Background: The neck is generally a flat surface in youth that may have a bump or prominence in the middle about halfway between the jawline and the upper sternum of the chest. This laryngeal prominence, known more commonly as the Adam’s Apple, is formed by the size and angle of the thyroid cartilages that surround the larynx or voice box. This appears as a lump under the skin that is more prominent in men as the thyroid cartilages  form an acute angle where they meet in the middle. In women, this bump is much less visible, if at all, as the thyroid cartilage angle is more rounded rather than acute.

The laryngeal prominence has the name Adam’s apple for disputed reasons from a biblical  origin of an apple being stuck in Adam’s neck to a hebrew mistranslation of the words ‘man bump’. Regardless of what it is called, its purpose is to protect the larynx and the vocal cords which it contains. Its size also influences the depth of the voice. The bigger the laryngeal prominence the larger the voice box is creating a deeper toned voice.

Reducing the prominent Adam’s apple is a cosmetic neck surgery that has been done for decades. Know medically as a chondrolaryngoplasty, it is easier to call it by its more common name, a tracheal shave. While it is often thought as only being desired by transgender men to women conversions, that may be historically true but not accurate today. I done as many tracheal shaves in men who were merely bothered by its degree of prominence as that as part of facial femninization surgery.

Case Study: This 35 year-old female had long been bothered by the size of her adam’s apple. She was a tall thin female with little subcutaneous fat. Her thyroid cartilages were very angular, coming to a sharp point that stuck out prominently.

Under general anesthesia, her prominent thyroid cartilages were approached through a 3 cm long in a horizontal neck skin crease adjacent to the bump. The strap muscles were split and separated and the cartilages exposed. The front edges of the cartilages were shaved done enough to eliminate the thyroid prominence. The strap muscles were reapposed over the cartilage and the skin closed with dissolveable sutures. Only small tapes were applied for dressing.

She had minimal pain and no bruising afterwards. There was some moderate swelling and firmness over the area for a few weeks. the scar took several months to completely fade. The result shows the elimination of the thyroid bump and a much smoother and more feminine neckline.

Tracheal shaves for the prominent adam’s apple is not new. In reading its history, it has been associated with a wide range of complications including voice changes and laryngeal nerve injury. In my experience, I have seen only aesthetic issues with tracheal shaves which revolve around under- resection. It is important to get the best reduction possible but one should not over weaken the cartilages or violate the mucosal lining in so doing. It is always better to leave a  much reduced hump with no complications than a completely flat one with a complication.

Case Highlights:

1) The prominent adam’s apple in the neck is the result of large paired thyroid cartilages and thin neck tissues.

2) Reduction of the prominent adam’s apple is through a shaved reduction of the anterior or front portion of the thyroid cartilages. (tracheal shave)

3) The prominence of the adam’s apple can be significantly reduced but can not always be reduced enough to make the neck completely flat.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana

A tracheal shave or Adam’s Apple reduction is the removal of the protruding portions of the paired thyroid cartilages that cover the larynx. This is done through a small horizontal neck incision directly over them in a natural neck skin crease. The cartilages are reduced by shaving or burring them down but without making them unduly weak or disrupting the attachments of the underlying vocal cords. How much reduction of the neck bulge that can be achieved highly depends on the thickness of the cartilages.

The following are typical after surgery tracheal shave instructions:

1)  Most tracheal shave procedures have virtually no pain after surgery. Patients usually only feel the need to use Tylenol or Ibuprofen for just a few days after the procedure, if any medication at all.

2) There  will be a flesh-colored tapes glued on over the incision. That will stay on for a week or so. It will either be removed by Dr. Eppley at the first postoperative follow-up (in town patients) or you may peel it off after a week for out-of-town patients.

3) There may or may be some spotting of blood on the tapes. This is normal and not a cause for concern.

4. The sutures used in the small neck incision are all under the skin and will dissolve on their own. There is NO need for suture removal.

5. You may shower and wash your hair as normal the following day. There is no harm in getting the  neck tapes wet.

6) There may be some mild neck stiffness and soreness when you extend your neck backwards after surgery. Avoid excessively stretching your neck backwards for a few weeks after surgery once the tapes are removed.

7) Once the neck tapes are removed, you may begin to apply any topical scar treatments if you desire.

