Face condition · Abu Dhabi & Dubai
Turkey Neck & Platysmal Bands
Also known as: turkey neck · platysmal bands · neck bands · turkey wattle · sagging neck skin · platysmaplasty · loose neck skin · vertical neck cords
Medically reviewed by Dr. Paulo Michels, Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon· Updated 22 October 2026
Turkey neck is the common name for loose, sagging skin under the chin and down the front of the neck, often with vertical cords called platysmal bands, caused by ageing, weight loss and separation of the platysma muscle. Injections can soften mild bands temporarily; lasting correction needs a neck lift with platysmaplasty. Dr. Paulo Michels treats it at Elyzee Hospital in Abu Dhabi for patients from Dubai and across the UAE.
Treated with
What is a turkey neck?
“Turkey neck” is the everyday name for loose, sagging skin under the chin and down the front of the neck. It usually comes with vertical cords — platysmal bands — and a blunted angle between the chin and the neck, so the jawline no longer stands out clearly. It is common with age and very common after significant weight loss.
It is useful to think of it as a structural problem: the skin, the fat, the platysma muscle and the deeper structures of the neck all contribute, in different proportions in each person.
What causes vertical neck bands and sagging neck skin?
The neck has several layers, and each can play a part:
| Layer | What changes | How it shows |
|---|---|---|
| Skin | Loses elasticity with age, sun and weight loss | Loose, crêpey skin; horizontal lines; hanging skin |
| Fat above the platysma | Accumulates under the chin | A soft double chin |
| Platysma muscle | Inner edges separate and loosen | Vertical bands, worse when tensing the neck |
| Fat below the platysma | Deep fullness that liposuction cannot reach | A heavy neck even after liposuction |
| Submandibular glands | Salivary glands that can descend or be prominent | Bulges below the jawline |
| Digastric muscles | Bulky muscles under the chin | Fullness in the centre of the neck |
Ageing loosens the platysma and the skin over the years. Weight loss — from diet, bariatric surgery or GLP-1 medicines such as Ozempic or Mounjaro — removes neck fat faster than the skin can contract, so bands and folds that were hidden become visible. The related facial changes are described on the Ozempic face page.
What can injections do for platysmal bands?
Neuromodulator injections into the bands relax the platysma and can soften mild bands, particularly in younger patients with good skin. The limits are important:
- The effect is temporary and wears off after some months.
- They do not tighten loose skin or remove fat.
- They do not repair a separated muscle or improve the jaw-neck angle.
Radiofrequency microneedling and ultrasound devices can improve early laxity and texture, but against clearly redundant skin and separated muscle they are not effective. This is explained further on the neck lift page.
Which surgical option fits which neck?
| Your neck | Usual approach |
|---|---|
| Fat under the chin, good skin, no bands | Double chin liposuction |
| Visible bands, mild skin laxity | Platysmaplasty (midline or corset), often with liposuction |
| Bands, loose skin and fullness from deeper structures | Deep neck lift with platysmaplasty |
| Neck changes plus jowls and descended cheeks | Neck lift combined with a deep plane facelift or facelift |
Neck liposuction (double chin liposuction)
When the fullness is fat sitting between the skin and the platysma and the skin is still elastic, double chin liposuction can define the jawline through tiny incisions. It does not treat bands or loose skin, and removing too much fat can make the neck look hollow or reveal the bands more clearly.
Platysmaplasty — corset or midline plication
Through a short incision in the crease under the chin, the separated inner edges of the platysma are sutured together in the midline. In a corset platysmaplasty this suturing runs down a longer length of the neck, like the lacing of a corset, to create a firmer, smoother sling. This is the operation that removes vertical bands.
Deep neck lift
When fullness persists because of deep fat, bulky digastric muscles or prominent submandibular glands, these structures beneath the platysma are addressed selectively, together with platysmaplasty. This is described on the neck lift page under deep neck lift.
Neck lift with a facelift
If the jowls and cheeks have also descended, treating only the neck leaves the face and neck out of balance. A neck lift is then combined with a deep plane facelift, which repositions the lower face and upper neck as one unit. The guide neck lift or facelift — which do you need? explains the decision, and neck lift: what to expect walks through the patient journey.
How do ageing and weight loss affect the choice?
With ageing, the change is gradual and usually combines muscle separation with skin laxity; many patients are good candidates for a neck lift with platysmaplasty. After major weight loss, skin redundancy is often greater, and the plan is usually broader — more skin to remove, and frequently a facelift as well. Surgery is planned once weight has been stable for several months. GLP-1 medicines are usually paused about two weeks before surgery, as directed by the anaesthesia team; never stop or change them on your own.
What are the risks and limits?
Risks include bleeding or haematoma, infection, swelling, contour irregularities, visible scars, asymmetry and, rarely, injury to the marginal mandibular nerve, which moves the lower lip. Over-correction — removing too much fat or skin from a neck that needed support — can leave a hollow neck or make the submandibular glands visible. The skin continues to age, and further weight change affects the result.
