Facelift: Jaw & Neck Lift

Jaw Line/Neck Facelift

Jaw lift/ neck lift surgery are some of the choices available to you when your features include an excessive amount of skin along the line of your jaw and neck. To understand how this surgery my fit into your overall plan, you should review our monograph on the approach to the treatment of aging. This surgery helps re-contour your jaw line, both by removing excess skin and removing fullness from your jowl and lower face.

Traditional Facelift Surgery requires and incision that begins in the hair at your temple, reaches down in front of your ear, around your ear lobe, and ends in the hair behind your ear. Your cheek and neck skin is dissected, then pulled, removing the excess. The benefit is your skin is smoother, but your appearance may be “pulled,” or unnatural.

Jaw Line/Neck Facelift typically has two components: (1)Reshaping your chin, neck, and jowl area using micro pulsed ultrasonic assisted liposuction and (2)Removing excess cheek and neck skin while restoring support for your cheek and neck. The extent of treatment for each component varies from person to person. Surgery is usually requires only a local anesthetic in combination with mild sedation.

Micro Pulsed UAL uses small liposuction instruments to treat the unwanted fat in your jowls, cheek folds, and under your neck. In my experience, UAL allows for better skin tightening than with traditional liposuction. UAL is helpful, even when there is only minimal unwanted fat.

With rare exception, you will usually benefit from “recycling” the fat removed, helping to restore a more natural, “rested” appearance around your eyes. The results of fat grafting are permanent. The volume of fat that stays will depend on the number and size of the fat cells that survive. Because the fat in your facial area tends to have small cells, I believe it is the “best” fat for rejuvenating your eyes.

Removing Excess Skin uses a limited incision that starts near the top of your ear, reaching around your earlobe, and ends just behind your ear. The loose skin in front of your ear (and jaw line) in pinched, marking the edges of the “pinch.” This is the only area of skin lifted during the jaw lift.

After removing your skin excess, GoreTex sutures are used to help provide added support for your cheek. Incisions are usually repaired with dissolving stitches under your skin. When the incision is closed, the incision may look like an elastic waistband, having a slightly bunched appearance. This effect using fades over time. If the bunched appearance has not improved by three to six months, scar revision may be considered.

Recovery takes time. While some patients are out in public within 24 hours, you should allow adequate time to heal. A return to normal activity usually takes 7-10 days, though some patients need more time. Typically, bruising and swelling, rather than pain, dictate your return to an active lifestyle.

Risks of treatment are the same as any other surgery. The most common problem after any surgery is bleeding, infection, scarring, or a change in sensation. While complications are unusual, you can minimize your risk by taking an active roll in your care.

Jaw Line