Facelift & Necklift

Facelift & necklift surgery are suitable for both male and female patients. You may be seeking facelift/necklift surgery to reverse the signs of ageing or to treat sagging skin following weight loss. You may have aspects of your face that you are concerned about including fine lines, wrinkles, deep nasolabial (nose to lip) folds, jowls that can be addressed with facelift surgery. Aspects of the neck such as sagging skin and prominent muscle (plastysmal) bands may be treated with a necklift and a ‘double chin’ appearance may be treated with liposuction.

If you are over 18, generally healthy, not overweight and a non-smoker, you are suitable for facelift & necklift surgery. Occasionally, some people who seek facelift or necklift surgery may actually not be suitable, and may require a different treatment (including non-surgical rejuvenation procedures). For example, if you require a mild degree of tightening in the face, around the eyes or décolleté, TIXEL skin resurfacing may be suitable for you. If you have mild signs of ageing, non-surgical procedures such as anti-wrinkle injections and dermal fillers may be suitable for you. If you require volume restoration or enhancement of certain facial features, then fat transfer may be an alternative. If you have excess fat or a ‘double chin’ appearance, then liposuction may be offered. During your consultation, you will be advised on whether facelift or necklift surgery is suitable for you.

At your consultation, you will meet Dr Kian, a fully-qualified plastic surgeon who is trained in both surgical and non-surgical facial rejuvenation. He will take a full medical history including details of medications, allergies and smoking. Dr Kian also always takes time to understand what your goals and concerns are.

During your examination, the following will be assessed systematically and standard clinical photographs will be taken for your medical record:

• amount of excessive skin
• fine lines & wrinkles
• skin quality
• asymmetry

Dr Kian will then discuss your procedure with you. He will also discuss the scars that you are likely to expect. He will explain the potential risks and complications of surgery so that you make a fully-informed decision. There will be plenty of time to answer any questions that you may have and you can rest assured that Dr Kian will give you his honest, professional advice.

Facelift & necklift scars are carefully placed so that they are discreet and hidden as much as possible. Dr Kian is trained in different facelift & necklift surgery techniques and the scars that you will have will depend on your individual circumstances. Dr Kian will examine your face and neck during your consultation and discuss with you what your goals are before advising on which technique is suitable for you. Below are some of the more popular techniques that Dr Kian uses:

• Full facelift – with this technique, the scar is placed discreetly within your hairline, coming down either over your ear cartilage or in front of your ear, and then curling round under and behind your ear. Most of the scar is hidden with this technique, however this type of facelift is the most effective at treating the face and the neck at the same time.
• Mini facelift – in this ‘short scar’ technique, the main difference is that the scar does not go as far behind the ear as in the full facelift. This technique is suitable for younger patients with milder skin excess and good skin elasticity.
• Necklift – this is most commonly done at the same time as a full facelift and utilises the same incision. Sometimes, an additional incision below the chin is needed to tighten your neck muscles.

Face & neck rejuvenation surgery will produce immediate results however you will have post-surgical swelling and bruising that will take up to 2 weeks to subside. Sometimes, bruising can take several weeks to completely disappear. Full results are usually seen after 6 weeks. Scars may continue to be red initially but will usually fade well with time.

You will be able to wear make up once all the incision wounds have healed, and this is usually a week after your surgery. It is not recommended to apply make up over the incision sites.

Most patients are very satisfied with the results of their face and neck rejuvenation surgery. However, it is important to choose a surgeon who is appropriately trained in facelift & necklift surgery to minimise the risk of complications. During your consultation, Dr Kian will explain the potential risks and complications of your procedure. Some of these include:

• Scar – the exact scar will depend on the specific technique and will be discussed
• Infection – some wound infections may require antibiotic treatment.
• Bleeding/haematoma – bleeding after surgery may require a second operation to remove the blood clot and stop any bleeding.
• Wound healing problems – occasionally, there may be areas that take a bit longer to heal due to either infection, impaired blood supply or skin necrosis.
• Unfavourable results – this may be due to problems with asymmetry, under- or over-correction of your problem
• Hair loss – there may be a lack of hair growth around your scars
• Nerve damage – there is a risk nerve damage causing in numbness and also weakness in facial muscles, resulting in asymmetry (although this is usually temporary). It is rare for there to be any permanent weakness/loss of function.

Recovery time is very individual, however for most people this will be between 7 to 14 days. You will be asked to keep your head elevated for at least 48 hours after the procedure to keep the swelling down. You may have a small tube coming out of your skin to drain any blood from under your skin. We would normally advise to take a 2 weeks off work, however you may return to work sooner or later depending on how you recover and the type of work that you do. Full results take at least 6 weeks, however this will vary from person to person.

Dr Kian believes that good aftercare is as important as the surgery itself. You will be given contact details to get in touch should you have any concerns after your surgery. You will be advised to have someone with you for at least the first 48 hours after your surgery. You may be given a bandage or facial garment to wear after your surgery. You will have a clinic appointment approximately 5-7 days after your procedure to remove most of your sutures. At this time, the wound is inspected to ensure that it is healing well and there is no infection. You may have some clips in the hair, which may be left for longer. You will have a full review appointment with Dr Kian at approximately 6 weeks after your surgery to check that you are happy with your results and to give you long-term aftercare instructions.