Is it okay to have filler done a year prior to a face and neck lift?

Thank you for your question. It is best to have no filler treatments prior to a facelift. Often filler material can be found during the procedure despite the claim of being dissolvable. Swelling, internal scaring, lymph passages can be altered and may impact the facelift procedure and its outcome. The location of the remaining filler that cannot be removed may change location when undergoing a facelift. Filler related changes may occur afterwards as well. The less treatments or surgeries you had before undergoing a face- and neck lift , the better are the preoperative conditions to obtain the best possible result by your facelift surgeon.

In this day and age, many patients have fillers and subsequently have facelifts, so your plan is fine with some caveats. I would not recommend Juvederm under the eyes because it is very hydrophilic and leads to a bluish discoloration. In general, fillers in the tear trough region are fraught with problems.

Thank you for your question.

There is no major conflict between having injectable filler and subsequent facial rejuvenation and neck contouring surgery. This being said, it is better to have a moderate amount of filler rather than a large amount if you are planning to have the surgery within this timeframe.

It would be wise to have good quality photographs (ideally professional photographer) from the front three-quarter views and profile as well as in neck flexion from profile before you have the injectable filler to provide your surgeon with a reference of your facial shape.

With the injectable filler also it is useful to have a good map of where it is injected and have a conversation with your provider about the option of dissolving the filler prior to the surgery which gives you the best starting point for your operation.