Face Lift

Do you look in the mirror and not know where those wrinkles and sagging skin came from? Do you long for the tight, smooth skin that you once had? Then a face lift may be the right procedure for you.

A Face Lift Can:

• Remove the sagging skin on the face and jaw line - No more jowls
• Remove folds in the face around the nose and lips
• Remove wrinkles around the eyes, face, mouth and forehead

Last year over 133,800 men and women in the United States visited their plastic surgeon for face lifts. Why? In a society that embraces youth, many find themselves looking for ways to keep their rested youthful glow. Many patients have boosted their self confidence and believe they have gained a competitive edge in the workplace after visiting their plastic surgeon for a facelift. Facial surgery cannot necessarily get you the job you want or help you find the perfect mate, but it can restore self confidence, which can significantly impact your outlook on life in a very positive way.

Face lift patients often also opt for these procedures to achieve the look they desire:

• Neck Lift - to remove excess skin and folds that sag along the neck
• Liposuction- to rid of a "double chin"
• Eyelid Surgery- to remove excess skin around the eyes for a more rejuvenated appearance
• Rhinoplasty- to improve profile
• Facial Implants - cheek and chin implants can fill in "sunken" areas to improve facial contours

Types Of Face Lift & Facial Rejuvenation Procedures

Sun exposure, weight fluctuations, stress and heredity all contribute to the loss of skin elasticity and presence of wrinkles over the years. Every person ages differently, so therefore not everyone requires the same type of facial rejuvenation to get their desired look.

Nowadays non-surgical procedures and minimally invasive face lifts are becoming more and more popular. The benefits to these procedures include a lower cost and less downtime. However, it is important to talk to you plastic surgeon about what exactly you wish to accomplish with your procedure so that he or she can recommend the best type of facial rejuvenation procedure for you. It is important that you go into any type of surgical procedure with realistic expectations.

Non Surgical Facial Rejuvenation Procedures

Botox Cosmetic

Best Candidates: Men & Women with wrinkles on the forehead and around the eyes

The Procedure: Tiny injections of the purified protein are injected around the problem area to relax the muscle and reduce muscle contractions.

Recovery Time: Immediate. The procedure takes less than an hour and you can return to work and normal activities. Results can be seen right away, but will reach full affect after 3-4 days.

Results: No more crows feet, brow lines or forehead wrinkles. Results typically last between 3-4 months. Regular visits to you plastic surgeon are required for upkeep.

Side Effects/Risks: Side effects are minimal. You may experience a little redness around the treated area, but this will disappear after about an hour or so. Some patients experience a mild headache shortly after. In rare cases some patients experience drooping of the brow. The risk of this can be significantly reduced by visiting a qualified plastic surgeon or dermatologist.

Facial Fillers - such as Restylane and Prevelle

Best Candidates: Men and women with deep nasal labial folds, smile lines and forehead wrinkles. Facial Fillers can also be used to enhance lips or fill indentations in the skin.

The Procedure: Tiny injections of hyaluronic acid (a natural occurring substance found in the body) are made into the areas of interest. The substance is then massaged into place.

Recovery Time: Immediate. The procedure takes less than an hour and you can return to work and regular activities right away. You may experience some redness and mild swelling, but this will disappear within a few hours up to a day or so depending on your body.

Results: A smoother, more rejuvenated appearance and/or fuller, softer lips. Regular visits to your plastic surgeon are required for upkeep. Treatment results typically last for approximately 6 months.

Side Effects/ Risks: Risks are mild and may include swelling, redness, nausea, mild pain at injection sites. Some facial fillers, such as Prevelle, have lidocaine in the solution to numb the treated area.

Neck Lift (Platysmaplasty)

Best Candidates: Men and women with a 'double chin' and/ or loose sagging skin on the neck under the jawline. Many people refer to this unfavorable condition as 'turkey neck'.

The Procedure: This procedure is most commonly performed under general anesthesia and typically takes 2-3 hours to perform. An incision is made behind the ears and the skin and the fat is separated from the muscle. In some cases, liposuction is used to remove unwanted fat- primarily in the case of a 'double chin'. The muscle is then tightened and the skin is pulled up and back. The excess skin is then removed and the incision site is sutured.

Recovery Time: It is important to rest and keep your head elevated after the first few days of surgery. Most patients are able to return to work after a week or two and back to the gym after about 3 weeks.

Results: This procedure can drastically reduce the signs of aging and rid of the dreaded 'double chin' and 'turkey neck' conditions, but as with any type of procedure it cannot stop you from aging.

Final Result: Most patients see lasting results for about 7-10 years.

Side Effects/Risks: Side effects may include swelling, bruising, numbness, tightness and a tingling or burning sensation, but these will begin to disappear within the first week or so after your neck lift. Risks are uncommon but can include infection, hematoma or seroma, unfavorable scarring, nerve damage, asymmetry or other risks that are associated with the use of general anesthesia.

Brow Lift/ Forehead Lift

Best Candidates: Men and women with creases and wrinkles across the forhead and/or wrinkles on the upper part of the bridge of the nose. People looking to raise their eyebrows are also candidates for this procedure.

The Procedure: This endoscopic procedure is performed by making 4-6 small incisions behind the hairline. A tiny camera is inserted to view the muscles and fat under the skin. The muscles are then adjusted and lifted, held into place by a soft tissue fixation device, called an endotine.