8) There are no limitations to any physical activities after tracheal shave surgery. You may feel free to run, workout and do any non-contact sporting activity as soon as you feel comfortable.

9) There are no restrictions on what you can eat or drink after surgery. Swallowing has no adverse effects on neck healing.

10. If any neck redness, increased tenderness or swelling, or drainage develops after the first week of surgery, call Dr. Eppley and have your pharmacy number ready.

Every plastic surgery procedure has numerous issues that every patient who is undergoing a procedure should know. These explanations are always on a consent form that you should read in detail before surgery. This consent form, while many perceive as strictly a legal protection for the doctor, is actually more intended to improve the understanding of the tracheal shave procedure. The following is what Dr. Eppley discusses with his patients for this procedure. This list includes many, but not all,of the different outcomes from surgery. It should generate both a better understanding of the procedure and should answer any remaining questions that one would have.

ALTERNATIVES

There are no alternatives to reducing a prominent thyroid cartilage (adam’s apple) other than open surgical reduction.

GOALS

The goal of a tracheal shave is to reduce the prominence of the neck bulge over the thyroid cartilage.

LIMITATIONS

The limitations of  a tracheal are in how much reduction can be achieved. How much reduction of the neck bulge that will result depends on the thickness of the cartilage and the overlying soft tissues.

EXPECTED OUTCOME

Expected recipient site outcomes include the following: temporary swelling and bruising of the neck area, mild temporary soreness and neck tightness, a small permanent heck scar and up to 3 months for all swelling to go down to see the final result.

RISKS

Significant complications from tracheal shaves are very rare. More likely risks include infection, undercorrection with some residual neck bulging and adverse neck scarring. Permanent voice changes have been reported in the medical literature by not seen by Dr. Eppley. Any of these risks may require revisional surgery for improvement.

ADDITIONAL SURGERY

Should additional surgery be required for tracheal cartilage or scar revision, this will generate additional costs.

While the soft tissues dominate the surface area of the neck, they are not the only elements that give it its shape. Several hard tissue components comprised of bone and cartilage also make a contribution. The form of the jawline is on the upper edge of the neck and is the superior suspension point for most of the neck’s soft tissues. The thyroid cartilage sits in the midline of the lower neck and is barely noticeable unless it sticks out too far. The prominence of the thyroid cartilage also has gender significance in helping to define a male vs a female’s neck.

While manipulation of the hard tissues of the neck does not change the all-important cervicomental angle, it does help influence how that angle is seen. The stronger and more defined the jawline is, the greater is the perception of more youthful neck due to a longer upper limb of the cervicomental. If the thyroid cartilage is too prominent, the lower limb of the angle is disrupted creating an undesireable bump in the neckline. While for men this bump may be fine and even attractive, it is not so for women.

Chin Augmentation The jawline separates the neck from the face and is defined by both its length and it anterior projection. The chin is the most forward part of the jawline and its strength or weakness can help or hurt the appearance of the neck.  The horizontal projection of the chin can be easily increased using a variety of implant styles and sizes. Chin implants can be placed through either the mouth or from under the chin. For many patients, putting the implant in from under the chin assures proper positioning on the most forward part of the chin bone. Chin augmentation can be a very useful adjunctive procedure with any of the neck contouring procedures, particularly isolated liposuction and facelifts.

Tracheal Shave  The prominence of the thyroid cartilage often has little to do with one’s age. The size of the cartilages are genetically imprinted and not age-related. The one occasional exception is that seen after a facelift when the profile of the thyroid cartilage can become unmasked as the neck skin is tightened and pulled back. For those that have too strong of a neck bulge caused by the strength of the paired thyroid cartilages (more commonly known as an Adam’a apple), this can be reduced by shaving the prominence down. This is done through a small horizontal neck incision directly over the prominence. It is a virtually painless procedure with no recovery and a result that is immediate. Most patients obtain results where the size of the bulge is dramatically reduced and a few will get a completely smooth neckline in profile.

