities that may be similar to what you are trying to describe.  Unfortunately, if this is the case, it is a very difficult thing to fix, and the treatment plan would be based on the quality and tightness of your tissues, which we cannot see.  In this particular case, it may indeed be advisable to wait up to a year after your initial surgery to allow all the tissues to heal and relax before deciding to embark on a definitive repair, if it is necessary.

Thank you for your question. Without pictures its difficult to give you a thorough analysis but from what you are describing it may be that the skin has become adherent to the underlying muscle. This is likely the result of scarring and may be exacerbated by a lack of fat beneath the skin. This is a difficult problem to fix and if unresolved after six months it is not likely to change but waiting a few more months is reasonable. You can speak to your surgeon about exploring noninvasive modalities i.e. Ultrasound to see if it might help.Surgical correction can be difficult and somewhat unpredictable. Best of LuckDrG

Thank you for your question.  Correction of the problem  depends on the degree of tethering.   It may be able to be released by a small submental (chin) incision done under local or it may require wider undermining.   It also depends on whether the platysmal bands have recurred.  I would certainly discussed this with your surgeon.  It should not increase your chance of complications