Recovery Time: Patients may experience mild discomfort for up to four days. Swelling and bruising will diminish in about a week or two. Patients can typically return to work after about 3 days, but may until all bruising and swelling subsides. Exercise and regular activities can be resumed after two weeks.

Results: After surgery, patients will have a smoother forehead and more youthful appearance. The eyebrows will be raised slightly and in some cases enhance the appearance of the eyes. Final results can be seen after 2-4 weeks and typically lasts from 5 to 10 years.

Side Effects Risks: Patients may experience mild discomfort, numbness and swelling, but this will subside after a few days. Risks associated with brow lifts include, numbness, relapse of muscle (causing the lines to return and the brow to return to it's prior placement), brow asymmetry or risks associated with the use of general anesthesia (unless it is performed under local anesthesia).

Mini Lift- Minimally Invasive Face Lifts

Best Candidates: Men and women who are beginning to develop folds, wrinkles and loose skin around the lower face are good candidates for this procedure.

The Procedure: An incision is made along the fold in the front of the ear, following under the earlobe and back into the hairline. The skin is then pulled up and back and the excess tissue is removed. The area is then sutured. This face lift technique typically takes 1 to 1 ½ hours to perform and can be done under local or general anesthesia.

Recovery Time: Patients will need to rest and keep their head elevated in the days following their procedure. Swelling and bruising can occur anywhere from a week or so to a month. Patients can return to work after about a week and can expect to resume normal activities about a month after their procedure.

Results: Final results can be seen approximately a month after surgery. The excess skin on the lower part of your face will be gone, leaving you with a smoother, firmer, more youthful appearance. Results typically last anywhere from 1-4 years.

Side Effects/Risks: Bruising, swelling, tightness or stiffness and numbness over the first few weeks after a face lift surgery is normal. Risks include infection, nerve damage, unfavorable scarring, hematoma or risks associated with the use of general anesthesia (unless it is performed under local anesthesia).

Mid Face Lift

Best Candidates: Men and women who have advanced folds, wrinkles and loose skin around the lower face are good candidates for this procedure.

The Procedure: An incision is made in the same way as it is with a Mini Lift. The cheek muscles are then tightened and the skin is pulled up and back, and like the mini lift the excess skin is removed. The midface lift technique typically takes 2 to 2½ hours to complete and can be performed under local or general anesthesia.

Recovery Time: Midface lift patients will need to keep their head elevated and rest for the first few days to a week after surgery. Swelling and bruising can last up to a month, but typically dissipates after about two weeks. Work can be resumed about a week after surgery and patients can return to normal activities after about a month.

Results: Final results can be seen approximately a month after surgery. The excess skin on the lower part of your face will be gone, leaving you with a smoother, firmer, more youthful appearance. Results typically last anywhere from 3-5 years.

Side Effects/Risks: Swelling, Bruising, a sense of tightness or numbness can be experienced the first few weeks after surgery. Risks include hematoma, unfavorable scarring, infection, temporary or permanent nerve damage or risks associated with the use of general anesthesia (unless it is performed under local anesthesia).

Full Face Lift

Best Candidates: Men and women with advanced folds and loose skin around the lower face and neck, and people with wrinkles and deep lines around the eyes and forehead are good candidates for this procedure.

The Procedure: Full face lifts are performed under general anesthesia and take approximately two to three hours to perform. Incisions are typically made from the hairline, down to the temple and along the ear. The skin is then separated from the fat and muscle. In some cases excess fat is removed, many times through the use of liposuction, to provide a more pleasing contour of the face. The muscle is then tightened and skin is pulled back. Excess tissue is then removed and the incision site is sutured. Clips are used to hold the skin on the by the hairline in place during healing. Incisions to improve the aesthetic of the neck are made under the chin and the muscles of the neck are tightened and the skin is lifted in the same way that a neck lift is performed. The chin is then sutured.

Recovery Time: For the first few days after your face lift, you will need to rest with your head elevated. You will be able to walk around after a day or two, but should rest for about a week after surgery. It is advised that you take it easy and wait to return to work for 3-4 weeks. Swelling and bruising will disappear over ---

Results: Final results can be seen after a few months. This procedure will make you look significantly younger and erase all of the wrinkles, folds and sagging skin that were so dissatisfying. Results typically last anywhere from 7-15 years, depending on how you take care of yourself and how your body ages.

Side Effects/Risks: Patients may experience bruising, swelling, tightness or stiffness, pale complexion and numbness over the first few weeks after a face lift surgery, but this is normal. Risks include infection, nerve damage, unfavorable scarring, hematoma or affects associated with the use of general anesthesia.

Useful Tips:

• Scar cream can greatly reduce the size and appearance of your scar and can be purchased at your plastic surgeon's office.
• Grow out your hair long enough to cover the ears while you are recovering from surgery to help hide scars while they are healing.
• Wear button down and zip up shirts during the first few weeks after your surgery to not irritate the face.
• Have you comfortable chair or bed with pillows to prop you up ready along with all of your necessary supplies before surgery so that you can rest and minimize movement for the first few days. It will also help to have someone there to assist you during the first week.
• Avoid hot showers, steam rooms and saunas for the first several months.
• Stay away from alcohol and cigarettes before and after surgery to help ensure optimal results and to reduce bleeding.