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Should You Get A Facelift After Massive Weight Loss?

Dr. Philip Miller

October 6, 2022

Losing weight is often a long and frustrating journey that requires hard work and dedication. The result of your efforts can include loose or sagging skin, which may require surgery to put the finishing touch on your weight loss efforts. A facelift helps patients achieve the contour for a seamless face and neck.

How does weight loss change your face?

Weight loss can change the contour and appearance of your face. Whether through strict diet and exercise or intervention like bariatric surgery, weight loss can impact the skin and face in a multi-dimensional manner leaving the face looking hollow in some areas when fat is lost.

Another facial change that can happen after significant weight loss is sagging skin. Skin does not always shrink to match your frame, and when patients experience significant weight loss, it can remove fat but leave skin laxity that doesn’t bounce back if the change occurred too quickly. 

facelift after a massive weight loss

After massive weight loss, you may want to make an appointment with an experienced facial plastic surgeon who can assess your skin changes and determine the best treatment plan for your specific needs. Plastic surgeons sometimes recommend facelifts to patients that are healthy and have achieved their target goal on the scale.

Each person experiences the impact of weight loss differently. Some see facial changes within a matter of weeks while don’t see the effects of weight loss for many months. Your plastic surgeon may suggest different injectables during your weight loss journey to help your face appear symmetrical and reduce sunken areas. A complete facelift is most successful after weight loss is complete to ensure there are no further changes to the face after surgery.

Does losing weight make your face look younger?

While weight loss can drastically change your appearance, weight loss alone does not always make you look younger. Many individuals define an attractive face as contoured and full. Unfortunately, weight loss can have the opposite effect on the face, leaving behind hollow areas, sagging skin, and an overall deflated look. Sagging skin can also lead to deep folds and wrinkles for a more aged appearance.

Facelift to address skin sagging and loss of volume by Dr. Miller. After surgery, patient has a more defined jawline and cheekbones and looks refreshed and more youthful.
does facelift makes you look younger

Fortunately, these skin concerns can be addressed with a facelift. A facelift lifts and tightens skin, removes excess skin and fat, and reshape portions of the face like the jawline and jowls. There are several types of facelift procedures that can help patients look younger after massive weight loss:

  • Traditional facelift: This is a complete facelift with incisions made around the hairline, ears, and lower scalp so that fat can be redistributed or removed and underlying layers can be lifted and tightened.
  • Mini facelift: The mini lift is less extensive and has a shorter incision length that targets more focused areas. This outpatient procedure requires local anesthesia in most cases and recovery tends to be shorter than with a traditional facelift.
  • Thread lift: A temporary, dissolvable barbed suture is threaded into the skin along the temple or jawline that lifts the skin and stimulates collagen production.
  • Deep plane facelift: This type of facelift involves access to the underlying SMAS tissue and actually releases ligaments that tend to keep the SMAS in a specific position. This technique allows for lift in the lower and midface for natural and dramatic improvement.
  • Micro lift: This innovative procedure mimics the results of pulled-back hair in a ponytail. It is minimally invasive and subtly lifts the eyes and tightens the skin for sharper cheekbones.

Do jowls and sagging face go away after losing weight?

Unfortunately, jowls and sagging faces do not always resolve after weight loss. In some cases, they may even become more defined. While weight loss can slenderize the face, this improvement is often hidden by sagging skin and lack of contour. Facelifts have many benefits in reducing jowls and improving facial balance and beauty, including:

  • Create a well-defined jawline
  • Lift and tighten sagging skin
  • Eliminate loose jowls
  • Reduce deep fold, fine lines, and wrinkles
  • Rejuvenate skin
  • Produce a younger and healthier appearance

Double-board certified facial plastic surgeon, Philip J. Miller, MD, FACS, provides innovation and expertise to patients looking for seamless and natural results at his New York City, NY, and New Orleans, LA, offices. Contact us to schedule a consultation and learn more about facelift procedures after weight loss. 

