Face Lift/Neck Lift

Facelift (facial) surgery is performed to lift and elevate the skin and soft tissue of the jowls and neck.

As we age, we lose skin elasticity and firmness. We may also experience sagging skin and wrinkling. These visible signs of aging can greatly impact how we feel about ourselves and how others see us. Gravity, heredity, and stress can contribute to the loss of youthful contours.

If you live in the Richmond, VA area and are bothered by the signs of aging, a facelift or neck lift may be right for you. The facelift procedure lifts sagging facial skin and muscles, removes excess fat, and restores firmness to create a more youthful and vibrant appearance, thus improving your image and self-confidence.

The goal of surgery is to elevate and restore your facial contour by correcting the aging features and improving skin tone and underlying muscle. The results of the facelift procedure can last 7-10 years or longer, depending on a patient’s lifestyle and sun exposure.

The Facelift / Neck Lift Procedure

The facelift procedure is a highly individualized procedure that includes the traditional face lift (facial), mid-face lift, short-scar facelift, and weekend-type face lift. Your goals and anatomy are factored in determining the best approach for you.

For the traditional facelift (facial) procedure, skin incisions are made behind and around the ear going below the sideburn hair so as not to give an unnatural or windblown look from lifting the sideburn hair too high. Fat may be sculpted from the face, jowls and neck, and the underlying tissue is repositioned. Skin is re-draped over the uplifted contours and excess skin is trimmed away. A second incision under the chin may be necessary to improve an aging neck (or “turkey neck”). We may use tumescent anesthesia and fine cannula liposuction to remove unwanted fat in the areas of the jowls and neck.

You will always need to wear sunscreen to help you to maintain your rejuvenated skin and appearance by preventing future sun damage. You may return to light activity within a few days of surgery. You may return to work 2 weeks after your facelift or neck lift, feeling reinvigorated with a more youthful appearance.

The best way to determine if you are a good candidate for the facelift or neck lift procedure is to schedule a consultation with our Richmond, VA office. You will learn the reasonable expectations for the goals you wish to achieve to create a more youthful, rested appearance helping you feel more confident about yourself.

Manipulation of muscle is performed using internal sutures to reposition skin and muscle, and sutures that are permanent or absorbable are used inside the skin to hold the tissue in the new position. Fine sutures that dissolve in 7-10 days are placed on the visible skin; sutures in the hairline may dissolve or require removal on a post-operative visit. A modern wound-healing product known as platelet rich plasma is a substance harvested from your blood after you are sedated. When platelet rich plasma is sprayed onto the tissues it seals small bleeding vessels and acts like glue, sticking tissue surfaces together during the wound-healing process. Substances in the solution help to decrease bruising and help speed up the healing process.

A “tuck” or mini-facelift is what we recommend for our prior facelift patients when they desire further improvement after 5-7 years from their original procedure. This short procedure can be done under local or light sedation and the recovery is fast with minimal bruising and swelling.

Many additional procedures can be performed at the same time as the facelift (facial) surgery including browlift, eyelid lifts, chin implants, fat grafts and chemical peels. The facelift (facial) surgery is performed on an out-patient basis taking 3-6 hours depending on the number of procedures and it is done under general anesthesia. If the patient has multiple procedures done, Dr. Lynam requires that a nurse go home with you for 24 hours to help assist you with your post-operative care. A drainage tube is placed to remove any excess blood that may collect under the skin and is removed 24 hours after surgery. A loose, bulky dressing is applied around your face to help minimize swelling and bruising.

Candidate of Facelift / Neck Lift Procedure