The ageing process happens to all of us sooner or later. Gravity, stress, and sun exposure can all take their toll on your face and neck. Your smile lines can deepen, your jawline sags, and your neck can become loose. Keep reading to learn everything you need about a facelift and neck lift.
What is a Facelift Surgery?
Your skin doesn’t necessarily reflect your age, as multiple factors can impact how your face and neck appear, like stress, diet, work, and general health.
A facelift tightens and lifts the skin below the eye. If you want to lift anything above the eyes, you may need to consider a brow lift. During a facelift, your surgeon will lift and reposition the skin and soft tissue of the face. A facelift takes around 2 hours to perform. Also known as rhytidectomy, the procedure helps create a smoother and more youthful appearance.
The best candidate for a facelift is anyone with a sufficient amount of facial laxity. If you have any of the following, you may be a suitable candidate for facelift and neck lift:
- vVsible neck muscles causing banding in the neck
- Excess fat or sagging skin in the neck
- Deep lines from the jaw to the corners of the mouth
- Evident loss of the border between the jaw and the mouth, or jowling.
There are different types of facelifts, including:
- Full facelift: This is a procedure that helps tighten the skin of the neck, cheeks and jowls. A full facelift typically sheds years off your face. Since the skin on your face continues to age following the surgery, you may require another procedure down the line. A standard facelift procedure can take between two to six hours. The scars are hidden around your ears or in the hairline. The doctor typically tightens the skin and the underlying muscle to create a more youthful appearance.
- Mini facelift: This procedure helps tighten the face and the jowls but doesn’t do much for your neck like a standard facelift. A mini facelift is perfect for younger people with mild jowls or someone who needs a touchup following a standard facelift.
- Deep plane facelift: This is an advanced facelift technique where the doctor releases the muscle layer under your skin and repositions it without tightly pulling the tissues like in a full facelift. The result is a more natural-looking youthful appearance.
If you’re seriously considering a facelift, read our expert tips to help you prepare for your facelift.
Neck and Lower Facelift Before and After
What is Neck Lift Surgery?
As you can imagine, a neck lift lifts and tightens the skin on the neck. A neck lift typically focuses on loose skin on the neck without touching the jowls and cheeks. It is less complex and takes shorter to complete than a standard facelift. You may be a good candidate for a neck lift if:
- You are young and only have a small amount of early looseness on the neck
- You’ve had a standard facelift in the past and only want a touch-up on the neck
- You’re older and looking to improve only the loose skin on your neck
A neck lift lasts between 1 to 3 hours, depending on how much work needs to be done.
When you combine a facelift and neck lift, the neck muscle and skin is tightened and stitched to structures in front and behind the ear. At this time, excess skin is also removed. Although you can do both procedures individually, it’s normal to include both treatments simultaneously for a whole rejuvenating package.
What are the Benefits of a Facelift and Neck Lift?
The neck is usually one of the first parts of the body to show signs of ageing. The skin on the neck is thinner, so it tends to lose elasticity faster. By undergoing a facelift and neck lift, it can result in a physical transformation that can take years off.
The primary benefits of the two treatments focus on turning back the clock. It helps you to achieve a more youthful appearance. Other benefits include:
- Shed excess skin from the neck and jawline.
- Tighten up sagging skin.
- Redefine the jawline.
- Get rid of deep creases.
How Long Does it Take to Recover From a Facelift and Neck Lift?
After a facelift or neck lift procedure, there will be some pain, discomfort, bruising and swelling. Your doctor will give you some post-operative instructions on when to remove the drains and the dressing and make a follow-up appointment. As the swelling goes down, you can see your results.
The initial recovery period usually takes around 2 weeks. In the first few days, you will feel some tenderness. Any bruising and swelling will be at their worst around day 2. After 5-10 days, your surgeon will remove the sutures. After you get the all-clear, you can expect to resume rigorous activity in 4 weeks. Most patients see the final results in 3 months, but you will continue to heal for 6 months following your procedure.
What are the Potential Risks and Complications of a Facelift and Neck Lift?
If you’re considering getting any plastic surgery, there are always risks. The potential risks and complications of a facelift and neck lift are:
- Scarring
- Bruising
- Swelling
- Infection
- Poor wound healing
- Nerve injury
- Numbness
Facelift And Neck Lift Procedures at The Harley Clinic
This treatment may be ideal if you’re looking to turn back the clock and define your jawline and neck. Sagging skin and deepening creases can make you feel older than you are. If your main aim is to lift, tighten, and brighten, a facelift and neck lift could be just right for you. Once you decide to undergo a facelift, neck lift or both procedures, book a consultation with a trusted plastic surgeon.
Book a free appointment today by calling 0203 582 4947 or sending an email to [email protected].
Thanks for also talking about the recovery time involved when getting a neck lift. I’m interested in knowing more about that procedure because I’ve been worrying about aging lately. I think that it would be best if I start getting consultations about plastic surgery soon in order to know what I should expect.