Can I Have a Facelift if I Am Fat?

Facelift/Necklift is still a good option for the heavier patient.  As long as your health is stable, blood pressure is normal, and you don't have any significant health issues, a face or necklift can create a very nice improvement in the overall contour of your face and neck.  The surgery would probably entail some extra work to remove and sculpt some of your excess fat, but should create a smoother jawline, sharper neck angle, and decreased jowling.  However, the heavier patient needs to have realistic expectations and understand that it is impossible to change a very full face into a thin, angular one. But that said, we can still correct and improve a lot of the aging changes such as sagging, looseness, and jowling that is really what you describe.

A #facelift is a surgical procedure designed to remove the major folds and wrinkles that form on our faces with age. Gravity, sun damage, smoking, living in a dry climate, and a variety of factors contribute to the aging process of our faces. Facelift techniques vary from patient to patient to give each person a procedure tailored to produce the best possible surgical result. A facelift will smooth out major folds and #wrinkles, #tighten the tissues beneath your skin, remove #sagging and excess skin. A facelift can also reduce excess skin around the #neck and #jawline. There is not just one facelift procedure, but a whole range of facelift procedures. These different techniques have been developed over the years, involving different incisions and lifting the skin to varying degrees. A facelift may also involve the tightening of certain muscles and tissues, or liposuction of areas such as the jowls or chin.It is important to understand that facelifts are meant to remove major folds and wrinkles, not fine wrinkles. A facelift which removes every line and fold would be too aggressive and would result in an unnatural result. Fine lines and wrinkles are better addressed by skin treatments such as chemical peels or microdermabrasion, which we also offer at our office. During your #consultation, your skin texture and elasticity, as well as your underlying skin structure and your facial bone structure will be evaluated. Based on this evaluation, your board certified plastic surgeons will create a custom surgical plan, detailing specific techniques and recommendations to meet your goals. In doing so, he or she should be sure to have a full understanding of what results you expect.If you are not a #candidate, your surgeon can make other suggestions to address your concerns and objectives.

   In an otherwise healthy patient, being overweight to an extent is not an absolute contraindication to a face and necklift.  If you have the stigmata of facial aging that are amenable to modern facelifting techniques, you will likely have the improvement you seek.  Find a plastic surgeon with ELITE credentials who has performed hundreds or thousands of facelifts.  Kenneth Hughes, MD Los Angeles, CA

Being overweight is not a contraindication for surgery as long as your weight doesn't seem to vary much. For example, if you are not planning on losing or gaining more than 15---20 pounds than you may be a good candidate for this surgery.

If you are at a stable weight, it is OK to proceed with facial rejuvenation surgery. If you were planning to lose more than 20 pounds, I would advise you to delay surgery until you reach your goal weight. However, a face and necklift will help refine and rejuvenate the neck, jawline and lower face. It's great to hear that you are eating well and exercising. I hope this information is helpful.Stephen Weber MD, FACS