In San Diego, a neck lift is often combined with a facelift. Many patients wonder if it’s better to combine procedures in this way, or if it’s better to choose one procedure at a time. There are pros and cons to either option, but I prefer combining them.
There are several different types of facelift procedures available, depending on the extent of correction that needs to be addressed. Many patients will combine a general facelift with one or two fine-tuning procedures, such as eyelid surgery or facial liposuction. At my clinic in San Diego, a neck lift is one of those additional procedures often included.
As much as we would like to think otherwise, the signs of aging are not limited to just one location on the body. The truth is, our faces and necks both show wrinkles, loss of elasticity and other features that all add up to looking older. If only one area is treated, this can make the untreated area look even older by comparison. This can make the results of the single treatment look more obvious, or even unfinished.
There is also the argument of combining procedures in order to reduce overall recovery time. After all, why go through the trouble twice when you could schedule everything to happen at the same time, including your healing period? The bottom line is, combining procedures can give you a more complete result, leaving your entire face and neck area looking more youthful and refreshed.
Dr. Alexander received his Medical Degree from the University of Maryland School of Medicine, one of the country’s first medical schools, and then had five years of intensive general surgery training at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, serving as chief resident in 1993-1994. There he was one of two residents honored “Outstanding Teacher” by the Whitehead Society.
After becoming Board Certified in General Surgery, Dr. Alexander attended the University of California San Francisco, one of the premiere Plastic Surgery programs in the United States. There he completed two additional years of residency training in Plastic Surgery. Dr. Alexander is double board certified in Surgery and Plastic Surgery and is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
Dr. Alexander specializes in facial rejuvenation, and was the first surgeon in California to perform the QuickLift,™ a revolutionary surgical procedure that takes years off the face with less downtime than traditional facelifts. He is a specialist in chemical peels and laser surgery and was selected to author the chapter “Facial Resurfacing” in Plastic Surgery, the premiere textbook of the specialty. He also specializes in facial cancer reconstruction and endoscopic, minimally-invasive procedures, publishing his own original research about endoscopic plastic surgery. He lectures in medical forums and has presented his results at both national and international surgical meetings.
