Longevity of results varies as do patient expectations

Richard P. Rand, MD answers: Neck lift procedure options

I went to my plastic surgeon to see if there was something I could do about the wrinkles and loose skin on my neck, in the throat area. He suggested I have a facelift or I could just do the neck with the incision straight down the throat area. I looked at before and after pictures and didn't like the looks of the neck lift incision, so I opted for the facelift. It's been about a year now, and I don't think it's holding up like I envisioned. My questions is: is there another kind of neck lift available? I'm 59 years old and was 58 at time of surgery. It was my first facelift, although I've had upper eyelid surgery twice...once at 40 and then at 55.


Richard P. Rand, MD
13 months ago

From what you describe, the right operation was done on you. The direct excision of skin in the neck is almost never done except in older men as it can leave an obvious scar that looks unsightly and is permanent.

Sometimes a patient expects more than the procedure can deliver. This should have been addressed before your surgery, but you should still discuss this with your surgeon.

Sometimes, the elastic nature of a patient's skin has been badly damaged by the sun and this can compromise the longevity of your result.

It may be that your result is "as good as it gets" for your face but it may also be that more could be done to get to the result you want. You might even need to visit with another surgeon in your area to review the result and your options.

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