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9 Weeks Post Neck/Face Lift: Neck is Starting to Sag

Nine Weeks Post Neck/face Lift with Undermining and Submental Incision, my Neck Skin is Starting to Sag and Creep. Does the neck skin tighten over time (next 6-12 months of healing) or become more lax? What has been your experience?

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19 Doctor Answers | Asked by NHaven in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Doctor Answers (19)
Community Comments (1)

Usually recovery from facelift and neck lift

It appears that the early post operative swelling is subsiding, and you are noticing a bit more laxity in the neck. I doubt the results of your facelift will change greatly in the next 4 months. The best recommendation I can make is for you to discuss your concerns with your surgeon. I believe with passage of more time you will become more comfortable with your results

Neck is Starting to Sag

I notice you say you had a submental incision with undermining, skin I presume. here's a general rule, skin cannot hold tension. if your infrastructure of your neck (muscle, fat, glands, etc.) is saggy then no amount of skin undermining or tightening will give you a long lasting youthful neck. Of course an exam would be critical to determine why your neck "sags", but dollars to doughnuts you need more done...again....correctly. good luck

Neck Skin After Facelift

Great question! The neck skin is initially fairly tight after facelift. Over the next several weeks, the skin does relax a bit, but then tightens up as the collagen/scar tissue contracts. This process takes about 1 year to complete, though the majority of the healing takes place in the first 6 months. The final result of a facelift depends on many factors: Age Smoking History of excessive sun exposure History of professional skin... more

9 Weeks Post Lift - Neck is Starting to Sag

Some level of sagging and settling is normal after surgery and the extent of this depends on the condition of the skin before surgery.

Sam Naficy, MD

80 reviews

Seattle Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.seattleface.com

Facelift

After 1 year, the surgery is what it will be. If further tightening is needed, you may consider a laser peel such as a CO2 or YSGG peel. This can tighten up some of the superficial skin folds and lines. The treatment is mild though, so don’t over treat the area.

Facelift surgery turns the clock back, but it does not stop it!

During every pre-surgery office visit for rejuvenation surgery, I talk to my patients about what to expect immediately after surgery, as well as what to expect once the healing is complete. All patients need to know about the phases of tissue healing: early swelling, followed by stiffness, which gradually softens to a natural feel, over about 90 days after surgery. After all the healing is done, every one will notice some laxity. This represents the true, end result of the surgery.... more

Sagging Skin 9 weeks after a Facelift

Sagging skin 9 weeks later can mean many things. You probably aren't going to have significant tightening after 9 weeks. The most helpful thing to do is review your before and after pictures and see if you made any progress from you were before your procedure. There is a saying that after plastic surgery, or vision gets better, and our memory gets worse! We start to see and notice things we never saw before, and no one can remember what they used to look like.... more

Neck skin will not tighten further after Neck and Face Lift

IMHO, 9 weeks after a Face and Neck Lift the skin won't magically tighten against the pull of gravity. Although, the final result takes several months to be revealed after a traditional Face and Neck Lift, this refers more to the swelling, lumps and bumps that occur from the tissue dissection and not to the degree of skin tightening. The degree of skin tightening is determined by the amount and degree of SMAS and Platysma muscle tightening and skin removal which... more

Skin Relaxation after Facelift

Although the majority of the swelling after facelifting resolves after a few weeks, the remainder will resolve over three to six months. During this time you may notice fullness in some areas, and relaxation in others. There is alot of healing that takes place under the skin as well. For this reason you will notice fluctuations as well. Be patient, feel free to discuss your concerns with your doctor, as I am sure they are as concerned about the final result as you are.

Skin relaxation after facelift

Initially the skin around the cheeks and behind the ears will feel firm and tight after a face-neck lift. As the skin swelling goes away over the first 2-3 months after surgery, it is common for the skin to relax a little and for the lines and creases to return. This should not be seen as a failure in the surgery, but a natural part of the healing process. However, if a minilift was performed and the emphasis was placed on skin tightening, not tightening of the foundation of the face (SMAS... more

Gregory J. Vipond, MD

4 reviews

Pasadena Facial Plastic Surgeon

Recurrent sagging after facelift.

As the swelling recedes some skin laxity may be seen. A stretch relaxation phenomena always occurs. A little more time will tell. At times, a secondary procedure 6 to 12 months post-op gives optimal lasting results. As mentioned in others reply, many factors are at work. Sometimes It is difficult to predict the outcome. Stay upbeat, and wait and see.

Facelift

There will always be some relaxation as the swelling goes down. However, there can be some skin tightening over time. Depending on age and skin quality

Rebound Relaxation in Facelift Surgery

Most patients will experience some mild degree of rebound relaxation after facelift surgery. As the swelling settles down, the skin will soften and experience some mild relaxation. Small areas of looseness may appear, particularly under the chin and some neck wrinkles will reappear. This may be worse for some patients than others if they had a thick or heavy neck or a big neck wattle to start with. This is not a sign of facelift failure but a natural occurrence that occurs in some... more

Too soon

Agree with the posted answers this far. It is way to early for the skin to be sagging. It is likely that not enough of the deep tissue was tightened. on the other hand it is very important to know where you started. If you had a very heavy neck or a very lax one it may be that you are much better but no perfect. In these sort of cases it is perfectly acceptable to have a small tuck done at 6 months post-surgery. I would hope that you have upcoming follow-up with your surgeon and that they... more

Facelift Longevity: Relapse after 9 weeks not a good sign.

If your facelift is failing after 9 weeks it is likely the tension was placed on the skin instead of the undersurface of the face or SMAS. The skin is like a rubber band and will rebound without the chance of re-tightening. This is common for the easy and minimal facelift techniques. You may be looking at a secondary facelift in the future. Sorry. Dr. Trussler

9 weeks post neck/face lift with neck starting to sag (already)!

To answer your question directly, swelling is present immediately after surgery, and is gradually reabsorbed as time goes by. Final results are not seen until 6-12 months post-op, which is why many if not most surgeons ask our patients to wait that length of time before requesting (or us recommending) revisional surgery. As your swelling goes down, the skin softens and relaxes, and fine surface lines and wrinkles may reappear. These are appropriately dealt with via peels or laser resurfacing... more

It all depends on the surgeon skill and your tissue

The amount of the tissue laxity post surgery is due to the lack of patient skin elasticity or poor surgical planning and techniques. You should ask your surgeon to reevaluate you and also look at the pre-op picture.

Kamran Khoobehi, MD

28 reviews

New Orleans Plastic Surgeon

You are using the swelling that was filling out the face.

It is not normal to be drum tight with a properly done facelift. A happy balance with aesthetic improvement is the goal of an appropriate facelift rather than the mac-1 look. Facelifting is not a substitute for improving the quality of this skin which is better handled on the face with chemical peels and laser treatment. Sagging in the neck can occur even with a well executed facelift. Occasionally is arises for early activity right after a facelift. If the... more

Kenneth D. Steinsapir, MD

8 reviews

Los Angeles Oculoplastic Surgeon

Neck skin will not tighten further 9 weeks after Facelift and Neck Lift

I am sorry to say that your neck skin will not likely tighten further after 9 weeks post Facelift and Neck Lift. Discuss your disappointment with your surgeon. Often a small revision of the neck skin and muscle through the small incision under your chin can fix the problem and most reputable surgeons are as invested in a good result and your happiness as you are Sometimes no matter how well the Neck Lift was done, the skin can become lax after a couple of months. Usually a... more

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Comments (1)

secrets 12 Aug 2012

It does appear that a certain amount of sag returns after the initial couple of weeks,which in my opinion can be disappointing as we seem to look our best right after the first few days.

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