As a stand-alone surgery, the facelift procedure ranks among the top in popularity for both men and women. Because the effects of gravity and aging don’t stop at the jaw line, however, the concept of a facelift plus a neck lift is also gaining in popularity. The neck lift procedure can pick up where the facelift leaves off, smooth the creases and trim the excess skin that have affected the neck. If you’re frustrated with the way aging has been treating you lately, consider a facelift, neck lift, or maybe both to get the optimum benefits of these great procedures.If you have a bad neck posture, you may want to try neck posture exercises to help you fix it.
The Signs of Aging on Your Face and Neck
As the human body ages, several things happen that can contribute to the way we grow older and start to reflect our ages. The skin begins to loosen as collagen production slows or even stops. When the skin is thinning and growing lax, lines and wrinkles will begin to form. Muscle movements in the face create deep creases; in the neck, the muscles form thick “bands” that can appear stringy. Wrinkles, sagging, drooping, and even shifted fat deposits are all a part of the aging of the face and neck. Both time and gravity are working against us as we try to maintain our youthful appearances.
The Anti-Aging Benefits of Facelift Surgery
Whether you’re in your early 30s or your late 60s, you’ve arrived at your own stage in the aging process where enough is finally enough. If you’re here, considering a facelift surgery for yourself, it’s important to understand the benefits of this game-changing procedure. Not only can a facelift reverse some of the aging damage, but it will give you up to 10 years of that youthful glow back to you. Patients at any age can benefit from a facelift, provided they are experiencing the problems common to the aging process. After all, if there’s nothing yet to correct, there’s nothing for your surgeon to do!
Following a facelift surgery, many patients are struck by the improved contour of the chin and jawline. The lower portion of the face is often free of deep creases and wrinkles, as well as the excess skin and fat that caused drooping and puffiness. Many patients lose their double chins and the jowls around the jaw, thanks to the surgeon’s skillful ability to tighten muscles and tissues, trim away loose skin, and redistribute fat cells. The facelift procedure concentrates on this key area of the face, where aging signs are abundantly clear, and reverses everything it can.
The Anti-Aging Benefits of Neck Lift Surgery
Loose skin, lax muscles, and excess fat can be the culprits for an aging neck, much like the aging face. When a neck lift surgery begins, the surgeon focuses on the area just beneath the jaw and down to the collarbone. Since the neck is often the first place to show aging signs, this procedure is also appropriate for patients at nearly any age who are concerned with how their neck is changing. Deep folds, sagging skin, fat deposits under the chin and jaw, and banding muscles are all common reasons to get a neck lift procedure.
Often, the incisions used to perform a neck lift surgery are in the same location as some of those used for the facelift surgery. In fact, you might say that neck lift surgery begins where the facelift stops, allowing the surgeon to continue the process of smoothing the skin and reversing the appearance of damage straight down. A neck lift procedure can do much to erase the signs of aging from the neck, offering many benefits to patients as either a stand-alone surgery or an add-on to a facelift.
Seeing Double Benefits With Two Procedures
With an understanding of what these two anti-aging procedures can do, it’s easy to see why many patients choose to double up and reap all of the benefits at once. While having two surgeries at once might seem complicated, having them performed this way could be a benefit in itself. Here are some of the reasons patients choose a facelift plus a neck lift:
- Complete the look of your surgery, by erasing aging signs straight down from your face to the end of your neck. Doing this can prevent you from having a stark contrast where your jaw meets your neck. After all, your facelift results won’t look so great if your aged neck gives away your real
- Perform your surgeries together to save time. You’ll have only one consultation, one surgery date, and one stretch of recovery time instead of two of everything.
- Speaking of one recovery, planning two surgeries together means you’ll conserve space on your calendar with just one stretch of Your recovery time won’t double to accommodate two surgeries, so plan for the usual amount of time for a facelift and you’ll be all set.
- Your aftercare instructions will be pretty much the same, so don’t worry about conflicting requests to care for your face and neck differently.
- Cut down on your expenses by rolling two procedures into one. Some plastic surgeons offer a discounted rate when you do so; all you have to do is ask.
- With a newly rejuvenated face and neck, you’ll get a burst of confidence, improved self-esteem, and of course, a lot of compliments on a new, more youthful you!
Written by Philip S. Schoenfeld, MD. Dr. Schoenfeld is the founder and Medical Director of RENU in Chevy Chase, Maryland and Washington DC metropolitan area. Dr. Schoenfeld is board-certified in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery.