Necklift & Facelift Melbourne

NorthEast Plastic surgery are Melbourne experts in facial surgery including face and neck lift procedures. We offer a range of surgical and non- surgical treatments.

Treatments Overview |  Why consider facelift and necklift surgery?  |  Facelift and necklift surgery consultation  |  Facelift and necklift surgery |  Book Consultation

NorthEast Plastic Surgery, has changed the layout of the educational information about this
procedure to outline the risk and recovery information at the top of the page in order to be
compliant with the advertising guidelines of the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency
(Ahpra).

As we appreciate that this may impact your understanding, the surgeons will answer any related
questions at your consultation.

Risks

Whilst NorthEast Plastic Surgery has an excellent safety record and all our surgeries are performed in accredited hospitals, every surgery comes with risks and it is important that all our patients be made fully aware of potential complications before undertaking a procedure.

In addition to complications such as scarring, infection, and bleeding, there are risks specific to facelift and neck lift procedures, such as seven to ten days of significant bruising and swelling, sensory nerve damage affecting the ears and cheeks and motor nerve damage affecting the eyebrows, eyelids and lips.

Any additional surgeries performed to address complications will carry their own set of risks which your surgeon will advise you on before performing any procedure.

Recovery Period

It is important that access to medical attention is available by telephone once you have been discharged. Issues about which your surgeon needs to be made aware urgently include pain uncontrolled by medication, bleeding to the extent that the dressings soak through with blood, neck swelling, difficulty swallowing or breathing, temperatures exceeding 38 degrees Celsius, redness of the skin or any concerns related to the surgery.

Following a period of observation and after the removal of drainage tubes, patients are discharged from hospital. You will be given pain medication and antibiotics to minimise discomfort and potential wound complications.

It is advisable to keep your head in an elevated position to minimise bruising and swelling. Facial compression garments must be worn for two weeks following surgery and you will be advised on a post-operative protocol to expedite recovery and minimise bruising and swelling.

Your recovery will take approximately two weeks. This is the period in which you can reasonably expect to return to work, though swelling will not subside significantly for another six to eight weeks and may take several months to subside completely.

Patients can typically resume driving once they have ceased pain medication, which is normally five days following surgery. Strenuous activity such as exercise can be resumed at around four to six weeks, though it is important to avoid any trauma for six weeks following surgery.

Surgical Treatments

All of our facelift, neck lift, and fat grafting procedures are performed under general anaesthetic administered by specialist Anaesthetists in an accredited hospital. Our aim is to produce a ‘natural’ appearance.

Facelift

Facelift surgery aims to reposition facial soft tissues in addition to removal of skin.

Neck Lift

Often performed in conjunction with a facelift surgery, neck lift surgery aims to reposition neck soft tissues in addition to removal of skin.

Liposuction techniques are sometimes used in conjunction with face or necklift surgery.

Lipofill (Fat Grafting)

Fat grafting involves transferring fat to the face from a donor site on your body such as the abdomen or thighs using liposuction techniques to harvest the fat. Fat grafting can be undertaken to the prominence of cheek bones, nasolabial area and around the lips and change the contours of the face. Approximately two thirds of the injected fat is expected to survive long term and multiple treatments can be performed as required.

Non-Surgical Treatments

While facelift, neck lift and lipofill are surgical procedures which can changes the appearance of the face and neck, the quality of the overlying skin is best managed using non-surgical techniques offered at NorthEast Plastic Surgery. We consider it very important to provide a holistic approach including surgical, injectable and dermal therapy techniques.

As consideration of a combination of surgical and non-surgical techniques may be warranted, your bespoke assessment will include advice about each type of technique and how each can change your appearance.

Our Clinic can provide consultations on reducing the appearance of wrinkles and all injectable treatments undertaken at NorthEast Plastic Surgery and NorthEast MediClinic are performed by one of our experienced specialist plastic surgeons. Our experienced Nurses and Dermal Therapists provide clinical care and optimise patient safety.

