Facelift And Neck Lift

A facelift or rhytidectomy is a form of cosmetic surgery that gives the face a younger look by “lifting up” areas of the face where unwanted signs of aging have developed in the tissues. Some of the concerns a facelift can address include relaxation of facial skin that causes sagging, deepened, or pronounced folds around the nose and mouth area; fallen or lost fat; and jowls in the cheeks and jaw area.

By lifting up and pulling back loose skin, a facelift creates a smoother and tighter appearance. This surgery involves repositioning and removing skin, fat, and/or muscle.

A neck lift—also known as a lower rhytidectomy—improves signs of aging that develop specifically in the jawline and neck.

Both are considered to be cosmetic restorative surgeries. As a plastic surgeon, Dr. Mo Zakhireh implements a variety of strategic approaches during facelift and neck lift surgery, giving patients complete rejuvenation benefits now and for years to come.

From childhood and our teenage years up until early adulthood, our skin retains a smooth, elastic quality. As we get older, however, we lose that rosy-cheeked and baby-faced look. Our quality of the skin changes drastically with age, typically becoming increasingly frail, thin, and lax with each passing decade after our 20s. Cell turnover slows, the skin dries out, and we produce smaller quantities of the proteins that maintain skin strength and pliability, like elastin and collagen.
While the temples and cheeks flatten, the lower jawline becomes heavier with drooping fat and skin, giving the entire face more of a wide-based triangle shape. The face can also develop an increasingly deflated look as it loses its youthful contours and structure.

It’s at this point that some people begin to consider a facelift and neck lift.

In addition to aging, dramatic weight loss and genetics can also play a role in the creation of hollow cheeks, jowls that cause the jawline to lose definition, and the appearance of facial lines and creases. On the neck, sagging skin can create the look of turkey wattles, while a stubborn pocket of fat can produce a double chin.

Facelift and neck lift surgeries are usually combined into a single operation, since the lower jawline and neck are so closely connected. Making changes to one but not the other can actually put more attention on the untouched, aged-looking areas, since there are more youthful contours nearby to create an unwanted contrast.

Note that facelift and neck lift procedures are devoted solely to addressing concerns on the lower portion of the face and the neck. Areas higher on the face require different techniques and strategies.

“How do I decide if I need a facelift?” It’s a common question with a simple answer: If you are unhappy with the appearance of your face, arrange a consultation with an experienced plastic surgeon who can help you determine the best approach for achieving your cosmetic goals.

With that in mind, you may be an ideal candidate for facelift or neck lift surgery if you want to restore the youthful contours of your cheeks and address sagging skin around the jawline and neck areas. If you are healthy, don’t have any medical conditions that impair healing, are a non-smoker, and maintain a positive outlook and realistic expectations, you may be a good candidate for a facelift and/or neck lift procedure.

Some patients decide to undergo a neck lift on its own if they feel like they are not ready for a full facelift and their upper face is still pleasing, but they want to address concerns on the neck areas such as double chin, turkey wattle, or jowl lines.

Remember that these forms of facial plastic surgery can’t correct sun damage, fine lines, and other concerns that affect the look and quality of the skin itself. To address these irregularities or blemishes, you will need to consider other treatments.

If sagging skin and other signs of aging are affecting your self-confidence or minimally invasive procedures aren’t enough to give you the results you want, it may be time to consider a facelift. Facial fillers and other non-surgical procedures will not be effective at tackling more severe signs of aging that can be addressed with facial plastic surgery.

During your initial consultation, be sure to discuss any aspects of your face or neck that you are dissatisfied with, as well as your overall cosmetic goals. Your complete medical history will be reviewed, and you may have to undergo physical and facial exams. Tell Dr. Mo about your medical history to ensure that the best care can be provided to you before and after your facelift procedure.

What do I need to know before getting a facelift? How do I prepare for facial plastic surgery? If these are some of the questions you have, be sure to communicate openly with Dr. Mo during your consultation. The Cosmetic Surgery Institute team will guide you on everything you need to know about facelifts and inform you about all of the facelift and neck lift options available for achieving your desired look.

After deciding on a facelift and neck lift, you may have to stop taking certain medications—or at least adjust how you take them. Be sure to follow the surgeon’s instructions as closely as possible to optimize results from a facelift and neck lift.

Aspirin and anti-inflammatory drugs, for example, are best avoided since they increase the likelihood of bruising from a facelift and neck lift. It’s also necessary to avoid smoking, heavy lifting, sun exposure, and alcohol. You’ll need to make arrangements for someone to pick you up and stay with you for the first night after your surgery. You may also need to apply certain types of topical products to your skin before you have a facelift.

Facelift and neck lift patients may want to ask questions about washing their face, wearing makeup, hair dyeing, and haircuts after their procedure.

Our surgeon takes a multidisciplinary approach to facelift and neck lift surgery that addresses these three common age-related conditions: skin laxity, facial hollowing, and poor skin texture and coloring. Using a combination of procedures and treatments that are tailored to your individual needs and physical characteristics, Dr. Mo can rejuvenate the skin and stimulate the production of collagen for a youthful appearance that will last.

During your facelift surgery, Dr. Mo first addresses the issue of skin laxity or facial sagging by removing excess skin and tightening the underlying muscles through carefully made incisions.

Facelift and neck lift surgery are always performed in our accredited medical facility under the supervision of our surgeon and staff. General anesthesia is most often provided for optimal comfort during the procedure.

Dr. Mo will first make small incisions in the appropriate locations based on the degree of improvement you would like to see. Facelift incisions are typically hidden in the hairline and the areas where the ears meet the head. These incisions allow for the removal of excess skin and tissue, as well as the tightening of underlying facial muscles for a firm, but natural, appearance.

Liposuction may also be used to remove any excess fat tissue in the neck area. Your facelift and neck lift procedures are completed with a fat transfer to fill in any hollow areas of the face.