Question:
My cheeks seem to travel right down into my neck. I have lost the definition of a jawline. What type of surgery would you recommend for this problem? A facelift or a neck lift?
Answer:
Based on your description, a facelift sounds most appropriate. A necklift is often performed with a facelift to yield the best results for the patient. For sagging in the neck and jaw area, there are few treatments that may help alleviate the issue besides a neck lift. Here, the neck muscles are tightened and excess fat is removed. Your surgeon may also perform this in combination with liposuction of the neck, which is an additional method for removing excess fat. It is possible to do either of these procedures separately or in combination. Your surgeon will determine what is best for you depending on your individual circumstances. Thank you and I hope this helps.
Question:
I recently heard of something called a post-auricular neck lift. Can you explain what this is? How is it different from a regular neck lift?
Answer:
The term post-auricular has to do with the placement of incisions. With a post-auricular neck lift, an incision may be made behind the ear. Every patient has unique anatomy and may require placement of incision in different locations to get ideal results. A neck lift may only involve an incision under the chin, behind your ear, in front of your ear or any combination of these incisions. I have a great deal of experience performing neck lifts. Please feel free to ask me any additional questions you may have regarding the procedure and I would be happy to answer them for you. Thank you and I hope this helps answer your question.
Question:
Can neck liposuction remove a double chin? I am 58 years old and have soft, perhaps slack skin on the underside of my chin. Will that skin retract if the fat is removed? I am assuming my only option if the skin does not retract would be a neck lift.
Answer:
Neck liposuction is a great option for excess fat under the chin. Depending on your individual circumstances, you may benefit from neck liposuction alone. However, to achieve an optimal result, an additional procedure may be necessary, but I would really need to see photos and/or perform an examination to give you the best advice. Depending on the elasticity of the skin at the exam, I may choose to perform a neck lift with removal of skin. Incisions are in the submental region and behind the ears. This also can be turned into a regular mid-face and lower facelift if needed. A playsmplasty can also be performed (tightening of the neck muscles). I would be happy to take a look at your photographs and give my opinion. You may send any photographs to Lisa, my patient care coordinator, at ana@spaldingplasticsurgery.com. Hope this helps. Thank you and best of luck.
