CHICAGO (AFP) -- Plastic surgeons may have another tool to treat patients concerned about the appearance of a saggy neck, one of the most telltale signs of aging, a study said Monday.

The procedure involves surgically inserting a thin, plastic "sling" under the chin to support skin that has lost its elasticity or is weighed down by fatty tissue, and was highly rated by patients in preliminary trials.

Researchers at Atlanta's Emory University reported that 99 percent of patients who underwent the procedure said they were satisfied with the change in their appearance a year after having the surgery.

None of them reported any discomfort with the implant at the one-year mark and more than three-quarters of the subjects said they would recommend the surgery to a friend, according to the study in The Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery. In an accompanying editorial, plastic surgeon Keith LaFerriere said the technique "has the potential to significantly improve our ability to reverse certain signs of aging in the neck."

The procedure is also preferable to alternatives because it avoids the risk of nerve damage inherent in some other techniques such as facelifts and liposuction, and because surgeons can tighten the sling at a later date, he said.

"Any technique that adds to our ability to obtain aesthetically pleasing and longer-lasting results in the neck is welcome," he wrote.

Skin loses its elasticity as a person ages, because the underlying muscle that acts as a kind of "sling" has stretched over time and can no longer support the tissues under the chin.

The artificial plastic sling tested by the Emory University researchers helps lift the tissues under the neck to give a more youthful appearance.

The sling is surgically attached under the skin and is positioned beginning behind one earlobe, extends below the jaw and chin and ends behind the other earlobe.