Facelift Surgery Boston MA - Facial Cosmetic Surgeon Boston

What Is A Facelift?

A Facelift (Rhytidectomy), from Lin Plastic Surgery in Boston, is a surgical procedure designed to counteract the effects of aging, exposure to the sun or gravity providing a fresh, youthful appearance. This procedure involves tightening of the facial and neck skin as well as removal of excess fat deposits. This procedure may be performed in conjunction with other facial cosmetic procedures to optimize the aesthetic outcome.

What Concerns Can A Facelift Fix?

Sagging skin, muscles, and fat in the face and neck
Excessive skin and fat in the neck
Sagging jaw line
Crease lines along the nose, mouth, and chin

How Are Facelifts Performed?

Small incisions are made just inside the hairline, along the contour in front of the ear, and extending under the earlobe to the backside of the ear and lower scalp. The skin is then stretched and tightened, and any excess is removed. If additional attention is required for the neck line, an incision is made under the chin. Tiny stitches are used to close the incisions and to reduce any chance of scarring. Metal clips or staples may also be utilized at the hairline. This procedure may take several hours. Various techniques can be employed which can be discussed during your initial consultation.

What Is The Recovery From Facelift Surgery Like?

Immediately following your facelift surgery from Dr. Lin in Boston, MA, bandages are applied to the face to reduce the recovery time and minimize swelling. Rest and limited mobility are recommended to accelerate the healing process and reduce recovery time. Patients may report pain following surgery which can be treated with oral medication. Although the occurrence of complications is rare, patients can reduce the risk of developing potential problems by carefully following the post-operative instructions.

See What Our Patients Are Saying:

"Based upon my own experience, Dr. Lin is a very talented and skilled surgeon. He was also very easy and pleasant to work with. He has a calm and reassuring manner about him and encouraged input from me which I appreciated. I would have no hesitation to return to Dr. Lin for future procedures and can highly recommend him!"
- Tracey J.

Combining Neck Lift With A Facelift

It’s interesting how many patients focus so much of their attention on the signs of aging they are seeing in their faces. While the sunken cheeks, smile and laugh lines, and other signs of aging on the face are prevalent, they don’t exist in isolation.

People often overlook what’s going on just below the chin — aging on the neck. Unfortunately, the neck can be one of the first areas to show extensive aging through banding on the neck and looseness under the chin. While a facelift with Dr. Lin will address the jowls to a degree, a neck lift is often a good addition to a facelift.

Neck Lift Before & After Photos

Facelift/Neck Lift FAQs

What Is Recovery Like From A Facelift Combined With A Neck Lift?

Recovery times and conditions vary with different types of facelifts. If Dr. Lin includes a neck lift, this won’t change the duration of your recovery, but it will add a couple different aspects. During your consultation, Dr. Lin will discuss your recovery with you. But these are some general aspects of your recovery. Because the skin is lifted away from the underlying tissue, there is a fair amount of tissue trauma with a facelift. After the procedure, your face will be wrapped in bandages and you’ll likely have drainage tubes. This can be mitigated by the use of tissue glue, but in some cases this isn’t an option. There will be extensive bruising and swelling that will last from two to three weeks. The first few days are the hardest, but then you will feel better quickly. Your skin will probably feel tight in the face and neck. You will likely have numbness in areas, as well. This is normal and can last up to a couple months, as the facial nerves adjust to the re-draped skin. With more involved facelift procedures, most patients can return to work by the third week.

For the neck lift portion of your surgery, you will have elastic bandages around your lower face and neck. This will help minimize swelling and bruising. You won’t be able to twist your neck or bend it forward. Unlike most surgeries, with the neck area you do not apply ice, as this can restrict blood flow and damage the recovery of your skin. There isn’t instant gratification with the neck lift portion of this procedure (or with a facelift for that matter). This is due to swelling, which can come and go for a couple months. Sports and strenuous exercise, particularly those that involve any twisting of the neck, will need to wait at least six weeks.

What Are The Risks Associated With Facelifts & Neck Lifts?

Facelifts/neck lifts are major surgical procedures, and they involve those same risks: excessive bleeding, poor incision healing, infection, and reaction to anesthesia. As for facelifts combined with neck lifts, these are the specific risks:

Injury to the nerves that control facial muscles (usually temporary)
Numbness or tingling around the incision areas (temporary)
Hair loss at the incision sites
Skin discoloration (rare but can continue for several months)
Skin healing issues (more common with smokers)

Face & Neck Lift Patient Questions & Testimonials

Q&A with Samuel Lin, MD, FACS

Do most (highly skilled) surgeons use before and after photo simulations for facelifts?

That is a great question. Ihave colleagues who use imaging simulation all the time, and Ihave colleagues who don't use it at all. Ifeel that true...READ MORE

Hard cheeks after midface lift?

At 2 weeks there is likely swelling present and I would followup with your surgeon... Facial fillers may address other areas but it is important to...READ MORE

When can I go out in public without looking like I just had facelift surgery?

The amount of recovery time after a facelift depends on the type of facelift/necklift being performed.. there are several techniques, and thus, variations...READ MORE

How Much Does a Facelift Cost?

Agreed, the cost of procedures, and notably facial cosmetic surgery, depend on alot of factors, and in the final analysis, experience, board certification,...READ MORE

I am suffering nerve pain in both of my ears from a lower face/neck lift that I had 5 months ago. Will this resolve on its own?

Agreed, nerve symptoms after surgery can occur that take an amount of time to resolve/stabilize.. another thought is checking to see if your surgeon would...READ MORE

View all answers

Samuel Lin, MD, FACS

4.9 stars from 142 reviews

He understood exactly what I was looking to achieve

My experience with Dr. Lin was wonderful from beginning to end. At my first consultation, I knew that he would be the one to perform my surgery. He...READ MORE

Thrilled with my results! I had been thinking about getting a neck lift for a few years

I had been thinking about getting a neck lift for a few years. I tried all kinds of things to avoid surgery but nothing worked and was expensive. I decided...READ MORE

Blessed to have found Dr. Lin - the results are so natural, no one suspects outside help

I’m very grateful that my primary care physician suggested I use Dr. Samuel Lin for my neck lift surgery. In addition to his technical expertise and a...READ MORE

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Disclaimer: Reviews shown here are curated from RealSelf. Results and patient experience may vary.

Dr. Lin’s Research On Neck & Face Lift Procedures

» Preoperative radiation therapy and its effects on outcomes in microsurgical head and neck reconstruction

» Lateral Canthal Reconstruction After Head-Neck or Periocular Cutaneous Malignancy: Oculoplastic and Facial Plastic Surgery Techniques

» American Society of Plastic Surgeons: Free Tissue Transfer in a Head and Neck Cancer Patient with Polycythemia Vera

» Utility Outcome Assessment of the Aging Neck following Massie Weight Loss

Dr. Lin’s Authored Work On Neck & Face Lift Surgery

Aesthetic Head and Neck Surgery (McGraw-Hill
Plastic Surgery Atlas)
1st Edition

Schedule Your Facelift Consultation

To learn more about our Facelift procedure or to schedule an appointment with specialist, give us a call today at 617.632.7827 or fill out an online contact form and our office will be in touch with you. Our practice serves Bryn Mawr, PA and the surrounding areas!

Facelift Surgery in Boston, MA