NorthEast Plastic Surgery and NorthEast Mediclinic offers dermal therapies performed by a qualified dermal Therapist which include skin needling, microdermabrasion and skin peels to optimise facial skin quality.

The cosmeceutical skin care range can compliment the benefits of facelift or neck lift surgery.

Why Consider Facelift and Necklift Surgery?

Facelift Surgery

Facelift surgery can change

• Eyebrow position laterally
• Facial shape in respect of the appearance of the cheeks and jawline.
• The appearance around the mouth

Facelift surgery seeks to change appearance of these areas by removing skin and repositioning connective tissues underneath your skin and management of fatty tissue.

Neck lift Surgery

Neck lift surgery can manage the:

• Quantity of neck skin and the appearance of platysmal bands
• Fatty tissue volume under the chin
• Appearance of the cervico-mental angle between the chin and neck
• Appearance of submandibular glands under the jaw

Neck lift surgery aims to manage these areas by removing skin and fatty tissue, surgery of the underlying platysma muscle and where appropriate, submandibular salivary gland surgery.

Facelift & Neck lift Surgery Consultation

Before deciding on any surgical procedure, it’s important to consult with your surgeon to determine your degree of preparation for surgery and assess any relevant medical conditions identified in the medical history.
Your surgeon will also explain what kind of outcomes can be expected from your procedure after thoroughly examining your skin quality and volume, assessing your facial skeletal structure, facial projection and proportions.

1. Management of the upper face

Management of this area can address the appearance of the forehead and lateral canthal regions together with consideration of upper eyelid skin and fat in conjunction with eyebrow position. Such management is with surgical or non-surgical techniques, which can be used in conjunction or alone.

2. Management of the mid-face

Management of this area involves removal of skin and repositioning the underlying soft tissue structures of the cheek in addition to management of the lower eyelid where appropriate. Skeletal augmentation and lipofill techniques may also be considered.

3. Management of the lower face and neck

Management of this area involves the appearance of the jawline, lower facial and neck skin, fatty tissue under the chin and cervico-mental angle in addition to submandicular gland appearance.

An important part of your consultation will be making your surgeon aware of any previous surgeries and important medical history. Your surgeon should know of any tendencies towards bruising or excessive bleeding, use of prescription and non-prescription medications, psychological issues, and history of smoking.

Pre-operative Management

Your surgeon may require further medical assessment, including blood tests, before approving you for surgery. As part of your pre-operative management protocol, you will need to cease or modify intake of blood-thinning medications, along with other prescription and over-the-counter medications.

Smoking can severely complicate surgery, so it is vital that patients who smoke cease doing so at least six weeks out from surgery and continue to abstain for six weeks following surgery. Products containing nicotine will need to be ceased two weeks pre- and post-surgery.

Cost

There is a cost for an initial consultation at our Melbourne clinic, with the potential to receive a portion of this back via Medicare where eligible for rebate, provided you have a referral from your GP. You can call our Melbourne office on 03 9088 5000 to enquire about any out-of-pocket costs before your initial consultation as well.

During your consultation, you will be provided with a personalised quotation for your surgery. In accordance with guidelines set by the Australian Medical Board, we do not provide set prices for any procedures via our website.

Your Surgery

All NorthEast Plastic Surgery procedures are performed in accredited hospitals, which you can view on our homepage. Patients undergoing a facelift or neck lift will be under general anaesthetic administered by specialist anaesthetists.

Incisions will be made in front of and behind the ears, as well as within the scalp above and behind the ear. An incision may also be required under the chin. The surgical wounds will be repaired with internal dissolving stitches and external stitches that will be removed within two weeks after surgery.

Second Opinion

Mr Patrick Tansley MD FRCS (Plast) and Dr Sugitha Seneviratne FRACS (Plast) provide second opinion to patients seeking to address problems following plastic surgery performed elsewhere and revisional or corrective surgery. If you would like a second opinion on previously undertaken surgery, book a consultation to discuss this with one or both of our surgeons.