Home | Facial Plastic Surgery | Cheek/Neck Lift or Facelift

Cheek/Neck Lift or "Facelift"

Sagging skin of the jowl and neck that comes with age can be aggravated by sun exposure, heredity, smoking and innate characteristics of your skin. At our practice in Des Moines, Iowa, face lift (rhytidectomy) is referred to as a cheek/neck lift, because this more accurately describes the procedure. Dr. Brent Koch specializes in creating a more youthful and rested appearance by removing loose or sagging skin and lifting and tightening the lax muscles and fatty tissues of the lower face and neck.

If you would like to have a candid conversation about facelift, let Des Moines board-certified facial plastic surgeon Dr. Koch answer your questions and address your concerns. Request a consultation at Koch Facial Plastic Surgery & Spa, or call our office at 515-277-5555 to schedule an appointment.

About Cheek/Neck Lift

A facelift, one of Dr. Koch's most commonly performed procedures, provides a remarkable improvement in your appearance. Facelift is the ideal treatment for correcting:

The amount of change that can be expected depends on the degree of tissue sagging that is present preoperatively. Some patients choose to undergo a facelift earlier in the aging process for a look that is refreshed and less worn. A person who has waited can expect more dramatic results. In any case, Dr. Koch and his staff will customize your procedure for results the results that best suit you.

There are many methods to facelift surgery, and advancements in this procedure have evolved significantly over the last ten years. Today, we have newer and better techniques to create natural looking results, not the tell-tale pulled or windblown look of past facelifts. By carefully relocating the deeper tissues and draping the skin tension-free over the repositioned tissues, a more natural, longer lasting result is produced.

After facelift surgery, you should appear younger, with a well-rested, healthy look. The younger you are, the longer you can expect the facelift results to last. If you are older, results may not last quite as long due to the quality of aging skin. The fine scars are well-concealed, and no one should be able to detect that you've had a facelift, even if you wear your hair up.

With his artistic eye, precise hands, and understanding heart, Dr. Koch enhances faces and changes lives.

Learn More About Dr. Koch

The Procedure

The incisions for a facelift are made in front of and behind the ear, and they curve naturally into the hair. A shorter-incision facelift, or S-Lift, may be an option for those who require a more moderate degree of correction of their lower face and neck. The resulting fine scars blend into the natural creases of the skin and into the hair of the scalp. The hair and hairline are left intact.

The facial skin around the ear and neck is lifted, and the underlying muscle and connective tissue are tightened to give a more permanent result than can be achieved by tightening only the skin. The excess skin is removed, and the remaining skin is re-draped for an improved contour of the lower face. Liposuction of excess fat in the jowls and the area under the chin is usually performed with a facelift. In addition, fat and fibrous tissue from in front of the ear may be positioned to fill in the furrows from the nose to the corners of the mouth.

Following face lift surgery, any discomfort should be well controlled with prescription pain medication. 10 to 14 days after surgery, most patients return to normal social activities while enjoying the benefits of a more youthful appearance.

Your Consultation

Dr. Koch can discuss all of your options during a comprehensive consultation regarding cheek/neck lift or facelift. Ames, Des Moines, and Cedar Rapids, Iowa patients seeking face lift are encouraged to request a consultation online or call our office at 515-277-5555 to schedule an appointment.

The nominal consultation fee covers an extensive, personal consultation with board-certified facial plastic surgeon, Dr. Brent Koch. He will spend a great deal of time with you, discussing your goals, concerns, and physical and lifestyle considerations. He will listen intently to what you have to say, and together the two of you will develop the best approach to your treatment. Women and men who schedule their surgery at the time of consultation will have their consultation fee applied toward their procedure.