If you look in the mirror and are dissatisfied by the reflection of an aging face staring back at you, then you may consider facelift surgery. Facelift surgery provides a significant enhancement to your confidence and self-image by addressing jowls, wrinkles, and creases along the middle and lower portions of the face as well as drooping and sunken cheeks. Facelift surgery can remove years from your appearance and leave you with a refreshed and reawakened aesthetic that you will be proud to show off. Unfortunately, when many patients consider facelift surgery, they do so to target specific aging concerns, such as jowls or the deep creases around the mouth, without looking at the whole picture of their face. Many times, patients do not think about the neck.
The neck is one of the most neglected areas on your body. Because it isn’t directly on the face, it can be easy to overlook; however, an aging neck significantly impacts the overall aesthetic of your face. As you age and experience skin laxity due to sun damage and environmental factors, the skin on the neck begins to form vertical bands of excess skin. This skin noticeably ages you, even if you don’t realize it. And if you experience skin laxity on both the lower face and the neck, then treating one without the other may prove to be more detrimental than beneficial.
Combine Procedures to Maintain Balance
The problem with treating an aging face without addressing an aging neck is that you run the risk of looking out of balance. We all strive for our features to look natural and harmonious with each other, just as they did when we were younger. If you undergo facelift surgery, the skin on the jawline will be tightened and smoothed, jowls will be lessened, and cheeks will be lifted; from the jawline up, you will notice significant improvement. However, how would it look if the skin directly below the jawline was left untouched? Treating one without the other is a tell-tale sign of cosmetic surgery, and that is what we want to avoid. We strive for natural-looking, balanced results that flow seamlessly into one another. Although our features all age differently, each feature experiences aging, and forgetting to add the neck to your facelift will be noticeable.
How Is a Neck Lift Performed?
A neck lift is commonly performed in combination with a facelift to tighten skin and muscle laxity in the neck region. Fortunately, many of the necessary incisions in neck lift surgery are the same as for a facelift. A neck lift will only include an additional incision under the chin. This incision is small, and the scar will fade with time. From here, the underlying neck muscles are tightened, and the excess skin is removed. A neck lift results in firmer skin and creates the perfect pedestal for your face to shine.
If you are interested in combining a neck lift with your facelift surgery, contact Dr. O’Toole today to set up a consultation by calling 626-449-8910.