What Is a Lower Facelift?
Facelift surgery is a popular cosmetic procedure for reversing common signs of aging. A facelift smooths and tightens the facial skin to redefine facial features. While facial plastic surgeon Dr. William C. Cohen is happy to offer facelift surgery, not all of his Orange, CA and Placentia, CA patients require a traditional facelift.
If loose skin and wrinkles are limited to the lower part of the face and the neck, a lower facelift may be a more suitable treatment. A lower facelift allows Dr. Cohen to target treatment where it is needed, while providing patients with a less invasive cosmetic solution.
What Does a Lower Facelift Accomplish?
Just like a traditional facelift, a lower facelift removes loose skin, tightens underlying muscles, and lifts and smooths remaining skin to eliminate creases, soften wrinkles, and redefine facial features. The primary difference between a traditional facelift and a lower facelift is the area of treatment.
A traditional facelift treats the lower two-thirds of the face, or the area from the cheeks down. A lower facelift involves the lower third of the face and the neck. The primary treatment areas for lower facelift surgery are the jawline (or jowls) and the upper neck.
Candidates for a Lower Facelift
A lower facelift is suitable for patients who are beginning to show signs of aging from the corners of the mouth down toward the jaw and neck. Imperfections that are most commonly addressed through lower facelift surgery include:
- Loose jowls
- Excess skin beneath the chin
- Loose skin along the jawline or neck
- Wrinkles or deep creases extending from the corners of the mouth
Aging affects everyone differently, but most of our lower facelift patients are between the ages of 40 and 60. Lower facelift patients need to be in good overall health and should have realistic expectations for surgical results.
The Procedure
Lower facelift surgery is typically performed with the patient under the effects of general anesthesia, though local anesthesia and a sedative may sometimes be sufficient. Dr. Cohen will make a small incision behind each ear. These incisions result in small scars that are easily hidden, so they should not be noticeable even if a person wears their hair pulled back.
Dr. Cohen utilizes surgical incisions to remove excess skin and access underlying facial muscles. The muscles and remaining skin are tightened to correct sagging and smooth wrinkles. The entire procedure is generally completed within a couple of hours.
Lower Facelift Recovery
Patients who undergo lower facelift surgery should expect some downtime for their recovery. However, lower facelift recovery should be much shorter than that of a traditional facelift. Although patients will likely experience side effects, such as pain, bruising, and inflammation, they should feel well enough to resume most usual activities, including work, within a week or two after their procedure.
Contact Dr. William C. Cohen
If you’d like to find out if a lower facelift can give your facial skin the rejuvenation you are looking for, Dr. William C. Cohen in the Orange, CA-area would be happy to discuss your candidacy for this procedure. Send us a message at your earliest convenience to learn more, or call (714) 628-1313 to schedule a consultation.