Facial Harmonization · Surgical
Face and Neck Lift, when sagging is already marked
You feel full of energy, but the mirror shows you a contour you no longer fully recognize. Over the years, facial tissues descend and the skin loosens, especially along the jaw and neck. A lift raises those tissues and removes excess skin. Dr. Thuel and Dr. Juan Ramón Poveda, Physician and Surgeon, Specialist in Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, plan it together. They aim for a rested, natural-looking face in which you still recognize yourself.
Medical consultation · US$100, VAT included. This amount is applied in full toward your treatment or procedure if you formalize it with your payment on the same day or within the following seven calendar days. It can be the full payment or a first payment of more than US$100. Booking it does not commit you to having surgery.
Every consultation is handled personally by Dr. Thuel and Dr. Poveda, so their availability is limited. We suggest booking in advance.
- Duration
- 3 to 5 hours
- Recovery
- Office in 2 to 3 weeks
- When it shows
- Final result at 6 to 9 months
- How long it lasts
- For many people, 5 to 10 years
Plan calmly, operate as a team.
Dr. Irene Thuel · Physician and Surgeon, Expert in Aesthetic Medicine and Surgery · MED10355
The essentials before you decide
The Face and Neck Lift, step by step
General information so you arrive at your consultation with a clear idea. It may vary in your case; Dr. Thuel and Dr. Poveda will confirm it at your consultation.
It may be right for you if…
- You look in the mirror and notice that your jawline has softened.
- You feel your face no longer reflects the energy you have.
- You avoid profile photos because of loose skin on your neck.
- You have already tried non-surgical options and want a more significant change.
- You want a rested, natural-looking face while still being yourself.
- What it is
- A surgery that lifts sagging tissues of the face and neck and removes excess skin.
- How it is done
- The incisions are usually placed in front of and behind the ear, partly hidden in the hairline. The deeper tissues are repositioned, not just the skin.
- Advantages
- It treats marked sagging and excess skin, which non-surgical options do not resolve. It repositions the deeper layers, and its effect usually lasts several years.
- Who performs it
- Dr. Irene Thuel and Dr. Juan Ramón Poveda Xatruch, plastic surgeon, working as a team in the operating room.
- Anesthesia and discomfort
- It is usually performed under general anesthesia; in some cases, under local anesthesia with sedation. It is common to feel tightness, numbness and moderate discomfort during the first few days; it is usually relieved with pain medication. The doctors will tell you which anesthesia applies in your case.
- Duration
- Usually 3 to 5 hours; somewhat longer if combined with another surgery.
- Hospital stay
- It is an outpatient procedure: you go home the same day, after a few hours of observation and with a companion. If a drain is placed, it is usually removed in 1 or 2 days.
- Recovery and care
- Stitches are usually removed 5 to 10 days later, and a support garment is worn for 1 to 2 weeks. Bruising lasts at least 2 weeks. In general, you return to the office in 2 to 3 weeks and to intense exercise after 4 to 6 weeks. It is best to sleep with your head elevated and keep the scars out of the sun for about 3 weeks. Do not dye your hair for at least 6 weeks.
- When it shows
- An initial change is visible around 3 to 4 weeks, once the bruising fades. The final result is usually seen between 6 and 9 months.
- How long the result lasts
- Many people do not need another lift for 5 to 10 years. Your face keeps aging, and your habits also play a role.
- Who should not have it
- It is generally not recommended if you smoke and cannot quit, during pregnancy, or with diabetes or high blood pressure that is not properly treated. Nor with clotting problems or major weight changes. Both doctors review this during your consultation.
- Follow-up visits
- Usually the next day to check the dressing, around one week to remove stitches, and then over the following months. Both doctors set the dates.
From the jawline to the neck
The areas a lift addresses
Jawline
The contour that blurs as tissues descend.
Cheeks and folds
Lifting the cheeks and softening the folds toward the mouth.
Neck
Loose skin, neck bands and laxity.
