Treatments to Restore Collagen and Elasticity After Face Lift Surgeries?

asked 3 years ago by onebamalady in Alabama
Latest answer by Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS
Question viewed 10,217 times

I had a Roux-en-Y done in 1999 and have lost 186 pounds. In Feb of 2009, I had a Lifestyle Lift done in Atlanta, GA. The neck work was an add-on option that I chose to have along with the upper and lower eyes and the mid-facial lift. I am not totally unhappy as there is a huge improvement BUT the skin after six weeks still has crepe-like look to it in the region the under chin, where it meets the neckline neck area. Is there anything that will help to firm this skin and restore some collagen and elasticity?

6 answers to Treatments to Restore Collagen and Elasticity After Face Lift Surgeries?

Not a great neck

If you check my photos, the neck after a properly done facelift should be beautiful. Yours may be better but it is not beautiful or optimal. That is because the LS lift is too weak to address this area and because most LS lift doctors are limited experienced ENT's, not Board Certified Plastic Surgeons. After some time has passed, you should go to one of the real plastic surgeons in Atlanta like Dr. Vince Zubowicz and see what can be done to make it better.

Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

Improve loose skin under neck after Lifestyle Lift with Ultherapy

I agree that if skin has poor levels of collagen and elastin, any type lift is only pulling on poor quality skin. Without examining you, and looking at the operative note, it is hard to comment on the effects of your specifi surgery. Skin parameter improvement can be improved by several modality as follows from mildest to most effective. 1) Obagi program (creams at home) 2) a laser to tighten the skin such as Titan (external) , Smartlipo (internal) and the newest technology which works on... more

Barry E. DiBernardo, MD
Montclair Plastic Surgeon

Inherent inelasticity of neck skin

The crepey-like skin in the neck can occur from the inherent inelasticity of the neck skin. This is especially true for very dry, thin skin such as a redhead may have. This is the first area to start aging after a facelift since it is the furthest away from the incisions behind the ears. The skin tightening of the neck occurs from removal of skin behind the ears. There is no other technique that can help firm and restore the skin with collagen and elasticity of a comprehensive face/neck... more

William Portuese, MD
Seattle Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.seattlefacial.com

Lifestyle Lift does not create sufficient vertical lift

After so much weight loss a patient usually needs a very vertical lift with tissue taken out along the sideburn in order to create a lot of upward tension along the jawline. The liftestyle lift as usually done does not do this. In addition you are in the "lumpy-bumpy" stage, so the wound is thick. Time will help relieve the thickness of the scar, but the extra skin is likely to remain.

Nathan Mayl, MD
Fort Lauderdale Plastic Surgeon

Treatments to restore collagen and elasticity after face lift surgeries?

The result you are seeing MAY improve because it is still quite early in the course of your healing. But - I must tell you that "Facelift" operation you had undergone is nothing more than a skin only procedure with a very short duration. You would have been much better served with a formal Facelift (including a neck lift) in which the neck muscles were brought back together and the muscle was re-suspended behind the ears for a youthful acute mandible-neck angle. Peter A Aldea, MD... more

Peter A. Aldea, MD
Memphis Plastic Surgeon

OK not a pretty looking chin area.

Dear Onebamalady First it is very early from your procedure. So many things get better with time. You are definitely in the lumpy bumpy stage of things. It is probably best to get about 6 months out before considering revisional surgery I wonder how your submental area looks when you hold your chin in a normal position. The photograph you have submitted appears to be consistent with an over-resection of sub-platysmal fat. This is known as a cobra head deformity. Also your chin incision... more

Kenneth D. Steinsapir, MD
Los Angeles Oculoplastic Surgeon

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