Candidate for Facelift or Neck Lift Surgery

Patients want to look better, but still themselves.  They may first try nonsurgical treatments with Botox® or cheek injections to help treat and prevent wrinkles. We see many patients from all age ranges who benefit from nonsurgical, office treatments. However, has plastic surgery gone away? No, not yet.

There still isn’t a good nonsurgical method to address loose skin, sagging muscle, or weak bone structure. Skin laxity is one of many reasons patients still visit plastic surgeons. Whether it’s for the neck or eyes, plastic surgery remains the gold standard and the best option for many patients.

What is a Facelift or Neck lift?

Plastic surgeons refer to a facelift and neck lift as surgical procedures of the lower face and neck. Confusion may arise between these two cosmetic procedures as they both cover similar areas and can have significant improvements to saggy skin and muscles of the face and neck.

The similarity of these cosmetic surgical procedures is that both can make patients appear dramatically rejuvenated. Both may involve fat transfer (ex. cheek augmentation) and chin liposuction to enhance one’s appearance. A facelift and neck lift also share similar recovery periods, with a majority of recovery within the first weeks after surgery.

Read more about facelift and neck lift surgery.

Who is a candidate for a Facelift or Neck Lift?

During the consultation, Dr. Chaboki may discuss nonsurgical face lift options first, as appropriate. Even excellent surgical candidates may start with nonsurgical treatments for an aesthetic improvement. These nonsurgical treatments, referred to as a liquid facelift, may performed before or after surgery.

Facelift and neck lift surgical candidates generally have the following qualities, but circumstances may vary for each person:

• over 40 years old
• good general health
• nonsmoker
• excess neck skin or bands, “turkey neck”
• excess neck fat, “double chin”
• weak chin, poor bone structure
• jowls or loose skin tissue along jaw line
• flat or hollow cheeks
• positive outlook and realistic expectations
• time for recovery after surgery

Dr. Chaboki customizes the facelift or neck lift appropriate for you based on many factors, such as the degree of tissue laxity, fat volume and location, and bone structure, in conjunction with your own personal goals. Some patients require a limited or mini lift, while older patients with significant sagging skin may benefit from a full face lift or traditional lift. Only after a comprehensive evaluation can a surgeon help determine appropriate options.

The primary goal with any facelift or neck lift is to look refreshed. – Houtan Chaboki, MD

Which is better, a Facelift or Neck Lift?

As with any cosmetic surgery procedure, there isn’t a “best” option. Some patients may need to focus more on the face, while others need just neck. However, the neck and lower face are considered as a region and often treated simultaneously by the best facelift surgeons. Plastic surgeons modify the procedure specific to each patient depending on unique facial and neck anatomy.

Keep in mind that your face continues to age with time, despite any treatment or surgery. However, you should continue to look better after facelift surgery than if you’ve never had the initial surgery in the first place.

A consultation with a cosmetic surgeon who performs a variety treatments can help determine an appropriate approach for each person. Have you considered a facelift or neck lift? Speak with a facial plastic surgeon to review options with you.

Read more about facelift and neck lift procedures on our blog:

• Weight loss before or after Facelift and Neck lift surgery
• Facelift and Neck Lift surgery in Men
• Treating a double chin or submental fullness: Liposuction, Chin implant, or Facelift?
• Healing of Facelift and Neck lift incisions over time