Facelifts and neck lifts are closely related procedures, but they address different areas. A facelift primarily addresses changes through the cheeks, lower face and jawline, while a neck lift focuses on the area beneath the jawline and through the neck.
Because these areas often change together, facelift and neck lift surgery are frequently combined. However, a neck lift can also be performed on its own when concerns are primarily isolated below the jawline.
Facelift vs. Neck Lift at a Glance
A facelift primarily addresses:
- Sagging through the cheeks and midface
- Jowls
- Loss of jawline definition
- Loose or descended lower facial tissue
A neck lift primarily addresses:
- Loose neck skin
- Vertical neck bands
- Fullness beneath the chin
- Loss of definition between the chin and neck
- Changes to the contour of the neckline
When concerns extend across both areas, a facelift and neck lift may be performed together to address the transition from the midface through the jawline and neck.
Does a Facelift Include a Neck Lift?
A facelift does not always include a neck lift. What is included in a “facelift” varies depending on the surgeon, his or her technique and the areas being treated.
At L&P Aesthetics, our three double-board certified facial plastic surgeons almost always perform these procedures together because it creates continuity through the cheeks, jawline and neckline.
This is particularly relevant because changes in these areas frequently overlap. Jowling and loss of jawline definition, for example, may occur alongside loose neck skin or changes to the platysma, the thin sheet-like muscle that extends through the neck.
What Does a Facelift Address?
A facelift is designed to reposition facial tissues that have descended over time. At L&P Aesthetics, our surgeons specialize in deep plane facelift techniques, which work beneath the skin to reposition the deeper supporting structures of the face.
Rather than relying on tension placed on the skin alone, the deep plane approach can address sagging through the cheeks, jowls and lower face while restoring definition along the jawline. The goal is to create a refreshed facial contour while maintaining the patient’s individual features and avoiding an overly tight or “pulled” appearance.
What Does a Neck Lift Address?
A neck lift focuses on the anatomy beneath the jawline. Depending on the individual, this may involve addressing loose skin, fat, the platysma muscle or deeper structures contributing to fullness and loss of definition beneath the chin.
Similar-looking concerns can have different underlying causes. Fullness beneath the chin, for example, may be related to superficial fat, deeper fullness, muscle laxity, skin laxity or a combination of factors. Understanding which structures are contributing to the concern helps determine the most appropriate approach.
Can I Have Only a Neck Lift?
Yes. A neck lift can be performed without a facelift in appropriately selected patients.
At L&P Aesthetics, an isolated Midline Neck Lift may be considered when concerns are concentrated beneath the chin and through the neck, with little to no significant aging through the midface and jawline.
This can sometimes be the case in younger patients who have fullness, muscle laxity or less definition beneath the chin while the rest of the face has changed very little.
When jowling, facial laxity or midface descent is also present, a surgeon may instead discuss a combined approach that addresses the face and neck together.
Comparing Facelift and Neck Lift Options
The location of the changes you are interested in addressing can provide a useful starting point.
Concerns primarily through the cheeks, lower face or jowls:
A facelift may be an option. If changes beneath the jawline and through the neck are also a concern, a combined facelift and neck lift may be considered.
Concerns primarily beneath the chin or through the neck:
An isolated neck lift or another neck-contouring procedure may be an option when there is little facial aging. If jowling or midface changes are also a concern, a combined approach may be considered.
Changes extending from the cheeks through the jawline and neck:
A combined facelift and neck lift can address these connected areas during the same procedure.
Choosing an Approach Based on Your Anatomy
The difference between a facelift and neck lift ultimately comes down to more than where a concern appears. Two patients who are both bothered by a less-defined neckline, for example, may have very different underlying anatomy.
During a consultation, Dr. David M. Lieberman, Dr. Sachin S. Parikh or Dr. Steven A. Curti evaluate the face and neck to identify the structures contributing to the changes a patient would like to address. This may include facial tissue descent, jowling, skin and platysmal laxity, superficial or deeper neck fullness and the underlying proportions of the chin and jaw.
From there, your surgeon can explain which surgical or nonsurgical approaches may be relevant, what each option can and cannot address, and what to expect from treatment and recovery. The result is an individualized approach based on your anatomy, concerns and aesthetic goals.
To schedule a consultation with one of our facelift and neck lift experts, contact L&P Aesthetics.
Palo Alto: (650) 664-3699
Los Gatos: (408) 539-5964
