Face & Neck Lift
Restoring facial contour, proportion and harmony.
Facial ageing affects more than the skin. Changes occur in facial volume, the position of deeper soft tissues, the jawline and the structures of the neck.
I tailor surgery to the individual pattern of ageing rather than applying the same operation to every face.
What changes with ageing
The relative importance of each component differs between individuals.
Volume
Facial fat compartments and skeletal support change with time, altering contours and transitions.
Tissue descent
Deeper soft tissues change position, contributing to midface flattening, jowling, loss of jawline definition and neck laxity.
Skin
Collagen, elasticity, pigmentation and surface texture change independently of deeper facial structure.
The face and neck as one anatomical unit
A technically successful operation on one region can still appear discordant if the surrounding face is not considered.
This does not mean every area requires surgery. It means every treatment decision is made with the whole face in mind.
Choosing the operation
Deep-plane techniques
A deep-plane approach can be particularly effective where meaningful descent of the midface and lower facial tissues requires release and repositioning of deeper structures as a unit.
It can provide powerful structural correction without relying on excessive skin tension.
SMAS-based techniques
In patients with different patterns of descent or more substantial skin excess, a high-SMAS or other SMAS-based technique with appropriate skin redraping may provide more effective correction.
The choice depends on anatomy and the objective of surgery.
The neck
The neck is an integral part of facial rejuvenation. The aim is a clean transition from jawline to neck with a natural sculpted appearance.
Ageing of the neck can involve skin excess, subcutaneous fat, platysmal laxity or banding, deeper neck structures and loss of jawline definition.
Depending on anatomy, treatment may include lateral repositioning of the platysma, central platysmal work through a submental incision, selective treatment of fat and, in selected patients, attention to deeper structures contributing to submental fullness.
Volume restoration
Where volume loss contributes meaningfully to facial ageing, I may combine surgery with selective fat grafting. This is usually an adjunct to facelift or eyelid surgery rather than a standalone treatment.
The objective is not to fill the face, but to restore appropriate volume where it has genuinely been lost.
Structure & surface
Surgery primarily addresses structure and tissue position. It cannot directly correct every aspect of pigmentation, fine surface wrinkling, sun damage or texture.
Where appropriate, resurfacing, skin treatments or neuromodulators can help the surface of the face match the structural result underneath.
Incisions & scars
Facelift incisions are designed to follow natural anatomical boundaries around the ear and hairline.
The exact position varies with hairline, hairstyle, sex, previous surgery, skin excess and the direction of redraping required.
A short incision beneath the chin may be used where direct access to the central neck is required.
Recovery
First few days
Swelling, bruising and tightness are expected. The face and neck can look unfamiliar during this early period.
Around 1–2 weeks
Bruising and swelling begin to settle substantially. Many patients feel comfortable returning to quiet social activity.
Several weeks
Facial contours continue to soften and become more natural. Normal activities are gradually resumed according to recovery.
Longer term
Residual swelling settles over several months and scars mature progressively. Final results should not be judged in the early postoperative period.
Risks & limitations
All surgery involves risk. The risks relevant to the proposed operation and individual patient are discussed carefully during consultation.
Infection
Delayed wound healing
Skin loss
Unfavourable scarring
Temporary or, rarely, permanent nerve injury
Changes in sensation
Contour irregularity
Hair loss around incisions
Distortion of the ear or hairline
Salivary complications
Recurrent laxity with time
Possible revision surgery
Consultation
A consultation begins with understanding what has changed, what concerns you and what you hope to achieve. From there, we can determine whether surgery, a more limited treatment—or sometimes no surgery—is appropriate.
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