Facelift and Neck Lift

As you age, your skin and facial structure change. Skin loses elasticity and resilience, reducing its ability to snap back into place. Additionally, fat deposits in your face become unevenly distributed. Facelift and neck lift candidates typically include adults who have:

• Sagging lower cheeks
• Poorly defined jawline
• Wrinkly, saggy, or fatty neck

To determine if a rhytidectomy is right for you, schedule a consultation with a St. Luke’s facelift surgeon in the greater Lehigh Valley region.

Getting facelift and neck lift plastic surgery can positively impact your well-being and self-confidence. Facelifts are recommended if you want more dramatic lifting and tightening results than you can get from noninvasive procedures like chemical peels, laser treatments, or radiofrequency therapies. Here are several of the most commonly reported benefits:

• Sharper, more defined jawline
• Refreshed appearance
• Tighter neck and chin
• Fewer wrinkles around the nose and mouth
• Slimmer face (from face liposuction)

A facelift and neck lift surgery can significantly improve your body image and give you a more youthful appearance. While it’s possible to have a neck lift surgery without a facelift, combining both procedures can enhance the overall effect. Facelifts aren’t recommended for people who smoke or individuals with health conditions that slow down the healing process, such as diabetes or kidney disease.

As with all surgeries, facelifts and neck lifts have risks, including:

• Hair loss
• Bruising
• Nerve injury
• Scarring
• Skin loss

Your surgeon will review a complete list of risks before getting your consent.

In the time leading up to your facelift and neck lift at St. Luke’s Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, you can take steps to make your procedure as safe as possible. These include discussing the following topics at your surgical consultation:

• Goals and expectations
• Surgical options
• Results
• Recovery

As part of your consultation, your surgeon will also do a complete evaluation, which may include:

• Ordering lab work
• Taking “before” photos
• Assessing medical conditions, allergies, and medical limitations
• Reviewing medications, supplements, alcohol, tobacco, or drug use

A week before the procedure, you can prepare at home by:

• Filling prescriptions
• Purchasing necessary medical supplies
• Coordinating transportation and meals
• Staying hydrated

You should arrive early on the day of your procedure to avoid travel delays.

Your surgeon will work with you to determine the best type of facelift and neck lift for your desired results and your aesthetic goals. A facelift and neck lift lasts several hours and requires general anesthesia to ensure you are comfortable throughout your procedure.

During the facelift surgery, your surgeon will create a small incision that starts along your hairline, curves around your ear, and extends to your lower scalp. If you’re also having a neck lift, your surgeon will make an additional incision in front of your ear lobe that curves around your ear.

Mini-facelift

In a mini-facelift, the surgeon will make short incisions to tighten facial tissues, focusing on the jawline, correcting jowls, and rejuvenating tired-looking features. This type of facelift and neck lift is less invasive due to its specific incision pattern and is best suited for individuals with a small amount of sagging. A mini-facelift is also an effective way to address signs of aging before they become more pronounced.

Standard facelift

In a standard facelift, the surgeon will make more extensive incisions to tighten facial tissue. This surgery can correct a turkey neck, strengthen the jawline, and rejuvenate tired-looking features. It can also restore natural contours to both the face and neck. A standard facelift and neck lift type is more invasive than a mini-facelift, so it’s used to treat moderate signs of aging.

Once the procedure is completed, your doctor uses stitches or surgical glue to close the incisions and wraps the incisions in protective coverings to avoid infection. You may feel pain or discomfort and see some bruising and swelling after the procedure, but you’ll see your results as these symptoms diminish. Your doctor will provide you with aftercare instructions to ease your recovery and can prescribe pain medications to reduce your discomfort. Typically, within 2 weeks, it's hard to tell you've had a facelift and neck lift.

While you'll see noticeable improvements right away, sometimes additional surgeries are needed for the best outcome. Protecting your skin from the sun and leading a healthy lifestyle will help reduce scarring and maintain your results.

After the procedure, you may spend several hours in a recovery room for monitoring by your surgeon. As you progress through the recovery process, there are several key milestones to anticipate:

• Day of surgery: The first day is usually the most painful, so follow your surgeon's recommendations to minimize discomfort. You can use ice packs to reduce swelling and take prescribed pain medication for comfort. For a smoother recovery, you should sleep with your head elevated.
• 1 day after surgery: Visit your surgeon for a follow-up to evaluate the incision and swelling. At this appointment, they’ll remove or replace your surgical dressings and drainage tubes.
• 2 to 3 days after surgery: You’ll likely experience the most swelling and bruising. Take your prescribed pain medication, rest, and do light movement.
• 4 to 5 days after surgery: As you start feeling better, you’ll become more mobile. Your pain and swelling should continue to diminish.
• 1 week after surgery: If you're still taking pain medication, you can stop at this point. Light exercise is typically allowed, but keep sleeping with your head elevated.
• 2 weeks after surgery: You can return to your job if it isn’t strenuous, but you may experience fatigue. Bruising should be minimal enough to conceal with makeup.
• 1 month after surgery: You can resume most regular activities, but avoid strenuous ones that cause discomfort. You may experience some tightness and tingling in your face and neck.
• 2 months after surgery: You can resume all regular activities because your incisions should be completely healed.