I am considering a jowl lift. I have contacted numerous plastic surgeons who all said that a jowl lift is a facelift. I don't need a complete facelift. Do you have any suggestions as to how I could get a jowl lift done without a complete facelift or do you agree that all patients who want this require a full facelift?

I generally try to avoid absolute terms like “all”……..

You need to be examined, and there are a variety of options depending on the severity of your problem, your overall health history, and how much correction you are trying to achieve. The following options may be appropriate in certain circumstances, depending on the quality of your tissues, the experience of the surgeon and the desired goals:

- liposuction of the excess tissue/jowl - addition of your own fat (or another material) to the low points around the jowl to fill it in. - an extended chin/jowl implant to smooth the transition along the jowl - a "short scar" facelift - a traditional incision lift - a combination of the above procedures.

Be sure to clearly state your goals and your plastic surgeon will examine you and make a recommendation that is appropriate.

The surgical procedure that has traditionally been referred to as a' facelift' involves mobilizing the skin and soft tissues of the lower face and jawline (and in most cases, the neck), and advancing them upward and laterally to eliminate sagging (jowls) and provide the appearance of improved skin tone. The excess skin is removed.

What is currently referred to as a facelift usually means some combination of surgical lower face rejuvenation with procedures that are designed to improve other facial aesthetic areas: the brow and eyelids, the midface, and the neck. The combination of procedures I perform on any patient are customized for that individual's specific needs and desires, and thus no two 'facelifts' are exactly alike.

The facelift procedure involves incisions that skirt the contour of the ears, using the anatomy of the ear to help conceal them. For a full facelift, the incision starts in the sideburn area, follows the contours of the junction of the ear with the face, curves behind the earlobe into the recess between the posterior ear and the neck/scalp, and then extends into the hairline posteriorly at the top of the ear. When I make these incisions, I design them so that, once fully healed, they may be difficult for even a hairdresser to detect. That goal can often be achieved, and it requires meticulous attention to every centimeter of the closure.