By Dr. Nikolas Block-Wheeler
If you’re considering a facial plastic surgery procedure in San Francisco to address signs of aging, you may be having trouble deciding between a neck lift and a facelift. Both of these options can have a major effect on signs of aging, reducing wrinkles and firming lax skin. To decide which option is best for you, it’s important first to understand the details of each procedure.
Neck Lift
A neck lift is a surgical facial procedure performed to address cosmetic issues such as sagging skin, stubborn fat, and drooping platysma muscles. It’s an effective way to contour away a double chin or a turkey-wattle neck, creating a more elegant facial profile.
Neck lifts can take anywhere from one to four hours to perform, depending on the specifics of the procedure. After anesthesia is administered, incisions are made behind the ears and/or below the chin.
Neck lift surgery can include any of the following techniques:
- Platysmaplasty: Sagging platysma muscles are rejoined and tightened using internal sutures.
- Cervicoplasty: Drooping excess neck skin is removed using a scalpel, and the remaining neck skin is tightened.
- Liposuction: Excess fatty tissue is removed from the neck via insertion of a cannula, dislodging of fat from surrounding structures, and application of medical suction.
Once the chosen techniques have been performed, the incisions are closed with the help of surgical sutures.
Facelift
A facelift focuses on the midface, the lower face, and, to a certain degree, the neck. It’s ideal for smoothing moderate to severe midface wrinkles, such as nasolabial folds, marionette lines, and parentheses lines. It also reduces laxity in facial skin, creating a firmer, more youthful appearance. This process addresses the appearance of jowls and tightens the jawline.
Depending on the specific type of facelift, it can be performed under local anesthesia with sedation (an awake facelift) or under general anesthesia. Incisions are created in well-camouflaged areas around the ears.
Next, small surgical instruments are used to lift the underlying facial tissues. For a SMAS lift, the surgeon lifts from the SMAS (superficial musculoaponeurotic system) layer. For a deep plane facelift, the surgeon lifts from the deep plane, just below the SMAS. A deep-plane facelift also involves releasing various facial ligaments. Once the procedure is complete, sutures are used to close all incisions.
Can a Neck Lift and a Facelift Be Combined?
Neck lifts and facelifts are frequently combined during a single surgical procedure at our San Francisco clinic. This pairing is an excellent way to achieve comprehensive facial revitalization. The face and neck age together, so addressing them in a single operation ensures the most natural-looking results possible.
This combination also offers the benefit of only requiring one recovery period. Because of this, patients can save time, avoid weeks of recovery, and get back to their busy lives sooner. It also allows them to save money, since they will only need to pay the fees associated with one surgical session.
Neck Lift or Facelift: Which Is Best for Me?
The best way to decide whether a neck lift or a facelift is right for you is to consider the issues you’d like to address.
- If you’re only experiencing excess neck fat and sagging neck muscles, a neck lift is the best procedure for you. A facelift cannot address these issues.
- If you’re only experiencing excess laxity in the mid- and lower face, including jowling, a facelift is ideal. A neck lift cannot address these signs of aging.
- For patients experiencing signs of aging on the face and neck, a combined face and neck lift may be the best option.
In the end, patients should meet with an experienced facial plastic surgeon to discuss their needs and goals. Facial plastic surgeons can examine the patient’s skin, evaluate their face and neck, and ultimately recommend the optimal procedure for them.
Contact Us Today
Arrange your personalized consultation with experienced facial plastic surgeon Dr. Nikolas Block-Wheeler in San Francisco to learn more about neck lifts and facelifts. Dr. Block-Wheeler has performed numerous neck lifts, facelifts, and combination face and neck lifts over his many years of facial plastic surgery. Contact us today to get started.
