Is There A Difference Between A Neck Lift and Lower Facelift?

It’s certainly not uncommon to be unsure as to whether there is a difference between a neck lift and lower face lift. This issue is made all the more prevalent by the spreading of misinformation around the internet and by dodgy anecdotal advice. It’s even possible that you might find articles describing in great detail what a neck lift is, only to find out later they were describing something entirely different! In essence, a lower facelift is intended to treat skin slackness and drooping of the lower face from the cheeks to the jawline, while a neck lift specifically creates a smoother and more refined neck and chin. In this article, we take a look at these procedures and how they can act as a complementary procedure. 

Why someone would want to get a neck lift

Someone looking to obtain neck lift surgery in Sydney might be looking to improve the unwanted signs of ageing in the neck and lower jawline area. These physical changes will usually have occurred over the course of decades, and might include things such as loose neck skin, excess skin in the lower face and jowls, horizontal lines running across the neck and fatty deposits sitting under the chin. A neck lift is performed with an incision that begins at the hairline in front of the ear and continues down and around the ear, finishing at the scalp around the back of the neck. In the event that shape needs to be redistributed, dermal fillers can be used to recreate bone structure and fat that has disappeared with age, and fat that is already present can be moved around to better sculpt the jowls and neck. Those looking to neck lifts to help certain aspects of their appearance may be disappointed to learn that such a procedure cannot modify your overall appearance, cannot improve the health of your skin and cannot put a hold on the inevitable aging process.

 Pairing a neck lift with a face lift

In instances that the neck has visibly aged a great deal more than the face, it will occur as its own procedure, but most will find that the neck and face have aged at the same rate. When these surgeries are performed at the same time, patients will find they have a much better opportunity to balance different aspects of their facial structure and create the most natural, healthy and realistic look for themselves as possible. By the same token, if you were interested in getting a face lift, only treating your face will create a stark mismatch between your neck and recently rejuvenated face, which can very easily draw unwanted attention. A neck lift in combination with a facelift can therefore give the appearance of age reversal by managing sagging skin around the face and neck,  amending any loss of definition in the chin, neck wrinkles and thick bands.

Other complementary surgeries

As with the combination of neck lift and face lift, there are several other procedures that can serve to rebalance any signs of aging. These can include fat transfer and liposuction to more specific things like chin implant surgery, lip and cheek enhancements and eyelid surgery. If you’re unsure where to start or what kinds of procedures would benefit you the most, it’s always worth consulting with your surgeon to learn their health expert advice.