Facelift / Neck Lift
Dr. Hu offers the most powerful, longest-lasting, natural facelift currently available, the extended, deep-plane, vertical vector face and neck lift, with the most expeditious recovery times possible. This technique restores balance and youth to the face, jawline, and neck. After surgery, patients appear noticeably refreshed, defined, and invigorated, matching how they feel inside.
Patients seek out Dr. Hu to address all of the following:
Sagging cheeks
Deep smile or frown lines
Poorly defined jawline
Jowling
Loss of cheekbone height
Double chin or turkey neck
How It Works
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Dr. Hu will begin your consultation by listening to your concerns about your face and neck and discussing the results you would like to achieve.
She will take care to thoroughly explain the different thirds and layers of the face and neck and how to implement the desired changes using specific surgical techniques.
There are multiple approaches to a facelift. The two most commonly performed are an extended SMAS lift and a deep-plane facelift. Dr. Hu believes most of her patients would benefit from a deep-plane facelift, which addresses fallen, sunken cheeks and deep nasolabial folds as well as jowls and a poorly defined jawline. However, a select few patients desire only changes of the lower third of the face. These individuals may be candidates for an extended SMAS lift.
If you feel your neck is your main concern, you may benefit from an isolated neck lift. A neck lift, however, will not achieve the jawline definition and contouring that a facelift will. There are multiple approaches to a neck lift as well, each involving different incisions.
Dr. Hu will discuss these options in detail with you and determine which approach is best during your consultation.
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Next, Dr. Hu will take a full health history and perform a complete examination of your face and neck. With this information, Dr. Hu will create a tailored plan to help you achieve your aesthetic goals. In addition to a facelift and/or neck lift, Dr. Hu may recommend adjunct procedures such as fat grafting to restore balance and volume, eyelid surgery or brow rejuvenation to establish harmony with the rest of the face, or laser resurfacing to treat the stubborn, deeper wrinkles.
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Finally, Dr. Hu and her clinical team will discuss the details of the surgery, pricing, how to plan for it, and what to expect after.
Facelift and neck lift surgery is performed on-site in a state-of-the-art private operating suite at AIREM. Sedation is administered by a board-certified anesthesiologist, and the procedure will take around 5 hours. Following this, you will recover in a private room for a few hours. Once you are awake enough, a family member or friend can escort you from the facility back home. For the first 24 hours following surgery, someone must be available to take care of you.
Facelift Incisions
Scars are a major concern for many individuals considering a facelift. Facelift incisions are designed to be camouflaged within the natural creases around your hairline and ear. Dr. Hu closes these incisions meticulously and under no tension, which is the best technique to reduce their appearance as they heal. The one variability in incision placement is the portion that runs along the tragal cartilage. In patients with a flat or blunted tragus as well as an obvious crease in front of it, the incision may be placed in the natural crease instead of behind the tragus, since this tends to heal better and produce more natural results. These two variations are depicted in the photos to the right. Once healing is complete, the incisions should be barely perceptible and completely faded into the surrounding skin.
Recovery Process
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You will need to plan for time to recover, which varies by individual and type of facelift, but is usually around two weeks. Gradually, the redness, bruising, and swelling will fade. The most challenging part of recovery is during the first week. You may notice swelling increasing around day 3 or 4. During this phase, you will have medication to help keep you comfortable.
After surgery, we often use drains in the neck to remove any blood that may collect and prevent it from accumulating under the skin. You will also have a wrap around the head and neck to keep everything secure. These drains and wrap are removed the morning after surgery.
At home, you or your caretaker will have to clean the incisions with hydrogen peroxide and apply an antibiotic ointment to help with the healing process. It is important to relax as much as possible, while still making sure to walk around when you can, and sleep with the head of your bed slightly elevated. Outside of light walking, you should not exercise.
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At your one week appointment, all sutures and staples are removed.
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By day 10, most bruising has gone away. You can use makeup to camouflage any remaining color.
At the end of week 2, you can restart any light aerobic exercise as long as you do not lift anything greater than 10 pounds, which will have to wait until week 3.
During this time, you may benefit from lymphatic drainage sessions to expedite the resolution of residual swelling. Our aesthetician provides this at no additional cost to you.
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By week 3, you should be ‘restaurant ready’. For the ensuing weeks to months, you may experience minor fluctuations in the small amount of swelling that remains, usually along the jawline and in the neck. Dr. Hu may inject steroid medication to help soften areas that are still firm. This is all part of the normal healing process of the skin. However, you are completely socially presentable and already enjoying compliments from friends and family. You will notice continued improvements in your appearance until 6 months after the surgery.