Learning about the differences between a facelift vs necklift isn’t quite as simple as it might seem. In some cases, the terms neck lift and facelift can mean the same thing. In all cases, whether you have a necklift, facelift, or both, depends on your condition and what you want to achieve. Before you make any decisions about getting any reconstructive surgery, you should consult with an experienced and qualified surgeon to understand what’s possible and best for you.
It may help to look at the difference between necklifts and facelifts in the following way. There are many variations of facelifts. The overall procedure for every variation is similar. Generally speaking, a necklift is a variation of a facelift.
Facelifts
Most often, a full facelift aims to tighten and smooth the jawline and neck (getting rid of jowls), smoothing and reshaping the cheeks, and generally smoothing the skin. During a facelift, the underlying neck and facial tissue is repositioned and tightened through discreet incisions. The incisions start along the hairline at the temple, and continue down the crease of the ear, and around behind the ear. The procedure also pulls and tightens the skin and other facial tissue.
Mini-Facelift
In cases where there is no need for a necklift, or it’s not suitable, a mini-facelift may be performed. In a mini-facelift, a smaller incision is made starting at the temple hairline and extends along the crease of the ear to the earlobe.
Necklifts
For a necklift, tightening the skin of your neck usually involves lifting the sagging, underlying tissue back into place on the face. This is usually done with facelift incisions behind the ears. So necklifts generally involve a facelift.
In some cases, a tightening of the skin of the neck is possible using an incision under the chin in a treatment called neck liposuction. During the procedure, excess fat tissue is removed from under the skin through the incision.
Again, if you are considering a facelift and/or necklift, it’s best to find out what will work best for you by consulting with a qualified and experienced reconstructive surgeon.
If you found this post helpful, check out our recent article 4 Common Questions About Getting A Facelift.