Face and Neck Lift

MID-FACELIFT

A mid-facelift focuses specifically on the area beneath the eyes and around the cheeks, rather than the lower face. Often, your plastic surgeon will incorporate fat manipulation and other techniques to add plumpness where your face is otherwise flat, creating more defined cheekbones and youthful facial contours. For this reason, a mid-facelift is sometimes called a cheek lift. This procedure can correct sunken, hollow cheeks, lift and tighten your skin, and reduce lines or wrinkles around the nose.

A mid-facelift may be perfect if you’re in your 30s or 40s and looking to regain a fuller facial contour. While this procedure isn’t as extensive as a full facelift, it can still provide dramatic results, especially when combined with other rejuvenation procedures. 

LOWER FACELIFT 

A lower facelift focuses on the mouth and jawline. This procedure is excellent for correcting a double chin and eliminating the appearance of jowls. It can also address nasolabial folds, which run from the nose to the mouth’s corners. A lower facelift is a great option if you want to tighten sagging jowls, sculpt a more defined jawline or reduce the signs of aging beneath the chin. Dr. Ridenour usually combines this procedure with a neck lift for more seamless results that blend in effortlessly with your appearance.

NECK LIFT

A neck lift is one of the most effective procedures for revitalizing the lower face and neck. Often, the signs of aging extend beyond the face and affect the jawline, chin and neck, but only a neck lift can directly address the concerns that occur here. This includes jowls, muscle bands, a double chin and the appearance of a “turkey wattle,” issues that can disrupt your facial contours and create an unbalanced look, especially if the face is youthful, but the neck is not. By manipulating the underlying tissues and eliminating excess skin, your plastic surgeon can address these concerns and restore a more sculpted appearance with a neck lift.

SIGNS OF AGING

• Moderate to severe sagging
• Loose skin in the face and neck
• Deep wrinkles, creases and folds
• Sunken or hollowed cheeks
• Jowls or a drooping jawline

IS A FACE OR NECK LIFT RIGHT FOR ME?

Facelift surgeries are considered the gold standard for addressing the signs of aging in the face and neck. Effective for both men and women, a facelift can take years off your appearance without making you look “windswept” or drawn. Although most candidates interested in a facelift are between the ages of 40 and 60, plastic surgeons agree there is no specific age requirement for this procedure. If you’re bothered by signs of aging, a face or neck lift may be right for you regardless of age.

Ideal candidates should also be in good health, non-smokers and have reasonable expectations. Facelift surgery can refresh your appearance and restore youthful facial contours, but great care is taken to produce natural-looking results that complement your unique qualities. If you have more advanced signs of aging throughout the face and neck, your facelift procedure can be combined with a neck lift, eyelid surgery and other rejuvenation treatments for even more comprehensive results.

YOUR INITIAL CONSULTATION

To determine if you’re a good candidate for facelift surgery, you will meet with board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Ridenour for an initial consultation. This visit will last between 45 minutes to an hour and include a review of your medical history, cosmetic goals, needs, and expectations. Dr. Ridenour will also perform a comprehensive examination of your face, measuring the amount of sagging or skin laxity present, volume loss and a range of other issues that contribute to the appearance of aging. This assessment will help Dr. Ridenour determine the most appropriate facelift technique and develop an individualized surgical plan that meets your needs. At this stage, photographs and computer imaging are also available to help you visualize your results and understand the goals of this procedure. Next, Dr. Ridenour will take the time to explain the procedure in detail and listen carefully to any questions or concerns you may have. He will also discuss the recovery period and talk to you about some new techniques that minimize bleeding and facilitate improved healing.

Toward the end of your consultation, Dr. Ridenour will help you choose the best type of anesthesia for your procedure and recommend an appropriate surgical setting. Depending on the extent of your treatment, facelift surgery can be performed in-office at Ridenour Plastic Surgery, at an outpatient center or in a larger facility such as Barnes West County Hospital. He will also provide you with additional information such as procedure costs, patient references and printed materials to help you make an informed decision. Throughout the process, Dr. Ridenour and his team are always helpful and will never pressure you into making a decision before you are ready.

