Neck Lift Vs. Facelift: Which is Right for You?

When it comes to growing older, one of the biggest concerns people can have are the signs of aging on the face.

Since the pandemic began, concerns regarding the signs of aging in the face have soared, mostly due to an influx of remote work and zoom meetings that puts a daily focus on ourselves from the shoulders up.

These insecurities have led to a rise in popularity of both the facelift and neck lift procedures, respectively. The facelift specifically was the third most popular type of cosmetic surgery performed in 2020.

Facelifts and neck lifts are two of the most popular types of cosmetic surgery, which can help minimize the effects of aging. These two procedures share many similarities but also some key differences. In today’s blog, we will break down these procedures, including their purposes, costs, the difference between a facelift vs neck lift, Botox or a facelift, and which might be right for you!

The Facelift

A facelift, also known as rhytidectomy, is an umbrella term for several types of cosmetic surgeries which help to reduce the signs of aging in the face, such as lines, wrinkles, and sagging skin. This is typically done by tightening the muscles under the skin, redistributing fat and tissue where needed, and removing any loose and excess skin that is leftover.

Our clinic has to offer multiple types of facelift procedures, each designed to treat different aspects of the face.

Mini Facelift

Starting with the least invasive of the facelift surgeries is the mini facelift. The mini facelift treats minor concerns in the face like preventing jowls and sagging cheeks. This method is recommended for patients in their 30s and 40s who do not yet possess more extreme signs of aging or those looking to touch up a previous facelift. This is not recommended for those who show excess signs of aging on other areas of the face, such as the jaw and neck, as it may leave a disproportionate look where the procedure takes place compared to the rest of the face.

Mid Facelift

The mid-facelift treats, as the name implies, the middle portion of the face. This is a popular treatment area on the face, as it is where most of your facial expressions take place, and thus, where many types of wrinkles often form, whether it be around the nose, eyes, or cheeks.

This can be an especially popular treatment to pair with other treatments such as blepharoplasty, which helps further reduce the sign of aging in the eyes, such as drooping eyelids and dark circles, or with fillers or fat transfers to help restore fullness to the cheeks.

Like the mini facelift, this surgery is not recommended to those with concerns of aging elsewhere on the face, such as the forehead or jawline, as this facelift does not treat these areas.

Lower Facelift

A lower facelift focuses solely on the lower-third portion of the face, meaning jawline, chin, and sometimes cheeks. This can help treat issues such as marionette lines or jowls.

Full Facelift

A full facelift is for those who wish to treat the signs of aging in multiple areas of the face, whether they be alone the chin and jaw, up in the brow region, and everywhere in between. When it comes to the full facelift, there are some options one can choose from, such as the SMAS facelift and the deep plane facelift.

A SMAS facelift focuses on the superficial musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS), the layer of facial muscles underneath the skin. This procedure tightens the SMAS layer and can help to improve areas such as the lower face, as well as the neck.

The deep plane facelift, meanwhile, utilizes deeper incisions in the face to allow for a more powerful manipulation of the tissue, fat, and skin, stronger than other methods of facelifts. This method helps treat more extreme signs of aging such as heavy jowls, deep folds and wrinkles, and sagging in the cheeks and jaw. While this method is extremely effective, it is also one of the most invasive types of facelifts, which must be performed by expert surgeons like those at our clinic, as this method leaves facial nerves exposed during the procedure and thus can pose higher risks of complications.

What Is the Cost of a Facelift?

As there are many different types of facelifts, the price to get a facelift in Toronto can vary depending on your needs and how extreme the signs of aging in the face are. In general, the less invasive mini facelift may begin at around $9,999, while a full facelift may cost upwards of $18,999. Our clinic does allow for financing options, however, so feel free to ask us about them during your consultation period!

The Neck Lift

While the facelift helps to address the signs of aging in the face, even a full facelift typically stops around the chin or jawline. For some, this can leave an unwanted disconnect between the face and neck, which can still show signs of aging, such as excess skin known commonly as “turkey neck.” This condition is the term that refers to the excess skin that can drape along the neck and throat, sagging into folds.

Neck lifts are performed by making incisions, usually around or inside the ears and below the chin. This is done to keep any residual scarring discreet and hidden.

Cost of a Neck Lift

A facelift and neck lift cost roughly around the same ballpark figure. Like a facelift, a neck lift’s price can range, depending on the complexity of treatment required, as well as if it is paired with any other procedures such as a facelift. There are also other considerations that may need to be made, such as a neck lift in men, which must pay special care to the Adam’s apple. In general, a neck lift in Toronto may start anywhere between $14,999 to $16,999. Like most of our procedures, financing options are available.

Neck Lift vs Facelift

While facelift and neck lift procedures are very similar, they do have some differences. The main difference when it comes to a neck lift vs facelift is the technique used during their procedures. For facelifts, skin is typically pulled upwards towards the hairline. A neck lift, however, takes the excess skin in the neck and pulls it towards the chin and jawline to correct and smooth out any draping skin around the throat and neck.

When it comes to a neck lift vs lower facelift specifically, there can be some confusion as to their differences. A lower facelift focuses on the sagging skin and wrinkles around the jawline, such as marionette lines and jowls, which can improve the jawline and chin definition but does not treat issues that go past the jaw and chin. Neck lifts, contrarily, improve the laxity and tightness from everything below the jawline and chin. This can help give further definition to the jawline and face, giving you a more youthful and clean-cut appearance.

Because facelifts and neck lifts complement each other so well, it is common for many to combine both procedures together to achieve the best results possible.

We Provide Natural Results

The biggest concern many people have when considering any cosmetic surgery is whether or not the results will look natural. This is especially true when it comes to facial cosmetic surgery, where results can be especially evident.

The best sign of good cosmetic surgery is when there are little to no signs of it at all. Our dedicated team will work to ensure that while your post-surgical look will appear younger, tighter, and refreshed, taking up to a decade or more off the face, the results will still appear natural and not overdone.

Keeping this in mind, it is important to keep expectations realistic when booking a facelift and neck lift consultation. For example, performing a full facelift when only minor signs of aging exist in parts of the face is not necessary and can make future facelifts more difficult to perform years down the road. Likewise, getting partial facelifts such as a mid or lower facelift when more extreme signs of aging persist elsewhere on the face make create a slightly disproportioned look.

If extreme folds, sagging, and wrinkles exist throughout the face and neck, it is possible that not all of these issues will be able to be completely solved, lest the more dramatic and ‘artificial’ look become present. It is good to discuss your goals with our surgeons during your consultation with Toronto Plastic Surgeons to see what procedure (or procedures) are right for you!