Tracheal Augmentation In rare cases, a more dominant or even an evident thyroid cartilage bulge is desired. This masculinizing neck procedure requires the placement of a specially-shaped implant on top of the thyroid cartilage to build out its projection where the paired cartilages meet in the midline. When combined with a submentoplasty above it, a more prominent tracheal bulge can be created.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana

The shape of the neck is an important aesthetic structure of the face. When it is well defined with a sharp angle definition (between 90 to 120 degrees in profile), it makes the chin and jawline more prominent and flattering. When the neck angle is obtuse or completely open (straight), the jawline becomes obscured and less aesthetically pleasing. The neck can be seen to have a major influence on how the entire lower third of the face looks. As one begins to age, the neck tissues become loose and begin to sag.For some, even at a young age, they have a naturally full with an obtuse angle due to a thicker fat layer and a lower positioned hyoid bone.

While genetics, gravity and time work against a shapely neck with a good angle, there are a number of plastic surgery procedures to improve the aesthetic appearance of the neck. First, however, a few comments on non-surgical reshaping methods. While creams and exercises are touted to improve the shape of the neck, none have been proven effective for making noticeable changes. Some modest changes can be made in the appearance of jowls and neck skin sagging in those who have good skin elasticity withvarious transcutaneous energy therapies. (e.g., BBL or Skin Tyte) These are not to be confused with surgical results but there can be visible improvement. Injectable Botox can also be used to treat prominent vertical platysmal neck bands. These are best viewed as treatments neck for those that don’t have enough of a problem to justify surgery or for those who do but prefer to try a non-surgical approach first.

Full thicker necks with good skin can be treated solely by liposuction. Removing fat allows the skin to shrink and tighten up to reveal the shape of the underlying platysma muscle. While traditional liposuction is effective,the additional use of a laser-assisted technique can help improve the results. Smartlipo, which uses a fiberoptic laser probe, creates heat which not only helps melt fat but can create a skin tightening effect as well. While neck Smartlipo is ideal for younger patients due to their better skin quality, I have seen a few older patients with impressive neck changes as well.

The next level beyond neck liposuction is a submentoplasty. This is a neck tightening operation that not only removes fat by liposuction but tightens the platysma muscle as well. It is performed through a submental incision in which some small amount of loose upper neck skin can also be removed. Also known as a submental tuckup, it can be effective for the very beginnings of neck sagging in younger patients with good skin. It is also historically used after a facelift when some submental skin sagging develops (rebound relaxation) in the first year after surgery.

Facelifts are the primary procedure that can create the most effective change for the aging neck. Facelifts, also called necklifts, can be thought of as being two fundamental types either a limited and full type. Both use incisions around the ear but the length of the incisions and what effects they create in the neck and jowls is different. A limited facelift, which goes by a lot of marketing names (Lifestyle Lift, Quicklift etc), has as its main effect the smoothing out of sagging jowls with a more limited effect in lifting neck skin. It is best used in patients whose primary complaints are about their droopy jowls and not their necks. Full facelifts are used when the neck problem is more significant and its improvement is the main objective of the surgery. It is the most powerful changer of both the neck and jowls and usually also incorporates liposuction of neck fat and tightening of the platysma neck muscles. Chin augmentation with a facelift can also be helpful in giving a more defined jawline.

One other approach to the sagging neck is that of the direct necklift. Unlike facelifts in which the incisions and the direction of skin lifting is based around the ears, the direct necklift removes loose neck skin by excising it down the center of the neck…directly if you will. This is a simpler approach to a necklift and is a very powerful reshaping method of the neck but it does so with the trade-off of a midline neck scar. This can be a preferred procedure for older men (greater than age 65) who prefer the least recovery and have large hanging neck wattles. Male beard skin heals remarkably well and I have not found the neck scar to be a visible concern after it heals.

The last area of neck reshaping, which has nothing to do with age, is the prominent Adam’s apple or thyroid cartilage. For those that have too strong of a neck bulge caused by the strength of the paired cartilages of the Adam’a apple, this can be reduced by shaving the prominence down. This is done through a small horizontal neck incision directly over the prominence. It is a virtually painless procedure with no recovery and a result that is immediate. Most patients obtain results where the size of the bulge is dramatically reduced and a few will end up with a completely smooth neckline.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana

Background:The central prominence of the neck is well recognized as the adam’s apple. It is largely a male feature although it can be prominent in some women as well. It is composed of paired cartilages which surround the larynx and is designed to protect the delicate voicebox from injuries. While often referred to as the thyroid cartilages, a more accurate name would be the larynx cartilages as that is what it actually guards.