THE DAY OF SURGERY

THE INITIAL PHASE

If you decide to proceed with facelift surgery, we will schedule a separate one-hour consultation to help you get ready for your operation. At the time, we will go over your medication schedule and help you avoid any unnecessary drugs or supplements that may cause bleeding or interfere with the healing process. If necessary, we will also consult with your primary doctor and review any lab work or testing that has been performed. Next, the entire procedure will be reviewed in detail and we’ll make any special arrangements you may need for home visits, transportation and lodging. Finally, your medications will be prescribed and you’ll be provided with a list of items that will be helpful for you to keep on hand. After this meeting, you should feel very confident about your upcoming procedure.

SURGERY DAY

On the day of your surgery, you’ll arrive at the office, hospital or outpatient facility and be asked to change into a surgical gown. After answering a few precautionary questions about your health and the nature of your procedure, you will meet the anesthesiologist and nurses who will be taking care of you. Dr. Ridenour will also be available prior to surgery to answer any additional questions you may have. Next, Dr. Ridenour will carefully mark you with a surgical pen to assist in certain aspects of your procedure and ensure precise results.

THE OPERATION

When it is time to begin the operation, you will be taken to the procedure room and placed comfortably on a table. Dr. Ridenour and his team adhere to the strictest safety standards and will connect you to equipment that carefully monitors your EKG, blood pressure, oxygen saturation and carbon dioxide levels during your facelift surgery. Once everything is ready, Dr. Ridenour will begin the process of lifting, tightening and repositioning your facial tissues to sculpt a more youthful appearance. He may also redistribute fat to correct volume loss and trim any excess skin. Dr. Ridenour will then redrape your skin over the new, youthful contours and close the incisions. As a highly trained facial plastic surgeon, Dr. Ridenour is adept in a range of facelift techniques and can create natural-looking results with little to no scarring. At Ridenour Plastic Surgery, you can be sure that your facelift procedure will be fine-tuned to your specific needs and complement your natural features for a balanced, refreshed appearance.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER SURGERY?

The day following your surgery, we will remove your dressings and evaluate your early progress. You may have some modest swelling and light bruising, but this is completely normal. We will assist in caring for your incisions and make sure that everything appears as it should. Depending on the type of facelift procedure performed, your dressings may be reapplied at this stage. If surgical drains have been used, these may also be removed. To prepare you for the coming week and ensure a smooth recovery, we will show you and your caretaker how to tend to your incisions and send you home with detailed post-operative instructions.

As you recover, we will have you return to the office for check-in appointments to ensure that you are healing properly and have no questions or concerns. At each visit, we will instruct you in the care of your face, appropriate activity levels and things to look out for as you heal. Patients are typically seen the day after surgery, three to four days later and again after one week for suture removal, but these appointments can be made as often as needed to ensure a great outcome. At Ridenour Plastic Surgery, we continue to follow up with our patients to provide any necessary assistance and help them look and feel their best. Following your surgery, we also offer help with makeup, skincare and any ancillary services that may complement your results and help you achieve the best outcome possible.

YOUR FACELIFT RESULTS

The visible improvements of your facelift or neck lift will begin to appear as post-operative bruising and swelling subside. A facelift is a versatile procedure that can shave years off of your appearance. Depending on the technique used for your surgery, your improvements may include jowl correction, a softening of your nasolabial folds or smoother, plumper cheeks. Your final result should not only provide a more toned, youthful and rested appearance, but also help you feel more confident about yourself.

You can expect to enjoy a more lifted, youthful appearance for 10 years or more after your facelift surgery. While the natural aging process is inevitable, you can prolong your results by practicing good skin care habits and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Nonsurgical rejuvenation treatments such as microneedling, dermal fillers or facials can also help your skin look its best and keep lines and wrinkles at bay. As one of St. Louis’ most sought-after plastic surgeons, Dr. Ridenour can develop a treatment plan to enhance or maintain your results.