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You look in the mirror and you’re not sure who the person is who’s looking back at you. Your face is starting to show signs of aging. Your chin is soft and sagging and you have what’s commonly known as a turkey neck. You’re not happy about your appearance and you want to do something about it.
You have options. Facial plastic surgery can help to minimize sagging skin and smooth deep creases in the skin. The type of surgery that’s right for you depends on where you’re seeing the signs of aging. If most of your concerns are located in the lower portion of the face and in the neck, a facelift or neck lift might be your best option. In some cases, combining the two surgeries might be your best bet.
Learn more about what a facelift and neck lift can do and see if combining the two procedures will help you reach your anti-aging goals.
What Does a Facelift Do?
The word “facelift” can be a bit confusing to people. It’s common for people to assume that a facelift focuses on the entire facial area. In reality, the surgery helps reduce the signs of aging in the lower portion of the face, from the cheeks to the chin, jawline and upper part of the neck.
During a facelift, a surgeon rejuvenates your appearance by tightening the skin around your neck and jawline. A deep plane facelift also targets the area around the cheeks, to reduce drooping and the appearance of deep creases and folds.
What Does a Neck Lift Do?
While a facelift focuses on the area between the cheeks and upper neck, a neck lift focuses on rejuvenating the entire neck area. Some people develop signs of aging such as sagging jowls or fatty deposits in the upper neck area that creates a double chin. Others develop signs of aging that take the form of neckbands, horizontal wrinkles that stretch across the neck.
The platysma muscle, which is located in the front of the neck, can start to separate as you get older. In some people, a loose, separated the platysma muscle can create what’s called a “turkey neck.” The muscle and skin become droopy so that it looks as if you have something similar to a turkey’s wattle.
A neck lift can tighten the platysma muscle and the surrounding skin, significantly reduce the “turkey neck” look. The surgery can also remove fatty deposits from the area, minimizing the appearance of a double chin.
Why Combine a Facelift and Neck Lift?
Everyone’s face ages somewhat differently. Some might only notice signs of aging in the upper part of the face, others in the lower part or in the neck. Some might have signs of aging all over. In that case, combining facial plastic surgeries, such as a facelift and neck lift, might be the best option.
There are a few benefits to scheduling a facelift and neck lift at the same time.
More Dramatic Results
If you have deep creases by the mouth, drooping cheeks, and chin and a turkey neck, having the two surgeries together just makes sense. A facelift will help to correct your concerns between the cheeks and upper neck while the neck lift will correct the issues you’re experiencing on your neck.
Think of it this way. If you go to the hair salon and asked for a haircut, it’d be strange if the stylist only cut half of your hair. The new style on one side of your head would look neat, but the longer, unkempt hair on the other half would look out of place.
It’s the same if you have signs of aging in various areas of your face, but only correct some of them. Getting a more youthful contoured jawline might be a good idea, but if you still have a turkey neck afterward, you might look and feel unbalanced.
Shorter Recovery Time
You might consider scheduling a facelift one month, then scheduling a neck lift for a few months in the future. If you schedule separate surgeries, you’ll need to allow for double the recovery time. You’ll need at least one week to recover after your facelift and another week to recover after your neck lift.
But if you have a facelift and neck lift performed at the same time, you can fold the recovery times together. Recovering from a double procedure might take a little bit longer compared to recovering from just one procedure. Recovering from two procedures performed simultaneously will definitely take less time than if you had the surgeries separately.
Reduced Cost
While you won’t get two surgeries for the price of one when you combine a neck lift and facelift, you will enjoy some cost savings. If you schedule to separate procedures, you’ll have to pay for everything separately.
Since you only need one round of anesthesia and one surgical suite when you have two surgeries at once, the price tag will be lower.
When Should You Combine a Facelift and Neck Lift?
If you have signs of aging in your neck and the lower third of your face, a combination facelift and neck lift might be just right for you. There are a few things to consider before moving forward with the surgeries, such as:
- Your overall goals
- Your health
- Your lifestyle habits
- Your schedule
The best way to see if you’ll benefit from a facelift and neck lift together is to speak with a board-certified facial plastic surgeon. Dr. Robert Glasgold of the Glasgold Group is a board-certified facial plastic surgeon who specializes in facial rejuvenation with natural results. To learn more about the benefits of a combined facelift and neck lift, call 732-846-6540 or contact us today.
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