Ask Dr. Elliott: How Do I Decide Between a Facelift and a Neck Lift?
While everyone has aspects of their appearance they want to change, self-consciousness about particularly visible areas (like the face and neck) can take an especially large toll on one’s self-esteem. Depending on what your aesthetic concerns are, plastic surgery may be the most effective way to restore your confidence in your appearance. However, it’s important to choose the right procedure for your needs, and this can be more difficult than it initially seems. If you aren’t sure whether a facelift or a neck lift is the best choice for you, these tips can help you have a better understanding of your options.
A facelift can rejuvenate areas including and above the jawline and chin, while a neck lift targets the neck below the chin.
Both the neck lift and facelift improve sagging skin, but finding the line between where a facelift stops and a neck lift begins can be difficult, especially considering that a facelift can be customized to focus on the specific areas of the face each individual patient wants to address. While some patients consider the jowl area to be closer to the “neck” region, a facelift or short scar facelift is generally the better way to address this popular concern. A neck lift, on the other hand, targets areas further down the neck. When you schedule a consultation with me, Dr. Franklyn Elliott, we can discuss your needs and determine which procedure best fits your desired results.
A facelift primarily improves signs of aging, while a neck lift can also have a slimming effect.
As we age, our skin loses volume and firmness, and while this doesn’t generally have the effect of making the face look heavier, sagging skin in the neck area can unfortunately create a less flattering appearance, and excess fat below the chin can amplify the effect. While lifting and repositioning facial tissue (which is done during a facelift) can take years off your appearance, a neck lift also has the result of giving you a more slender (and, of course, younger) profile, so it’s important to decide whether this is a desired result when you’re choosing a procedure. While simply removing excess skin will have a slimming effect, combining a neck lift with liposuction may produce even more significant results, so be sure to discuss your aesthetic priorities during your pre-surgical consultation.
Doing your research and reading articles such as this to learn about your cosmetic options can be a great way to begin your cosmetic surgery process. However, your final decision about any aesthetic procedure should be made with the guidance of a board-certified plastic surgeon, and a personal consultation is a vital step in the process. For more helpful information and the latest news about plastic surgery, follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.