Can Jowls Come Back After a Lower Face/neck Lift?

Some lifting procedures seem to last longer when associated with other helpful procedures that change the actual shape of the face and neck, like liposuction. Another biggie is chin augmentation really helps the jawline and eliminate jowls if the chin is weak. Associated laser resurfacing adds the appearance of perfect skin.
An isolated lift will relax 20% in the first few months. The fact is that skin stretches, if it didn't I would have exploded several times with my weight. There are variances in skin quality like after childbirth. An average is 8 to 12 years. The first place to show loose skin again will be under the chin, that's where it collects first in your 40's.
hope this helps,


J. Smythe Rich, MD
Facial Plastic Surgery
Columbia, SC

The moment you complete your facelift, you begin starting to fight gravity again.  So sometimes a recurrence of your jowls can happen. However with proper techniques we can keep the jowls from falling down for very long time. I do an extended sub-SMAS elevation that allows me to lift up the entire muscle layer and secure it in a position so that it does not drop. Proper technique and suturing can make a difference in how long the lift will stay up. No two people are the same and everyone heals differently, but deep lift techniques and proper suturing will give you the best bet at a long lasting lift.

There are various types of facelift procedures that can be helpful to different age groups. A mini-facelift working on SMAS and minimal scar can help a young patient with lower face sagging (early jowls). An older patient with sagging of the brows, midface and neck would require a full face and necklift. Jowls are sagging of the facial skin and underlying tissue over ligaments attaching the skin to the bones. They can never be corrected by just filling the face with fillers. A proper facelift procedure involving pulling the SMAS should be performed for best and lasting results. I personally in many among other techniques use the composite facelift technique in cases with predominant jowls, where a SMAS flap is elevated with minimal skin dissection, a very quick recovery and very long lasting result.
If the SMAS is elevated and tightened properly, jowls should literally be corrected permanently. This does not mean you will never get jowls again, but will definitely be the best approach to correct the jowls in a lasting and natural young looking manner. Nevertheless, a facelift procedure if performed correctly can be repeated in years to keep the skin tight and elevated. 
Hope this helps,
Ali Rıza Öreroğlu, MD FEBOPRASEuropean and Turkish Board Certified Aesthetic, Plastic and Reconstructive SurgeonIstanbul, Turkey