What to Know About Facelift and Neck Lift
Plastic surgery is becoming more common and acceptable than ever before. Perhaps you have begun looking into getting work done yourself. You may be considering a facelift or mini-facelift. You may also benefit from a neck lift. But what exactly are the differences between these facial plastic surgery options?
Our expert surgery team is here to answer your questions. Join Dr. Michael A. Devlin as we discuss the differences between facelift and neck lift surgery. If you live in the Little Rock, Conway, or Hot Springs, AR, area, we encourage you to visit us for a consultation.
About Facelift Surgery
A facelift, also known as a rhytidectomy, can do wonders for your appearance, improving signs of aging such as deep wrinkles, sagging skin, and dropping cheeks forming jowls. What a facelift cannot fix are surface wrinkles, crease around the nose, sun damage, or deep wrinkles.
Facelift Timeline
Patients often wonder how long it takes to perform and recover from a facelift. The answer varies from patient to patient, and depends on the patient’s health, age, and other factors. Patients can expect the procedure itself to last between two and four hours. Recovery can take two to three weeks, or more if complications arise.
At Dr. Devlin’s practice, our team is committed to seeing patients heal well. Follow-up appointments are scheduled to ensure a speedy recovery. A facelift can last for 10 years or more if you take good care of your skin and overall health.
About Neck Lift Surgery
As the name implies, a neck lift is used primarily to improve the appearance of your neck. The surgery is performed to remove loose and sagging skin of the neckline, a common sign of advanced age in many people. It can also address some sagging around the underside of the chin and lower face.
Neck Lift Timeline
A neck lift has a similar procedure length to facelifts, taking about two to three hours to complete. The recovery timeline can differ between patients. That said, swelling typically lasts only a few weeks, with patients resuming many normal activities one month after surgery. The great thing about neck lifts is that after recovery, the anti-aging results can last 10 to 15 years.
Prerequisites and Risks
Before undergoing surgery, patients should be nonsmokers in good health. If any of the following apply to you, your doctor may not be able to recommend a facelift or neck lift:
- Are you taking blood thinners? Medications such as Warfarin, Clopidogrel, aspirin, or supplements such as ginseng or fish oil can thin the blood, meaning your body would have trouble healing after surgery.
- Do you have a disease that prevents blood from clotting? A similar problem, if your blood has trouble clotting, surgical wounds will be unable to heal properly.
- Does your weight fluctuate? If your weight changes frequently, this can undo results. A patient with stable weight will see results last much longer.
We can discuss surgical candidacy and pre-op preparation in more detail during the consultation process.
Should I Get a Facelift or Neck Lift?
Ultimately, it comes down to what your goals are, and what is feasible. If you have aesthetic issues that affect the mid-face, a traditional facelift or a mini-facelift would be right for your needs. If you have issues that affect the neckline and jawline, you’d benefit more from a neck lift.
Our team will discuss with you how to best achieve your desired look while remaining safe.
Schedule a Consultation Today
If you are interested in pursuing a facelift or neck lift, feel free to reach out to our team. Give us a call today at (501) 227-8811 or send us a message online to schedule an appointment.