Lift or non-surgical treatment
It depends on how much your face has descended
When sagging is mild or moderate, skin tightening or biostimulators are sometimes enough. If there is already marked sagging and excess skin, a lift usually works better. We tell you where you stand, even if the answer is that you don't need it yet.
Consultation
Dr. Thuel and Dr. Poveda examine your face and neck together, at rest and while you talk or smile.
What a lift can and cannot do
They explain what can improve in your case and what a lift does not address, such as lost volume or skin quality. That is treated separately, if needed.
Preparation and surgery
Before surgery, we review your lab tests and your medications. If you smoke, we talk about it, because tobacco increases the risk of healing problems. Both doctors decide on the technique and anesthesia, and Dr. Poveda operates with Dr. Thuel at his side.
Follow-up visits
After that come the follow-up visits with Dr. Thuel and Dr. Poveda, as indicated by your medical evaluation.
A major surgery
What a lift involves, explained before you decide
A lift involves discomfort, a recovery that must be respected, and risks. We prefer that you know this from your first visit.
What to expect
- Swelling and bruising, as well as tightness and changes in sensation.
- The result becomes visible gradually as swelling goes down.
- It does not stop aging: your face keeps changing.
Discomfort and risks
- Bleeding, infection, scarring, asymmetries or anesthesia complications.
- Blood collecting under the skin (hematoma); less often, nerve injury.
- Healing problems, with a higher risk if you smoke.
Your part is to tell us everything about your health (including whether you smoke) and follow the at-home care instructions. Ours is the diagnosis and the technique, and being there at every follow-up visit.
If sagging is mild
Options before considering a lift
Is this surgery right for you? At the consultation, Dr. Thuel and Dr. Poveda review your case together and tell you frankly whether it suits you and what it involves. The consultation costs US$100, VAT included, which is applied in full toward your treatment or procedure if you formalize it with your payment on the same day or within the following seven calendar days. It can be the full payment or a first payment of more than US$100.
Frequently Asked Questions
Our most frequently asked questions about face lifts
Will my face look stretched?
We aim for the opposite. The tissues are repositioned with the goal of a rested, natural-looking face in which you still recognize yourself.
Do I need a lift, or is a non-surgical treatment enough?
That is determined during your consultation. If sagging is mild or moderate, skin tightening or biostimulators may be an option. If there is marked sagging and excess skin, a lift usually works better.
How long does the result last?
In general, many people do not need another lift for 5 to 10 years, although it varies with each patient. A lift does not stop aging, and your habits and skin care also play a role.
What is the investment for a face lift?
It depends on whether the face, the neck or both are treated, and on your case. We tell you the investment during your consultation, before you make any decision.
The consultation costs US$100, VAT included. If you decide to have a medical treatment or procedure, that amount is applied in full toward your treatment or procedure when you formalize it with your payment on the same day as the consultation or within the following seven calendar days. It can be the full payment or a first payment of more than US$100.
Why have it done at Clínica Thuel?
Because it is planned by two doctors working as a team: Dr. Irene Thuel and Dr. Juan Ramón Poveda Xatruch, MED5800. A lift repositions tissues, but on its own it does not restore volume or improve the skin. That is why we plan it together here.
Who performs my surgery?
You are cared for by a team: Dr. Irene Thuel, Physician and Surgeon, Expert in Aesthetic Medicine and Surgery, and Dr. Juan Ramón Poveda Xatruch, MED5800. Both take part in the consultation, the plan, the operating room and the follow-up visits, and Dr. Poveda performs the surgery together with her.
To keep recognizing yourself in the mirror
During your consultation, Dr. Thuel and Dr. Poveda listen to you and tell you frankly where your face stands. It may be time for a lift, or you may not need one yet.
Medical consultation · US$100, VAT included. This amount is applied in full toward your treatment or procedure if you formalize it with your payment on the same day or within the following seven calendar days. It can be the full payment or a first payment of more than US$100.
Every consultation is handled personally by Dr. Thuel and Dr. Poveda, so their availability is limited. We suggest booking in advance.