How is a turkey neck assessed at the consultation?
Most patients start with a WhatsApp message on +971 50 106 7981 and, if they wish, photos in profile. At the consultation at Elyzee Hospital in Abu Dhabi, Dr. Paulo Michels examines the neck at rest and with the muscle tensed, feels where the fullness lies — above or below the platysma — and assesses skin quality, the glands and the jawline. The procedure name follows from that diagnosis. Patients from Dubai and across the UAE are seen routinely. Fees are quoted individually after the consultation, and the quote is all-inclusive.
Questions, answered
Turkey Neck & Platysmal Bands — your questions
What is a turkey neck?+
Turkey neck — sometimes called a turkey wattle — is the informal name for loose, hanging skin under the chin and along the front of the neck. It is usually accompanied by vertical cords (platysmal bands) and a blunted angle between chin and neck. It is a structural change in the skin, fat and muscle of the neck, not just a skin problem.
What are platysmal bands?+
The platysma is a thin, broad sheet of muscle that runs from the jaw down over the front of the neck. With age and weight loss, its two inner edges separate and loosen, and they show as vertical cords that become more visible when you speak, grimace or tense the neck. These cords are called platysmal bands.
What causes turkey neck?+
Several changes usually combine: the platysma muscle separates and loosens, the skin loses elasticity, fat accumulates above or below the muscle, and the deeper structures — the submandibular salivary glands and the digastric muscles — can become more prominent. Genetics, sun exposure, smoking and significant weight loss all contribute.
Can injections get rid of neck bands?+
Neuromodulator injections into the bands can relax the muscle and soften mild bands for a few months. They do not tighten loose skin, remove fat or repair a separated muscle, and the effect wears off, so treatment must be repeated. They are most useful in younger patients with good skin and mild banding.
Can fillers or skin-tightening devices fix a turkey neck?+
Not when the problem is structural. Radiofrequency microneedling and ultrasound devices can improve early laxity and skin texture, and fillers have little role in the neck. Neither can repair a separated platysma or remove redundant skin; when there are clear bands and hanging skin, surgery is the effective option.
What is platysmaplasty?+
Platysmaplasty is the surgical tightening of the platysma muscle. Through a small incision under the chin, the separated inner edges of the muscle are sutured together in the midline — sometimes along its full length, a technique known as corset platysmaplasty. This removes the bands and rebuilds a firm muscular sling under the jaw.
What is the difference between a neck lift and double chin liposuction?+
Double chin liposuction removes fat that sits between the skin and the platysma. It does not tighten muscle or remove skin. A neck lift adds platysmaplasty, work on the deeper tissues and removal of excess skin when needed. If the main problem is fat with good skin, liposuction may be enough; if there are bands or loose skin, a neck lift is needed.
What is a deep neck lift?+
A deep neck lift also treats the structures beneath the platysma — deep fat, the digastric muscles and, selectively, prominent submandibular glands — in addition to tightening the muscle. It is considered when fullness under the jaw comes from these deeper structures rather than from the fat above the muscle. Whether it is needed is decided on examination.
Do I need a facelift as well as a neck lift?+
Only if the changes extend above the jawline. If the jowls and cheeks have descended, lifting the neck alone leaves an imbalance, and a facelift is combined. If the problem is confined to the neck, a neck lift alone can be enough. The consultation decides this, not the name of the operation.
Can a turkey neck appear after weight loss with Ozempic or Mounjaro?+
Yes. When weight is lost quickly with GLP-1 medicines or after bariatric surgery, the neck often loses fat faster than the skin can contract, exposing bands and leaving folds. Surgery is planned once weight has been stable for several months, and the medicine is usually paused about two weeks before surgery as directed by the anaesthesia team.
Is turkey neck surgery suitable for men?+
Yes. Men often seek a sharper jawline and treatment of submental fullness and bands. Male neck tissue is thicker and carries beard-bearing skin, so the plan is adjusted to keep a masculine jawline and avoid moving beard skin behind the ears.
Where are the scars?+
A platysmaplasty uses a short incision in the natural crease under the chin. When excess skin needs to be removed, incisions run around and behind the ears, in the same way as for a facelift. Scar care, including silicone, is part of the recovery plan.
What is recovery like after a neck lift?+
Swelling and a feeling of tightness are normal in the first weeks. A chin strap compression garment is worn for two to six weeks to support the new contour. Most patients return to social activity once bruising settles; the recovery for your specific plan is explained at the consultation.
What are the risks of neck surgery?+
They include bleeding or haematoma, infection, swelling, irregularities, visible scars, asymmetry and, rarely, injury to the nerve that moves the lower lip. Over-aggressive fat removal can leave the neck hollow or the glands visible. Diagnosing which layer is responsible before choosing a technique reduces these risks.
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