Can A Webbed Neck Procedure Make A Short Stubby Neck Thinner and Elongated?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I’ve been reading your articles about various surgeries on your website for many years, and has been a huge fan. And I recently saw your article on a surgery to correct webbed neck, through the photo of the patient, her neck was greatly elongated after surgery.

I have a pretty short and stubby neck, and it’s been a great concern for many many years, I do not have a webbed neck, however I do have quite large trapezius muscles that makes my neck even shorter. 

I have tried Botox, with no luck on correcting the problem. And is wondering if a similar surgery like the attached correction of the Webbed Neck With Posterior Excision and Fascial Plication would help with my situation. 

Looking forward to your reply. 

A: Thank you for your thoughtful and interesting inquiry. By your description of a normal but short/thiick neck I have never done a webbed neck/neck reshaping procedure on such anatomy. The typical true webbed neck (Turner’s syndrome) has loose skin and more normal trapezius muscular thickness which helps explain the often good results in them. The only corollary to your situation that may apply is in a handful of mosaic Turner’s’ patient who has less webbing but wider necks. In these patients neck reshaping/thinning has often proven to have disappointing results. Perhaps more aggressive trapezius muscle reduction would have better results but I would not say that it could create a dramatically thinner and elongated neck.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana