Even the best plastic surgery results only last so long. That is true everywhere, but especially in the hot, dry environment of Inland Empire, north of Los Angeles, California where I practice at STC Plastic Surgery in Ontario. And after someone has gotten used to the added attention, social acceptance and even job security that looking younger can bring, it can be 
hard to look in the mirror when face and neck rejuvenation results start to fade. Some believe that they must now accept facial aging or an aging neck as a part of life. For some that may be true. But I know that others want to retain the benefits of the more youthful appearance they received from plastic surgery they had years ago. If you’re one of those people you might wonder: Is rejuvenation possible for a second time? If so, what are your best options? Is a second round of surgery the best idea? Or is there a safer, nonsurgical option that can tighten your aging neck and the sagging skin on your face. Could J-Plasma treatment be the answer?
Is a second (revision) plastic surgery advisable?
A number of former plastic surgery patients with facial aging go back for another procedure. This is often called revision plastic surgery. In 2016, 26% of facial plastic surgeons surveyed said this was one of the 5 most common procedures they performed that year. Revision surgery can work out well, if the surgeon is very proficient and experienced. A high skill level is needed because there are several concerns:
- The new surgeon doesn’t know exactly how the previous surgeon did his procedure
- Increased risk of nerve injury due to increased nerve exposure
- Greater risk of numbness after the new surgery
- More scar tissue after two surgeries can complicate healing
As you can see, it’s vital to get a plastic or facial plastic surgeon who is highly experienced in revision plastic surgery. Someone who has their facial plastic surgery redone faces the same risks the second time that they did in the first procedure. And some problems that appear on the surface to be solvable by a new surgery can’t actually be solved.
For instance, sometimes an unsightly bulge is not a fat deposit that can be removed. It’s an asymmetrical facial muscle that may not be safe to trim back. Or, perhaps it’s a large salivary gland. A surgeon who discovers that this is the cause of a facial bulge will likely have a disappointed patient, but surgery cannot correct these problems.
Could nonsurgical J-Plasma treatment get better results? (see video below)
Many people who have sagging skin on their face or an aging neck actually have problems with their skin. Skin often loses elasticity as we age. If this is the case, I would not recommend another facelift or neck lift. It will not address the real source of the problem – skin quality.
When aging skin is the issue, I would recommend a different approach – J-Plasma facial resurfacing or subdermal skin tightening – or both. J-Plasma has been used for a number of years in abdominal surgery with great success. As shown in the video below, this is because it can remove diseased or unwanted tissue very precisely with a minimum of damage to surrounding tissue.
When resurfacing loose skin to address facial aging, I will use the J-Plasma device as if “painting” the surface of your face. This will melt away the aging outer layer and actually tighten loose skin. It will substantially improve a sagging face and aging neck. During the recovery phase and beyond, your skin will further improve. As a result, you can look years younger, refreshing the results of your previous facelift.
To address loose skin on your neck, I will make a small incision below your chin and use the J-Plasma device under the skin. This can substantially tighten a sagging neck, refreshing your previous neck lift results.
When loose or crepey skin is the problem, J-Plasma offers previous facial plastic surgery patients a big advantage over revision plastic surgery. Since all the work is done at the skin level, there is no risk of nerve damage or numbness.
This is especially true around the mouth. When marionette lines are deep, there’s relatively little plastic surgery can accomplish. The area near the mouth cannot be pulled too tight without distorting the lips and mouth. Surgery can improve marionette lines to a degree, but cannot eliminate deep ones. However, J-Plasma treatment poses no risk of distorting the lips or mouth. Thus, skin in that area can be tightened considerably.
J-Plasma treatment offers far more skin tightening with substantially less pain than CO2 laser resurfacing, the most widely used skin resurfacing modality. Like laser, there is a risk of pigment changes and some scarring. You will spend several weeks looking like you have a sunburn. But J-Plasma allows trained physicians a way to give patients outstanding results with far fewer risks than has been available until now.
Which option is best for you?
If the youthful look you once enjoyed after a facelift or neck lift is fading, you now have options that can really help. If muscles are sagging again, an experienced facial plastic surgeon like me may well recommend revision plastic surgery. The right surgeon can make a real difference in restoring the younger look you once enjoyed.
And if your facial aging or aging neck are caused by loose, crepey skin, at STC Plastic Surgery in Inland Empire, California and a few other practices around the U.S. you can find a better alternative to help you – J-Plasma. It will take a trained and experienced plastic or facial plastic surgeon to recognize which approach is best for you. But if you want to get back the great younger look you once enjoyed, the time and effort will be well worth it.