Dr. Philip Miller

Focusing exclusively on the face for more than two decades, double-board certified facial plastic surgeon Dr. Philip Miller blends art and science with innovation and skill to provide thousands of patients with impeccable results. He is known for pioneering the NatraLook methodology for rhinoplasty, facelifts, neck lifts, and other cosmetic procedures for the face.

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Facial Plastic Surgery

Dr. Philip Miller and his team of New York's top rated facial plastic surgery experts provide custom cosmetic treatment plans that include a combination of minimally-invasive techniques and advanced procedures, to help each patient achieve the Aesthetic Confidence® they desire. Our unique NatraFace™ approach to facial rejuvenation includes the following effective procedures:

Eyelid Plastic Surgery

Dr. Miller provides patients with Manhattan's #1 customized care and treatment for smooth, supple skin that brightens the eyes and revitalizes the face. With our NatraFace™ approach, we utilize a combination of effective aesthetic techniques tailored to suit each patient’s needs. We offer:

Rhinoplasty (Nose Jobs)

Dr. Miller and his staff of NYC's best aesthetic specialists offer the NatraNose® process, which is a comprehensive range of minimally-invasive and advanced techniques to achieve natural-looking rhinoplasty results, improve nasal function, and meet the patient’s aesthetic goals. Dr. Miller specializes in nose jobs, nose reductions, non-surgical nose jobs, and more: Adjust the links in these sections as follows:

Skin Care Treatments

Widely acclaimed for our broad range of flawless skincare solutions, Philip J. Miller, MD, FACS and his team of aesthetic specialists offer customized skincare treatment plans to achieve healthy, natural-looking results. As part of our NatraLook™ process, the following procedures may be performed individually or in combination with more advanced surgical treatments for optimal rejuvenation.

Male Plastic Surgery

Philip J. Miller, MD, FACS, is a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon with over 20 years of experience working with male and female patients. He specializes in facial plastic surgery and is recognized as an expert in facial rejuvenation procedures. Utilizing the most advanced surgical techniques, Dr. Miller can maintain or enhance masculine features while producing the most natural-looking results.

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The Plastic Surgery Podcast with Dr. Philip Miller

Tune into The Plastic Surgery Podcast, hosted by facial plastic surgeon Dr. Philip Miller. Dr. Miller is here to answer your questions, de-mystify plastic surgery, and help you feel more knowledgeable and empowered about any procedure performed at our center.

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    Episode 44: My First Time

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    Episode 43: Top 10 Reasons Not To Get A Rhinoplasty ( Plastic Surgery)

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    Episode 42 : Osteomas & Lipomas

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    Episode 41: All Ears Considered!

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    Episode 40: Infrared Light Therapy

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    Episode 39: Beauty, the Plateau

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    Episode 38: Botox and Dermal Fillers

    3 min
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    Episode 37: Cost of Rhinoplasty

    1 min
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    Episode 36: Different Types of Nasal Surgeries

    3 min
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    Episode 35: Do You Have to Break the Nose for Rhinoplasty?

    2 min
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    Episode 34: Do You Have to Stay Overnight After Having a Rhinoplasty?

    2 min
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    Episode 33: Don't Have a Rhinoplasty!

    2 min
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    Episode 32: Endonasal or External

    1 min
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    Episode 31: Are You a Candidate?

    2 min
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    Episode 30: In The Office

    17 min
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    Episode 29: Can My Nose be Made Smaller?

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    Episode 28: Can't Breath Through Nose

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    Episode 27: Chin Implants - Mentoplasty

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    Episode 26: Columellar Struts

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    Episode 25: Common Terms

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    Episode 24: Connection Between Facial Resurfacing and Tattooing

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    Episode 23: The Sooner, The Better?

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Plastic Surgery w/ Dr. Miller

If you’re thinking about getting a lift, nip, or tuck, this app is for you. It’s the most comprehensive pocket encyclopedia of plastic surgery terms, before and after photos, and visualization tools to help you really know what to expect from a procedure, including seeing potential results on your own photo. This app is only available on the App Store for iOS devices.

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