More and more patients are considering cosmetic facial surgery to maintain a younger, refreshed appearance. With modern healthcare, the population is living longer and staying in much better health than at any other time in history. As a result patients are safely able to undergo surgical procedures much later in life than previously thought. A facelift is a procedure that specifically addresses sagging cheek and neck skin. With modern facelift incisions and techniques, we have been able to eliminate the “pulled” unnatural look with shorter, well camouflaged incisions.
Patients often wonder if they are a candidate for a facelift and what type of facelift is right for them. Because of improved health later in life, many patients are getting facelifts well into their 7th and even 8th decades of life with excellent outcomes. Aging with loss of skin elasticity, and the formation of cheek jowls and sagging neck skin can begin as early as the 3rd decade of life. Creams, laser, and injectables can be employed as an early intervention to reverse some of the signs of aging and camouflage other aspects of the aging process. At some point, patients may become tired of undergoing repeated procedures with limited results and want a more permanent, impressive solution. Usually this is when they start to consider aging face surgery, such as a facelift, in order to match how young they feel. Other patients may choose to undergo facelift surgery in order to remain competitive with the younger population in the workforce.
The decision to undergo a facelift is purely driven by patient goals and expectations. Even with minimal signs of aging, some more image conscious patients may elect to have a facelift as early as their late thirties to keep a very clean jaw and neck line. The most comprehensive facelift techniques (an extended Sub-SMAS or deep plane facelift) are designed to last eight to ten years. Some of the more limited techniques may fail as early as one year after surgery. It is important to keep in mind that we only reset the hands of time, and that we do not stop the aging process. Most patients choosing to undergo a facelift, want to have long lasting results to avoid or delay revision facelift surgery. In no way does having multiple facelift surgeries in one’s lifetime create and unnatural, “pulled” look or preclude one from having a revision facelift later in life with excellent outcomes. Some patients may have as many as three or four facelifts over their lifetime to keep a youthful appearance.
Because of the elective nature of facelift surgery, patients should receive medical clearance from their doctor to undergo anesthesia prior to surgery. One should also seek a surgeon they feel comfortable with, that has received the right kind of training, to achieve excellent outcomes while avoiding problems or disasters. Often times, facelifts are combined with other facial cosmetic procedures such as blephharoplasties, browlifts, and midface lifts to avoid multiple trips to the operating room and additional anesthesia. Schedule a consultation with an expert facelift surgeon to address concerns and get more details about the process of the procedure.
Blog post provided by Benjamin Stong MD