Neck Lift & Facelift Surgery

Before you undergo any plastic surgery procedure at Karidis Clinic, you will have a consultation and a pre-operative assessment with your plastic surgeon. They will listen carefully to your concerns and what you expect to achieve and discuss which procedure, or combination of procedures, is appropriate.

At this stage, they will also ensure you are fully aware of the potential risks and complications inherent in that specific procedure and explain to you what you can expect immediately after surgery, throughout the recovery process, and when you will likely see the final results.

During the pre-operative assessment, the surgeon may take measurements of the area to be operated on and assess your skin tissue quality and the degree of skin laxity. The position of the incisions will also be decided upon.

A full medical history will be taken to ensure you are fit and well and can undergo surgery at this time.

After the initial consultation, there will be a two-week ‘cooling-off’ period before you can decide to proceed with surgery. You are welcome to return for further consultations with your Karidis Clinic surgeon, free of charge, if you have more questions.

If you make the decision to proceed with surgery, you’ll be given advice on how best to prepare for your operation, and you will have a dedicated Patient Coordinator who can answer any queries you may have.

Any pre-surgery tests can occur at the Hospital of St John & St Elizabeth, a leading London private hospital where Karidis Clinic is based. The hospital has recently built a new wing including a diagnostic department with the latest X-ray, MRI, CT and ultrasound technology.

We advise patients to stop smoking as soon as possible as nicotine acts as a vasoconstrictor, which impedes the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the surgical site. This can slow down healing, increase the chance of infection and even cause tissue to die. Smoking also increases the risks of a general anaesthetic, and smokers are more likely to suffer ill effects from an anaesthetic.

You will also be advised when to discontinue taking aspirin or other blood-thinning medication in advance of your operation. You will be asked to fast six hours before surgery.

All Karidis Clinic procedures are performed at the Hospital of St John & St Elizabeth. When you arrive, you’ll be greeted and taken to your stylish and luxurious private room with its spacious ensuite bathroom.

The nursing team will take your blood pressure and relevant vitals, and you will see your Karidis Clinic surgeon, who will make the final mark-ups. Our anaesthetist will also visit you.

Clinical photography will be taken to assist in your care and to enable clinical assessments to be made. These become part of your confidential medical record. These include photographs of the operation site and any distinguishing features and will be taken pre-op and post-op. 

Your procedure will be performed under a general anaesthetic, and once the surgeon has sutured the incision site, you will be taken to a specialist recovery room.

Once the hospital nursing team has ensured your recovery is complete, you will be taken to your hospital room for your overnight stay. The hospital nursing team will be on hand throughout the night, and you will be fitted with compression stockings and a compression device if required.

The following day, you will be visited by your Karidis Clinic surgeon or nurse and then discharged into the care of a friend or family member by the hospital nursing staff.

The pain and discomfort experienced after surgery are unique to the individual patient and the extent of their procedure. However, it should start to subside in the first week and should be easily managed with over-the-counter painkillers.

If necessary, you’ll be advised to wear a specially designed surgical support garment for approximately six weeks after surgery to support you during the healing process.

Depending on the nature of your job, you can usually expect to be able to return to work and normal activities between one to two weeks.

You’ll be given a comprehensive plan for the recovery process, including dates for your cast or suture removal and your check-ups with your Karidis Clinic surgeon. However, we are always on hand throughout this period, and you have access to our dedicated surgical nurse 24/7 if you have any concerns.

A facelift can reverse signs of ageing and dramatically soften your facial contours and lines, however, it won’t erase permanent skin creases. The use of non-surgical treatments such as injectable dermal fillers, Botulinum toxin, Ultherapy and other skin treatments can complement and refine the results of your surgery or be used to maintain the best results. After all, “a facelift sets the clock back, but does not stop it ticking” – Alex Karidis.

During the consultation with your surgeon, you’ll discuss your general medical history and your surgeon will determine your individual suitability. Issues that may cause problems with your surgery such as uncontrolled high blood pressure, blood clotting problems, or a tendency to form excessive scars may be identified and discussed.

If you’re a smoker, you’ll be asked to stop smoking well in advance of surgery as well as for a period after the operation (generally four weeks before and four weeks after). Smoking seriously constricts your blood vessels, decreasing your blood flow to a given area, which will result in poor healing and adverse scarring. Aspirin and other medications should also be avoided as they can cause an increase in bleeding.

Generally, the best candidates for a facelift are those who still possess good skin elasticity, and who are showing signs of sagging on the face and neck area and are within their normal weight limits. Most patients who seek this procedure are usually over 40 years old, however, it’s not uncommon to treat younger patients who are looking to maintain a youthful appearance.

No, there are many different types of facelifts for you to consider. The classical (skin-only) facelift has undergone several modifications over the years to improve the overall results and to give a longer-lasting effect. These modifications not only lift the skin but now also address the underlying structures (i.e. muscles or SMAS), which are equally subjected to the effects of the ageing process.

The SMAS facelift is one that is favoured by many competent surgeons, although there are now many variations of even this procedure. These are the extended SMAS lift, Composite facelift and Subperiosteal facelift, Lateral SMAS lift, all of which can be tailored to suit individual needs. But the most important take-home message here is that these types of operations will give you the most long-lasting results and the most natural look.

Everyone has different skin and muscle tissue quality. But the results of a properly performed facelift are generally permanent in the sense that although it’ll not stop the clock and subsequent ageing, any improvement you get will mean that you’re much better off than you would have been.

The quality of your skin tissues will, of course, help to maintain the results of a facelift, so if you have a good amount of elasticity in your skin, your facelift will tend to last much longer than a patient who has lost a lot of elasticity. Think of it like a rubber band: a rubber band will become brittle and less elastic. Pulling on this excessively will result in the band snapping, whereas a fresher rubber band has the ability to stretch and recoil much better than one that has been weathered over time.

Another way you can look at the lasting effects of a facelift is to imagine you have an identical twin. If you were to have a facelift and your twin sister or brother did not, in ten years’ time you’ll look better than your twin. So again in that sense, the effects and benefits of your facial surgery will be permanent.

Our surgeons strongly believe that your scars following a facelift should be as well hidden as possible to not be noticed or compromise your hairstyle. Your surgeon’s techniques will revolve around this philosophy; minimising scars, yet maximising the results of your surgery.

A scar will obviously form at the incision sites. These are situated from the top of your ear within your hairline and run down over the natural crease in front and within your ear returning around behind your earlobe and up the back of your ear. Sometimes it may be necessary to add an incision under your chin, however, this will be discussed.

Scars are always red and slightly lumpy in the first few months following a facelift. Light makeup applied over the scars in the early period will help hide them. It’s impossible to predict how any individual’s scar will appear. However, occasionally behind the ears, and rarely in front of them, scars of certain skin types can stretch or become lumpy.

These skin types cannot be identified prior to surgery. However, these can easily be hidden by longer hairstyles but may become visible if the hair is cut short or lifted. Very occasionally a small bald strip can also develop adjacent to the scar that is situated above the ear in the temple area.

Generally speaking, the incision used for both men and women is the same. The only thing that differs is the incision on men courses down in front of, rather than within the ear, and then continues, as in women, around the earlobe and up behind the ear before curving back into the hairline of the neck. However, although as mentioned scars are unpredictable, the vast majority of patients operated by our surgeons don’t experience problems with their scars.

As a result of careful planning and meticulous technique, your surgeon’s aim is to preserve your ability and right to be able to put your hair up comfortably without worrying about your scars in front or behind your ears being visible, yet still also giving you the best result.