I am 46 years old and have jowls. Should I get a lower face and neck lift? (Photo)

This is really a wonderful question and one that I get asked very frequently.  For most patients, facial cosmetic surgeries can be done in the office under local anesthesia - mini facelift, mid face lift, neck lift, blepharoplasties etc. For example, bilateral upper & lower blepharoplasty, mid face lift, Short Scar facelift and neck lift usually takes me about 90 minutes in the office under local anesthesia. The goal is to have patients looking natural.
Yes, this is not a misprint. These can typically be done in the office under local anesthesia. Usually there are no drains, no outside stitches, and patients can go out in public the same day, although I usually recommend they low for the first couple days. Most of the initial swelling is from the numbing medicine and your body absorbs it within the first 4-6 hours. Obviously the body heals with swelling and inflammation and usually that maxes out at two days and then starts getting better. Most of these patients take no pain medicine and usually feel very comfortable going out in public within a few days.  I usually call my patients the night of surgery and check on them the next day. If everything is fine the next day, I then let them shower and they do not need a dressing over their incisions. They can usually start using make up after a few days.  At the two week check up, I usually have people start working out and then after six weeks they can do whatever they want. 
I routinely tell people to take a few days to a week off work and to hide out but some people are very nervous especially celebrities and I usually tell them to hide out for two weeks. As with any scar on the human body, initially scars are red, hard and raised and it typically takes six months to a year for them to become a soft thin white line. 
Additionally with recovery, there're many things we do to expedite healing such as nerve blocks during surgery, oral supplements, skin care and scar therapy recommendations, lymphatic massage sessions that are included in our pricing.
I strongly feel that it's very important to have an honest conversation with your surgeon about your particular situation, lifestyle, work environment and specifically which procedures you're having done so that you both have the most honest answer about your recovery and are realistic with expectations and results.
I hope this helps and wish you all the best in your surgery and event. If it does, please take a moment to up vote this answer on the “respond” button on the top right.  

In technical terms, the combination of lower facelift and neck lift is a good choice to address several aspects that are noticeable in your photographs:- the contour of the jawline- moderate volume excess under the chin- visibility of the platysma bands at restThe age is suitable for the intervention as long as your general health is good. The choice of whether to proceed or not depends more on your preference than on specific surgical indications.

Thank you for your question.I would recommend an in person consultation to determine exactly what you need. Based on your photos, I do think you would be a good candidate for surgery. I think I would lean more toward a Minilift to correct everything. This will tighten the skin of the face and neck, while give you more fullness in the cheek area.

In my opinion, you do appear to be a good candidate for a facelift, which would tighten the lower face and neck and address the jowls.  

FaceTite can internally tighten the skin in the lower face and neck. After all the skin has been heated and contracted, we shape the neck with liposuction to give definition and remove stubborn pockets of fat. In one quick treatment, we can tighten skin, remove fat, and contour the lower face, jawline, and jowls with only a weekend of downtime. Keep in mind that combination approaches will give you a more significant improvement as opposed to a single procedure. I recommend getting a consultation with a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist and facial sculpting expert. Best, Dr. Emer

Based on your photos, it is possible that you are a suitable candidate for a lower facelift/necklift. It will be best to consult a board certified facial plastic surgeon in person and discuss your goals and options after a physical examination.Hope this helps,Ali Rıza Öreroğlu, MD FEBOPRASEuropean and Turkish Board Certified Aesthetic, Plastic and Reconstructive SurgeonIstanbul, Turkey

Thank you for your question and pictures.   I review your pictures and I believed you are ready for having your lower face done.    The changes shown in the pictures and not limited to the jowls but the neck, nasolabial fold  and lack of sharpness  in the  jaw lain etc.… all this areas are improved by having a lower face

I think a neck lift would give you a nice result. Non-invasive treatments would probably only provide minimal benefit.  46 is not too young.  It just depends on how bad this issue is bothering you.  The link below is a patient who was 50 at the time of surgery.  

The timing of a lift is always best decided by the patient.  We can do a successful lift in your 40's, 50's 60' or 70's.  It is fun performing lifts on younger patients.  They recover more quickly, look completely natural, and get to enjoy their results for the rest of their lives. Yes, you might want to perform another lift ten or fifteen years later but, at age 80, you will still look younger than your sister!
Even though you do not have a great deal of laxity or a great deal of fat, you have some banding of your platysma muscles causing the vertical lines on your neck, and your submandibular salivary glands dangle below your jawline. Plus you have lost some of your youthful padding along your jawline.  A youthful jawline is padded, plush and continuous.  Study your younger photos.  So, what I would recommend is, when you decide you are ready, undergo a skillful lower facelift and fat grafting.

I think the easy answer is to say that based on your pictures you seem like a great candidate for a lower face and neck lift. And you are - a lower face and neck lift will provide a beautiful re-contouring and rejuvenation of your jaw neck line. However, I would consider also at the same time undergoing laser resurfacing and potentially adding very small amounts of volume around the eyes and midface area to effectively lift the cheeks. I am not suggesting large amounts that can lead to a very Hollywood overdone look but very small and subtle amounts. These extra enhancements take a lift from good to fabulous.