Aging is cumulative, and its outward signs become more visible with each passing year, especially once you reach your 40s. In fact, it’s fairly easy to notice how much your facial features are changing as you look back at photos of yourself from just a few years ago. At Aesthetic Surgery Center, plastic surgeon Dr. Michael Macdonald can help you get your youthful appearance back with a neck lift, a face-lift, or a combination of both. Here are some tips on how to choose which procedure is right for you.
A neck lift takes years off your neck and jawline
A defined jawline can make a man look strong and confident, or a woman appear more fit and photogenic. But as you age, excess fat may accumulate under your chin and the skin on your neck may lose its elasticity, appearing loose and sagging. Your neck may also become “crepey” over the years, thanks to the perfect combination of fine lines, wrinkles, sun exposure, and skin laxity.
Another time you might choose a neck lift is after you’ve lost a significant amount of weight. Sometimes after weight loss, you’re left with sagging skin under your chin since your body no longer has the same volume you had before you lost weight. At any age — but especially when you’re older, and your skin is naturally less elastic than it was in your twenties or thirties — you may want to remove that extra skin so you can fully enjoy the outward benefits of your weight loss efforts.
A neck lift brings back firmer, smoother skin for natural results
When daily moisturizers and skin-firming lotions no longer do the trick, a neck lift may be the answer to a more immediate and long-lasting solution. A neck lift restores the youthful contours of your jawline, chin, and turkey neck. During a neck lift procedure, Dr. Macdonald can:
- Tighten and smooth loose skin under your chin
- Remove excess fatty deposits under your chin
- Tighten your jowls for a firmer jawline
- Tighten and smooth loose skin on your neck
- Smooth neck muscles for less vertical banding
A neck lift as a stand-alone procedure is a good option if your neck looks older than your face. For many women and men, skin laxity, wrinkles, and vertical muscle banding become more prominent in the lower jaw, chin, and neck, and don’t match the upper facial features. A neck lift helps restore your youthful features, so your face and neck appear to be aging at the same time — and much more slowly.
On the other hand, a face-lift may be a good solution
Maybe you’re one of those fortunate individuals who has good genes, a fit lifestyle, and a workout routine that haven’t yet allowed the years to show under your chin and across your neck. But you do have some deep smile lines and wrinkles around your mouth and nose. And, perhaps you’ve lost some of that youthful volume that used to make your cheeks appear firmer and smoother.
If that’s the case, a face-lift could be the perfect solution for long-lasting results. During a face-lift procedure, Dr. Macdonald focuses on smoothing out deep wrinkles and facial folds, and restoring volume to your cheeks, so you appear naturally younger and rejuvenated. Face-lift surgery addresses:
- Sagging facial skin in the lower two-thirds of your face
- Deep folds around your nose
- Deep folds around the corners of your mouth
- Skin laxity in your cheeks and along your jawline
A face-lift restores youthful contours to your face, so you look like a naturally younger version of yourself.
Combine a face-lift and neck lift for optimal results
When it comes to face-lift and neck lift surgeries, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all prescription for restoring youth. Instead, after a thorough exam of your facial skin and a comprehensive consultation to learn about your desired outcome, Dr. Macdonald creates a customized treatment plan just for your needs. In some cases, it may be a single neck lift or face-lift. Or, he may recommend combining the two procedures, or even adding a brow lift or eyelid surgery, to address all of your aging concerns at once.
As a highly skilled plastic surgeon with considerable experience in the most advanced cosmetic procedures, Dr. Macdonald recommends the best methods for helping you get the results you want, and turning back the clock 7-10 years. Nobody can stop the aging process, but Dr. Macdonald can certainly help you look as if you did.
From face-lifts to neck lifts, and a long list of other anti-aging treatment options, find out how you can look more youthful and rejuvenated. Call our friendly staff at the San Francisco office or request an appointment online.