Why is there not a simple skin tuck to pull the loose skin up and eliminate the loose skin?

Question

To continue with details on why the neck skin is not just pulled up under the ears and surgically attatched. When I gently pull the skin under my jaw bone, toward my ear just a little bit, the loose skin tightens up nicely. The wrinkles go away! Would it not be easy to do this surgically too, bring that skin back to under the ear and perminently attach it there with staples or sutures?

Ronald J. Edelson, MD · Answer

If you try to duplicate what describe surgically, the skin will drop be tailored properly. There will be areas of puckering and gathering that will look terrible.  You need the cheek and neck lifted as one large unit in order for it to red tape properly and look natural.

Kenneth Hughes, MD · Answer

A neck lift can be done with an incision from the earlobe to the posterior ear.Find a plastic surgeon with ELITE credentials who performs 
hundreds of 
facelifts, necklifts, facelift revisions, and facial procedures each 
year.  Then look at the plastic surgeon's website before and after photo
 galleries to get a sense of who can deliver the results. Kenneth 
Hughes, MDLos Angeles, CA

Richard Baxter, MD · Answer

Every person has slightly different effects of aging and so facelifts are adjusted to individual needs. Sometimes this is a relatively simple procedure involving mostly skin but usually aging is more than a little sagging skin. For example, the "turkey wattles" are  related to a muscle called the platysma under the skin in the neck; so even though tugging on the skin makes them appear to go away, they won't disappear with only a surgical skin tuck. There was an idea around a few years ago called the threadlift which basically did what you describe, only the results were temporary.

Vincent N. Zubowicz, MD · Answer

without a picture it's hard to comment but there is a misconception that facelifts exclusively remove only excess skin. Facelifts also move around structures that provide a more youthful volume to the face.

Marc Pacifico, MD, FRCS(Plast) · Answer

Many thanks for posing your question - it is one that I am often asked during facial rejuvenation consultations.Whilst on the outside, sagging and loosening appears to be a skin problem, it is actually the deeper tissues (the SMAS and platysma) that are the problem. These are the soft tissue framework of the face and neck, which loosen and descend with age, dragging the skin with them.Therefore, modern facelift techniques aim to reposition the SMAS where it used to be, followed by gentle redraping of the skin, to achieve the best scars possible, and the most natural post-operative appearance.Simply pulling the skin tight and cutting off the excess leads to a wind tunnel look, with unsightly scars and a short-lived results as the skin gradually stretches again.I hope that explains things for you.

Gregory T. Lynam, MD · Answer

You can do so much with your fingers but that is not possible with surgery always. A good plastic surgeon will take care of your needs as best they can. See before and afters of the doc you choose to get an idea of what to expect. Good Luck!

Mark Berkowitz, MD · Answer

Takemywrinkles Pulling your skin back with your fingers never can show the reality of a face lift. Skin tightening alone can give you a short term lift. The reality is that the underlying muscles and tissues need to be tightened as well in order to give long standing results. This foundation need to hold up the structure of your skin.  Whether you tighten the skin alone or add the underlying muscle tightening the healing process will be about the same.  So do it right the first time. I would be happy to evaluate your options(surgery may not even be necessary)  at my Sterling Heights Michigan medical spa,  Accents Cosmetic Surgery. We have many clients from South Lyon and even further!

John Frodel, MD · Answer

Isolated neck lifts can be performed in the right situation.  However, often times there is a significant contribution by drooping deeper facial tissues (muscle and fascia) that are optimally tightened as part of a facelift which then greatly improve the result in the neck.  But, you may be able to have a neck lift without the upper facelift.  See a good facelift surgeon and they will properly direct you.

Brian J. Lee, MD · Answer

Takemywrinkles, thank you for your question. I get asked this during many of my consultations. I bet you are putting your fingers half way between your chin and ear and pulling up the neck skin while pushing toward the ear. Most of my patients do the same. The problem is if we make our incisions where your fingers touch your face it will leave very visible scars. 
Placing the incisions in a more inconspicuous location just in front and in back of the ear to hide the resultant scar requires the location of pull much further away and wider dissection and more pull. Also, the underlying muscles and soft tissue are being moved as your fingers put pressure on all the layers to the bone. 
We ALL wish it were that easy to make a small incision around the earlobe and correct the neck, but the complex anatomy does not allow this.
I hope this answers your question.

Michael A. Carron, MD · Answer

Hello, your question is a very common one at that!  Essentially, what you are stating about gently pulling the skin behind the area of the ear mimics one of the surgical maneuvers to perform a neck lift.  However, it is very important to realize that it is not just the skin that is responsible for the issues in the neck.  Under the skin is an entire array of muscles and fibers and a varying degree of fat all known as the SMAS.  It is critical to reposition this SMAS that lives under the skin as well as the skin itself.  If you just reposition only the skin and not the SMAS then the result will be very temporary as the skin will relax with time and "stretch again".  The operation is done in a manner as you say with sutures.

Why is there not a simple skin tuck to pull the loose skin up and eliminate the loose skin?

Answers (16)

More Facelift Questions

WE SEND PRETTY
EMAILS

Answers (16)

More Facelift Questions

After a full facelift in August top of head is numb and extremely itchy is there anything I can do for itching? (photo)

Permanent solution for wrinkles and lines around mouth?

I have a soft lump near the corner of my mouth.

Seroma and Keloid after facelift, any advice?

Is it possible to remove hard lump on forehead caused by bumping head, how much does it cost and the risks?

Do I need a facelift at 39 or will fillers help for now? (photo)

WE SEND PRETTY EMAILS

WE SEND PRETTY
EMAILS