Face Lift

As people age, the effects of gravity, exposure to the sun, and the stresses of daily life can be seen in their faces. The face undergoes changes in its deep structures. There is a downward descent of the facial fat and skin. As this fat slides, it comes to rest at natural roadblocks in the face, such as the creases by the nose and mouth, along the jaw line, and in the neck. Changes in the neck and eyes also occur, including the accumulation of fat and loose skin, as well as a loss of crisp facial angles. Muscles weaken, contributing to an aged, tired appearance. Since the signs of aging are caused by changes in the deep structures of the face, reversing those changes should be the surgeon's priority in restoring a more youthful look. By repairing muscles and restoring the underlying structures which give each face its unique identity, patients can achieve a refreshed look without exaggerated skin tightness.

Contrary to popular belief, a face lift does not get rid of skin wrinkles. While the facial skin is re-draped and tightened, the procedure cannot eliminate skin imperfections. Tight pulling of the skin will not smooth out acne scars, wrinkles or hollows. It will only place undue tension on the skin and distort facial features. Skin treatments such as microdermabrasion or laser resurfacing improve skin quality and can be performed before or after a face lift.

A face lift will only correct aging in the lower 1/3 of the face. Additional procedures, such as a cheeklift, blepharoplasties or browlift, are required to refresh the remaining areas. Surgeons naturally divide the face into 3 zones for evaluation purposes. The forehead, eyebrows and upper eyelids comprise the upper face. The lower eyelids and cheeks are labeled the mid-face. And the lower face begins at the mouth and includes the jaw and neck.

The goal of facial surgery should be to restore the facial structures to a desirable position and offer a more youthful look with artificiality. A patient should look refreshed, not altered, and with no traces that a surgeon was at work.

Careful placement of incisions is critical. A more discrete placement of incisions eliminates the concern of a plastic surgical look. Incisions can follow the sideburns and hairline so there is no hair loss and no need to change your hairstyle to disguise surgical incisions. And, instead of straight line incisions on the cheek in front of the ear, incisions should follow the natural curves of the ear. Such incisions heal well, blend easily and do not attract visual attention.

In a well executed face lift, the majority of work is performed on the structures beneath the skin. There are many layers beneath the skin which give the face it's unique look and personality. Each layer must be adjusted appropriately and in relation to its neighboring structures to provide a pleasing result. By repositioning these structures in their proper position, the architecture, natural shape and the curves of the face are restored. Then, the excess stretched skin is removed and the skin is gently redraped over the face. When the skin is pulled, none of the underlying structures have been adjusted. Distortion of facial features and a pulled, mask-like appearance are the hallmarks of such a quick-fix. Through exaggerated skin tightening, the face is flattened but not rejuvenated. And, since the skin will always stretch again, these "skin-only" face lifts are of very short duration. Since there are many different types of techniques, make sure you understand what your surgeon is planning in order to refresh your face.

Other Face Lift Techniques

Other face lift techniques involves less scarring, less tissue disturbance, less risks, faster recovery and reduce swelling. These techniques are the minimal incision face lift technique and the mini face lift technique.

The above provides a good introduction to the face lift as well as other face lift techniques. For more detailed information and to better understand what a face lift can do for you, we recommend that you consult a qualified surgeon.

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