Mary,
The timing of a facelift with regard to weight loss is not really important. A facelift is designed to improve the jawline and neck. The excess fat that exists in the neck will be removed during the procedure and so it is not necessary to lose the weight first. Having said that, significant weight loss in the face can lead to aging of the cheeks and lower eyelids. This can be corrected with a facial fat transfer. Usually the timing of this is not that important as long as you are not losing large quantities of weight. I usually use 30-40 pounds as a rough guideline of enough weight to make a difference. As long as you don’t have that amount of weight or more to lose then I feel it is OK to proceed with a facelift or fat transfer.
Ed Buckingham
Jason,
It is a little unusual for a 27 year old to have loose skin on their face following weight loss of even a significant degree. Usually at that age the skin has enough elasticity to accommodate the loss of volume. In general however, loss of weight produces a loss of overall subcutaneous volume in the face. This can lead to the loss of skin tone or facial structural shape in a young person, and an aging appearance in an older person. Loss of volume in the cheek and area around the eyes can be replaced by performing a fat transfer. This involves harvesting remaining fat from the body or lower limbs and placing it into the appropriate areas of the face to add contour. This can include augmenting the cheeks or jaw area. Sagging neck skin usually is dealt with by performing a surgical procedure to tighten the skin. There is some anecdotal discussion about lasers producing skin tightening, but I have never been impressed with this in the neck. In someone of your age usually a tightening of the neck musculature called a platysmaplasty will be sufficient.
The best way for me to address your specific concerns is to come in for a consultation. There we would be able to discuss the procedures in more detail and be certain to meet your goals.
Ed Buckingham
Ann,
Deciding whether liposuction alone would suffice to treat a neck or whether a neck lift is needed depends on what components are involved and what the condition of the skin is. Three components contribute to the sagging neck, skin, fat and muscle. We tuck the muscle up on every neck, known as a platysmaplasty. Some necks have a fatty component that needs to be removed with liposuction and if there isn’t much redundant skin and the skin is elastic then you can expect the skin to conform to the new underlying neck anatomy and do nicely. If the patient is older or has considerable redundant skin however, then something may need to be done to reposition the skin as well, a neck lift. At times the decision is straight forward, but in other patients the decision is a little gray. As long as the patient understands that liposuction and platysmaplasty alone may not give perfect results, we may stick with the lesser procedure and reserve the neck lift for if the result is less than expected. I hope this has been helpful. Our before and after gallery can also help you compare your neck with other patients. As always we would be happy to see you in consultation.
Ed Buckingham
Jessica,
It is not unusual as women get into the middle to late 40’s for age related changes to catch up with them and begin manifesting. Of course a healthy diet and hydration are always important to the body and in turn the facial appearance. Additionally, as menopause occurs or approaches changes in hormone levels can affect skin quality and tone leading to a more rapid progression of aging. All of these things are big topics and are better addressed in person. However, we tend to look at facial aging with three main points in mind: 1) skin quality 2) gravitational effects 3) volume loss. Skin quality can be improved through sun protection, the use of good skin care products like PCA, and the addition of therapies such as Botox, Restylane, Juvederm and Fraxel laser. All of these are listed on this site with more information. The second element, gravitational effects on the face, need to be corrected through the use of surgical procedures. At 46, we usually try to limit the procedures to minimally invasive office procedures that have a quick recovery time. The third element is volume loss. This can be addressed through the use of facial fillers such as Restylane, Perlane, Radiesse and Juvederm or through the use of autologous fat. As you can see there is much that can be done to reverse the signs of aging. We would love to be able to have the opportunity to tailor a personalized plan for you. Please spend some time educating yourself on our site and please plan to come in and have a personal conversation.
Ed Buckingham
Tamara,
Thanks for your question regarding our facelift consultation. During the consultation you will meet our patient care coordinator who will explain who we are and how the process will proceed. You will then have a medical history taken by one of our nurses. I will then meet with you to get to know you and to listen to what your concerns are. I will then do an examination of your face and neck and make recommendations to address your concerns. Following our conversation, you will again meet with our patient care coordinator who will explain fees with you and instruct you on how to schedule surgery should you elect to proceed. We have several videos on our site that will further take you through the process. I encourage you to look at them. I hope to meet you soon.
Ed Buckingham
