If you are considering a face lift as a way to deal with your sagging neck skin, drooping eyelids, and wrinkled forehead, you probably already know that this is a completely elective procedure that does carry a measure of risk and will create a visible scar. Before you decide to go under the knife, you may want to research alternatives. There are some viable procedures that create a little less risk and can produce good results. Of course, if your damage is extensive and covers all of your facial features, then a face lift is probably the best course of action. If not, consider one of these alternatives.If the patient is fairly young and the area of concern is the loose, hanging skin underneath the chin and on the neck, a simple liposuction procedure may be sufficient to get rid of the problem. Removing the fat deposits when the skin still has a lot of elasticity can be a full solution. Those who are in their middle ages may need a more invasive, but localized procedure that both removes fat and tightens muscles. This is sometimes called a “mini-lift” or a neck lift, and has much less down time than the full surgery. The patient who is age 75 or older will likely need the full surgery simply because of the lost elasticity in the skin.Sometimes the eyes are the most obvious areas that are damaged. Eyelid surgery is designed to raise the drooping skin around the eyes and deal with the sags and bags underneath them. Again, this creates less scarring and less down time than a traditional face lift.The deep furrows on the brow line that some patients struggle with can also be the main reason they turn to the full procedure. Instead, these patients should consider a brow lift, which addresses this area completely without bothering the rest of the facial features.Patients who wish to avoid surgery altogether may want to find a doctor who performs the ThreadLift technique. This uses fine surgical threads to lift sagging skin in all areas of the body, without actually cutting and moving the tissue. The results are semi-permanent, as the area grows new collagen to bind to the threads, giving the skin a much firmer appearance. When the results start to go away, the doctor can simply correct them by pulling the threads tighter. This procedure does not require the patient to “go under,” eliminating the risks associated with general anesthesia and minimizing down time. It is also a bit more affordable than surgery.Remember, a face lift is a viable option for dealing with drooping sagging skin, but if you cannot go under general anesthesia, are wishing to avoid a long down time, or simply want to improve one area of your body and not all areas, then there are alternatives available. Take the time to research your options thoroughly and discuss them with your plastic surgeons before making a final decision and you will be much happier with your results.