Face Lift & Neck Lift

Face and neck lifts are one of the most popular cosmetic procedures available to patients interested in removing 10 or 15 years from their profile. These highly-effective lifts are one of the best ways to tighten skin and remove fat deposits that can be difficult to remove, even with other procedures. A face or neck lift can create a younger, more contoured version of you.

What is a Face or Neck Lift?

Face and neck lifts follow the same procedure – an incision is used to give access to the underlying facial muscle and fat in order to tighten, remove, or rearrange tissues so that the skin can be re-draped. A loss of skin elasticity and the general aging process can cause the face to sag and lose its contour over time, and face or neck lifts can be highly effective, especially if used in conjunction with a brow lift or eyelid surgery.

A selection of incisions exist, and can be customized to fit your needs:

  • A traditional incision follows the hairline near the temples and goes around the ears to the lower scalp.
  • A short scar or limited incision uses a smaller incision that begins at the temples and continues just below the ears. This is also sometimes called a “mini-facelift”.
  • A neck lift incision begins in front of the earlobe and follows the nape of the hair behind the ear. An additional incision under the chin might also be used for liposuction.

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Who should consider a Face or Neck Lift?

Any healthy individual who feels they are uncomfortable with sagging, loose skin in many areas of their face might consider a profile-correcting face or neck lift. These procedures can restore tight, youthful skin to the facial contours, and remove excess skin or fat from underneath the chin.

What are these procedures like?

During a traditional facelift, an incision is made, and the skin of the face is lifted so that underlying tissues can be removed or rearranged. Once a new contour is made, any excess skin is trimmed away and the skin is re-draped over the newly sculpted tissues.

A short scar or ‘mini’ facelift is reserved for patients who don’t require such an extensive procedure as a traditional one. Similar to a traditional facelift, it still restructures the tissues, but is reserved for patients with tighter skin than traditional facelift candidates. While still beneficial, patients with fewer signs of aging might consider this option.

A neck lift removes or re-sculpts the fat present underneath the chin using incisions and liposuction. This creates a new contour of the jaw, and can define a chin that might be subject to aging or stubborn fat that causes a ‘double chin’.

Results and Recovery

Since a face or neck lift is invasive, some recovery time and pain management should be expected. Some swelling and bruising may be present immediately following the procedure, and bandages might be placed to help minimize these symptoms. You may be expected to manage drains to help with any fluid buildup during recovery. Medications may be prescribed and should be taken according to specific instructions by your plastic surgeon in Mississippi. A full recovery period can be 2-3 months but will have permanent results. A face or neck lift cannot stop the process of aging, but it can rewind your facial profile to a younger, more radiant version of you.

If you are considering a face or neck lift and have questions, contact our office to schedule a consultation with Dr. Richardson and discuss the best options for you.

Facelift FAQs


What is a mini facelift?


A mini facelift helps improve signs of aging and is particularly beneficial for those who are in their 40s and 50s. Genetics, sun exposure, and gravity, as well as factors like smoking bring about certain undesired changes to your facial skin. When these changes are mild to moderate without any excess skin around the neck or jawline, a mini facelift is the perfect procedure for you. It is a short scar procedure as compared to the traditional facelift and is also popularly known as the weekend facelift. You get the benefit of a less invasive surgery which requires minimum incisions and gives you a shorter recovery period.

The mini facelift procedure will require small incisions which can be hidden well within the jowl and creases of the neck and cheeks. Your surgeon will reposition your muscles without stretching the skin, giving you naturally beautiful results. Even if you have a short hairstyle, your incisions will not be visible. The procedure can also be combined with liposuction to take care of excessive fat in the neck area.


What is a liquid facelift?


A liquid facelift is a minimally invasive procedure offering you facial rejuvenation. Your surgeon can lift, plump, fill, smooth, and improve the contours of your face using injectable fillers like Perlane, Restylane, Radiesse, Artefill, Juvederm, and Sculptra. It is basically a non-surgical facelift which helps thousands of patients who do not wish to undergo a surgery. These fillers also help you retain the results of a surgical procedure like the traditional facelift for a longer time.

Neuromodulators like Botox and Dysport also help to fill up the fine lines and wrinkles on the face, offering you restorative enhancement. With the liquid facelift, you get a minimally invasive and cost-effective treatment for various facial issues like hollows around the eyes, folds and creases around the mouth, and sunken cheeks. Your results from the procedure are immediate with minimal recovery time.


How is a facelift done?


A facelift is a facial surgical procedure meant to help you take years off of your appearance. It can reduce the sagging skin and folds at the cheeks and jawline. During the procedure, skin flaps from every side of your face gets pulled back while the underlying tissue is surgically altered to give you youthful contours. The flap is then closed, and any excess skin is removed. The underlying muscles are also elevated and any fat on your face can be removed, redistributed, or sculpted. The facial skin is then redraped tightly on the new contours.

The kind of incisions used during your facelift procedure depends on the technique your surgeon uses. During the traditional or full surgical technique, the incisions begin at the temples, continue into the hairline, and go behind the ears to reach the lower scalp.

When you opt for the limited facelift technique, the incision begins at the hairline, goes over the ears, and wraps around the front of the ears. It does not extend into the lower scalp which means it is less invasive and you can enjoy a shorter recovery period.


What does a facelift do?


Even though a facelift is a highly customizable procedure, usually it targets the lower third of your face and neck. The procedure is based on two fundamentals – full and limited surgery. The difference between these two lies in the degree of work required to be done in the neck area. Where the limited facelift is used to tighten the loose skin on the jowls for minor effects on the neck; the full facelift undermines more skin and tightens the underlying platysma muscles.

This means that younger patients who are only suffering from moderate signs of aging can undergo the limited facelift. The procedure takes only about 30 minutes and the recovery is shorter. Neck liposuction is also performed as part of the procedure to tighten the skin in the area. The full or traditional facelift is more suitable for older patients who suffer from severe signs of aging. The incisions from the surgery are well hidden within the hairline and behind the ears. One of the most popular cosmetic procedures for facial rejuvenation, a facelift, eliminates the aging signs and takes at least a decade off your face.


What is a lower facelift?


The traditional facelift procedure is typically used for treating the lower two-thirds of your face, which means everything below the top of the ears. If required, an upper facelift or brow lift is a separate procedure which can be performed depending on your requirements.

The lower facelift is performed to rejuvenate your cheeks and the neck area. It will tighten the underlying skin structure that may have slackened with age, forming a fleshy neck and jowls. This procedure will also trim away any excess skin and smooths it down in order to eliminate any facial creases. The facial lift and rejuvenation achieved with this procedure is dramatic and yet appears natural and beautiful. When you choose an experienced surgeon, nobody will even know that you underwent a surgery, and it will naturally take years off your appearance.