Face and Neck Lift

(Jowls)

Dr Jesse Kenton-Smith Plastic Surgeon

Am I a suitable candidate for a Face Lift?

Most patients Dr Kenton-Smith performs face lifting on are in their 50's and 60's with excessive wrinkling and skin laxity. Face and neck lifts are commonly performed along with other facial rejuvenation techniques including fat injections to the lips, eyelid lifts, brow lifts and dermabrasion to the lip region.

Dr Kenton-Smith will assess exactly what is optimal in your case during a consultation. You will also be shown examples of patients, similar to yourself, in order to realistically predict the probable results of surgery. Dr Kenton-Smith will also discuss the risks and benefits of surgery.

A good guide to what a face and neck lift could achieve for you is to look in a mirror, both sitting up and lying down. The change in the looseness and sagginess of the face when you lie down is a fairly realistic prediction of your postoperative result.

Front - Face Lift

Right Side - Face Lift

Profile - Face Lift

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Right side
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Surgical Technique

Face and Neck lift surgery is performed at St Georges Hospital in Christchurch under general anaesthesia with the care of a specialist anaesthetist.

Dr Kenton-Smith will see you in your private hospital room prior to surgery. You will be marked up by Dr Kenton-Smith and then taken to theatre.

Under general anaesthetic incisions will be made. The main incision usually runs within the sideburn, extending down in front of the ear and then behind the ear. This incision is broken up and intentionally hidden so it is very unlikely that it will be noticeable in the long term. The skin of the face is then raised up and the underlying layer, called "SMAS", is also lifted. The skin is then gently replaced and the excessive saggy skin removed.

This method leads to a nicely rejuvenated face without the face looking stretched (as you see in many of the Hollywood stars with overdone face lifts).

What does neck lift surgery involve?

Many people who are undergoing face lift surgery would also benefit from a neck lift. Neck lifts sharpen the neck line and remove the vertical bands in the neck. These vertical bands are the edges of a muscle called "platysma". During the operation, the skin is lifted up through an incision hidden under the chin, extra fat is removed from your neck, and the edges of the platysma muscle are stitched together. This makes a nice, fine, sharp neck and neck line. The extra skin is then swept back and removed through the face lift incision.

How long does surgery take?

The exact time depends on the number of procedures performed. A face and neck lift on its own takes Dr Kenton-Smith between 4 and 4.5 hours. The surgery may take up to 6 hours if it involves eyelid lift, brow lift, fat injections and dermabrasion.

Post-operative Recovery

After surgery you return to the Recovery Ward for approximately two hours. Patients then stay overnight in hospital and are reviewed by Dr Kenton-Smith in the morning. You will be reviewed by Dr Kenton-Smith both one and two weeks post-operatively.

How long will I need off work?

In order to be socially presentable, you should allow a minimum of two and up to three weeks off work. Face lifting procedures are generally significantly less painful than patients expect.

How much does it cost?

The cost of a face and neck lift is approximately $31,000, Dr Kenton-Smith very rarely does a face lift without a neck lift at the same time as he believes the result is unnatural. Occasionally, a facelift on its own is the most suitable operation, it costs approximately $5,000 less. Other procedures which may optimise the overall effect, include eyelid lifts, browlifts, fat transfer and dermabrasion. A more exact price guide will be calculated after your consultation with Dr Kenton-Smith.

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