Types of Face lifts, Brow Lifts and Neck Lift

Types of Facelifts, Brow Lifts and Neck Lift

Your choice of facelift technique will usually be discussed during your pre-surgery consultation.    Your surgeon will advise you which type of facelift is the best choice for you.    This will depend on your age, the condition and laxity of your skin and muscle and the amount of rejuvenation you need.    Very often your surgeon will recommend a combination of several different techniques to give you the best result.

Traditional Facelift

Performed under General Anesthetic or

This is still the most popular and widely chosen technique especially for those 50 years and over.  The traditional facelift addresses the mid, lower face and neck.      The incision is made in the hairline, starting above the ear, continuing in front of the ear following the ear fold then curving around the back of the ear to finish in the hair line.   Skin will be released from the underlying fat and muscle.  The muscles will be tightened and internal sutures will be used to lift and reposition the muscle and SMAS layer.    Excess skin is trimmed and the external sutures are closed

SMAS Facelift

This is another name for the traditional facelift.

Deep Plane Facelift

This is a technique involving similar incisions to the traditional facelift but the surgeon will dissect to a deeper level to reposition the underlying muscle and other facial structures.   Some surgeons believe the technique will give better results in the rejuvenation of droopy skin but this technique also has higher risks of facial nerve injury.

Mini Facelifts  

S-Lift

This facelift involves a shorter incision in the shape of an S starting near the top of the ear and following the ear fold in front, curving around and finishing at the back of the ear.   There will be less dissection than with the traditional facelift and healing should be faster.

MACS-lift  As with the S lift the incision is limited to the skin fold in front of the ear and follows down the fold of the ear.   Some surgeons continue around the curve of the ear to finish at the back of the ear.

To lift and hold the skin two or three sutures are anchored into the deep facial tissue.

These types of facelift are most suitable for those with mild drooping of the skin.   Often a good choice for younger patients

Brow or Forehead Lift (traditional surgical)

The forehead lift or brow lift is a common facial rejuvenation procedure, performed as a separate procedure or in combination with mid facelift or blepharoplasty

This type of lift targets the upper face, forehead and eyebrow area. Surgeons will use this lift to address patients with a forehead which has dropped causing drooping or lowered eyebrows.  The length of brow lift incisions vary by the type of lift, surgeon’s technique, and patient’s specific needs. The incisions are usually across the top of the head.   Incisions can be along the hairline or hidden within the hair, approximately 1-2cm behind the hairline and anywhere from 2-10cm long.  In some cases the upper eyelids will not need a surgical lift as the brow lift opens the eyes and lifts the upper lids.   However some patients will still need upper eyelid surgery as well.

For a man who is balding, the surgeon can make the incision shorter so the scar can be hidden in the remaining hair.

A variation of the brow lift is performed by removing a segment of skin and muscle just above the eyebrows.  Scars may be visible but can sometimes be hidden within the eyebrow hair.

Another technique is an endoscopic forehead lift.  Small incisions are made and the forehead skin is loosened, smoothed and tightened. Suspending sutures will be used to support the elevated skin.

Necklift (includes jowls) 

The surgeon will make a small incision in front of the ear and also behind each ear enabling excess sagging skin to be removed.    Incisions are typically shorter than those made for a facelift. The procedure is often combined with Platysmaplasty or Submentoplasty and Liposuction.

Platysmaplasty or Submental Lepectomy 

To correct a ‘turkey neck’    This procedure corrects the platysma muscles which are located beneath the skin on the neck.    As we age these muscles begin to stand out from the neck resulting in two neck bands running vertically down the neck.  To enable tighten of the muscles the surgeon will make a small incision under the chin. This procedure is often combined with a neck lift and facelift.

Liposuction 
Liposuction can also be used to remove excess fat from the neck in combination with a neck lift.   In patients with with good skin elasticity liposuction alone may be all that is needed.    In some patients Liposuction can be used in the chin and jowl area in combination with a facelift.   The surgeon will need to use a special small cannula to carefully remove the fat from these delicate facial areas.

Thread Lift

The technique uses threads beneath the skin to pull it up.  There are a variety of different types – some with small barbs or hooks designed to lift and hold the skin and facial tissue.    The advantage is that there is no incision line needed but results are limited and generally only last between one and two years.