The name adam’s apple is often believed to be a reference to the observation that it looks like a chunk of apple stuck in the throat, relating to the biblical story of Adam and the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge. More likely, however, it is the result of a mistranslation of the Hebrew words, tappuach ha adam, which means ‘male bump’.

Those patients who seek adam’s apple reduction generally fall into two categories, transgender conversion from male to female and males who simply desire less of a central neck prominence. It is widely believed that most tracheal reductions are done in the transgender patient but this has not been my experience. I find it to be about a 50:50 ratio. The aesthetic neck goals for each group are slightly different. The transgender patient would prefer a completely flat neck profile which is more feminizing. The male patient can live with some reduction and a visible remaining small neck bump is still acceptable.

Case Study: This 53 year-old male-to-female transgender patient wanted her thyroid cartilage eliminated if possible. It had an approximate 2 cm central profile and was located unusually low in the neck with a very obtuse cervicomental angle.

Under general anesthesia, it was approached through a 2.5 cm horizontal incision located directly over the prominence. After going through the strap muscles, the thyroid cartilage was identified and all soft tissues dissected off of it including the perichondrium. A scalpel was used to shave the wings of the thyroid cartilage down. At the anterior V of the thyroid cartilages, shaving was done until the cartilage became hard. A handpiece and burr was then used to thin out the central prominence done along the central box of the cartilages. The thyroid cartilages became thin In some areas but no complete through and through defects were created. The strap muscles were closed over the reduced areas but with minimal tension so as to not bunch up the muscles over the reduced area. The skin was closed with small dissolveable sutures. The difference in the neck profile was both immediate and dramatic. The incision was covered only with glue and tapes.

She could shower the next day and there were no restrictions from any activity. She reported minimal discomfort and swelling. By six weeks after surgery, most of the swelling had subsided. The scar already was very fine and nearly indiscernible.

Thyroid cartilage reduction is a simple but effective neck contouring procedure. While it is important to reduce the cartilage prominence as much as possible, it is critical to not destabilize the thyroid cartilage to avoid the risk of voice change due to alteration of the tension on the vocal cords. There is no exact way to know how much cartilage can be safely removed before this occurs so when in doubt, conservative reduction is best.

Case Highlights:

1) Tracheal shaves are done through a small horizontal neck incision with minimal recovery and discomfort.

2) Complete elimination of the thyroid cartilage profile is not always possible. The limiting factor is the thickness of the cartilage and the location of the vocal cords internally.

3) Adam apple reduction is largely done by cartilage shaving but more firm areas of cartilage may require mechanical burring reduction.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana

A large or protruding thyroid cartilage (a.k.a. Adam’s Apple or pomus Adamus) can be a source of embarrassment to the male transsexual as well as to certain aesthetically-sensitive males. Reducing the size of the upper portion of the thyroid cartilage, known technically as a chondrolaryngoplasty, is often an essential procedure in appearing more feminine. A feminine-appearing face with a protruding thyroid cartilage  is a sure giveaway of one’s sexual origin.

Thyroid cartilage reduction, or a tracheal shave, is a fairly straightforward procedure both to do and to undergo. The cartilage is reduced by making a small horizontal incision directly overlying the most prominent portion of the cartilage in a natural skin crease. The cartilage is literally shaved down with a scalpel but not so far as to risk passing through the underside of the cartilage. The vocal cords lie on the inside of the cartilage. The incision is then closed with dissolveable sutures placed on the inside of the skin. There is very minimal pain and swelling afterwards.

Complications from a tracheal shave are few with hypertrophic (thick) scars being the most common.  Scars across the thyroid cartilage definitely have a tendency towards becoming thicker so scar treatments and massage are essential. Of some significance is that undesirable voice changes have been reported and can occur as the ‘box’ of the thyroid cartilage may become unstable if it is thinned too much, changing the tension or stretch of the vocal cords. Most voice changes are temporary however.

All tracheal shaves that I have performed have been done under general anesthesia, usually with other feminizing procedures such as rhinoplasty or forehead contouring. As a stand alone procedure, it may be able to be done under local anesthesia or IV sedation.

Indianapolis, Indiana