The best age to consider a facelift is younger than what patients think, and the more extensive procedure provides a more effective and more natural result.
Facial aging can be affected by sun damage, smoking, genetics and hormone changes. Facelifts can be more effective before irreversible damage to the skin and facial soft tissue. The optimal physiologic time for a facelift may arguably be in patients’ 40’s.
Younger patients wanting neck rejuvenation are being bombarded with promises of minimally invasive neck contouring. Younger patients generally believe the misconception that the “smaller” procedure is all that is needed. Typically smaller procedures do offer less downtime, less incisions, shorter recovery, though they have less longevity, less result with substantial cost. Many patients present in their 40’s after having these procedures done, and are often disenchanted and underwhelmed with their results, or appear worse after their procedures.
- Facial rejuvenation in the 40’s is optimal because of skin quality and soft tissue strength to help hold the result.
The components to neck rejuvenation are skin tightening, through skin re-draping and removal, muscle repositioning with a midline platysmaplasty with lateral SMAS flap (corset platysmaplasty) and fat contouring with direct fat removal, and/or liposuction.
There are many potential options for the correction of a sagging neck though most only address one component and therefore are applicable to only a minority of patients.
The minimally invasive and/or non-invasive neck procedures offer limited recovery though all deliver limited effects with limited longevity.
- Noninvasive fat loss includes Cool Sculpting™ which involves cryolipolysis
- Injection lipolysis like Kybella™
- Liposuction removes fat through subcutaneous suction techniques
- Botox® has been applied to the neck platysmal bands with limited efficacy
- Laser skin tightening
- Ultherapy® or focused ultrasound to help tighten deeper neck tissue
- Radiofrequency either transdermal or transcutaneous to help tighten skin or soft tissue
- Mini-necklifts typically involve skin tightening only
The younger patient will typically have at least 2 out of the three components and with adequate skin elasticity and strong subcutaneous tissue they will hold their neck lift longer making the procedure more effective.
- The satisfaction rate in open neck procedures is very high in the younger patient.
An open neck lift procedure will help to re-contour and rejuvenate the neck and jawline by addressing all 3 components to neck rejuvenation (skin, muscle and fat).
Optimal results incorporate skin tightening, contour improvement and elimination of bands and sagging skin
Neck lifts could be also referred to as a lower facelift. The procedures are typically performed in the operating room with general anesthesia .
- The incisions are under the chin and around the ear extending along the hairline.
- The SMAS layer is elevated and released along the jawline. The SMAS is secured behind the ear and platysma is tightened centrally for neck contour correction
- Fat removal is performed above and below the platysma and along the jawline (jowls) in needed.
- Central Platysma muscle repositioning to eliminate neck bands
- Skin re-draping behind the ear to help tighten and contour the neck
- All of these steps help to provide a natural effect to help refine the jawline and deliver a long lasting result.
Procedure is done in the operating room and recovery is approximately one week.
The scientific answer for the best age for a facelift is in the 40’s, however the real answer is when a patient is ready for the procedure.
Andrew P. Trussler MD is an experienced plastic surgeon in Austin Texas with advanced training in facelift surgery including lower facelifts and necklifts.
Dr. Trussler’s Austin plastic surgery office can help guide you in correcting commonly seen facial aging complaints. Facial rejuvenation with a necklift can help you improve your jawline and neck with a natural, long-lasting result.
