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. 

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.

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.