Face Lift Photos before and afterFace Lift Photos before and after
I often hear people say that they have had a "face lift"; that is like saying they have a car- there are many different types of face lifts, and many different results based on the procedure chosen. Just as you would not choose a large pick-truck to drive a few miles in a city environment, so, you need the help of your surgeon to choose the correct "face lift" surgery for you.
It's even more complicated than that; every surgeon does something different even though they may be calling the procedure by the same name!
So, I hope I can explain some of the differences in this page.
From a Plastic Surgery point of view I divide the face into
5 different zones when I look at you. From the top,
The Forehead- Are there wrinkles and deep lines? Is the skin falling down over the eyes to give them a tired, sleepy look? Is there excess skin over the eyelids, and does lifting the brow with a finger remove the extra skin? - if YES, you need The Brow Lift is a procedure that has gone a great deal of change over the years.Twenty years ago you would have received a large cut on the top of your head, from ear to ear in order to get to the forehead muscles and lift the skin. Ten years ago, the vogue was to make small incisions and perform the surgery through endoscopes and on TV through a camera. Now, I use three small (1 inch) incisions, but do the surgery under direct vision so as to minimize trauma to the nerves and blood vessels. This also allows me to lift and remove some skin from the forehead without resorting to putting screws into the skull as necessary with the endoscopic technique.Recovery is usually within a week and the results last for years.The Eyes-Are there pouches over and under the eyes? Is there excess skin of the lower or upper lids?- if Yes you need a Blepharoplasty or eyelid lift; I'll tell you about that in another presentation.The Cheeks- Are your cheeks drooping so that it looks like there are hills and valleys between your eyes and cheeks? Does lifting the cheek area with your fingers help this? Do you have deep lines between your nose and corners of the mouth? - if YES, you may need aCheek Lift, to help some of these symptoms. Even though a cheek lift will "flatten" the hills and valleys of the mature cheek, it will NOT remove the naso-labial lines ( lines between the nose and corner of the mouth) You will need an injection of a filler to help that.The incisions for the cheek lift are just above the ear going into the hairline. Recently a number of commercial "techniques" have done a great marketing job of promoting lifting of the cheeks using threads- beware of paying a lot of money for poor results that disappear within a year. The standard cheek lift should last 7-10 years. Recovery from the surgery is about 2 weeks though you are up and around- it's just the bruising that is unpredictable. The Jowls- Are the jowls drooping? Do the corners of the mouth pull down, Is the shape of the face elongated in the front and do the jaws look squared?These are the signs of your needing a Jowl Lift a procedure to lift the jowls , essentially fat that has drooped down from your cheeks, back to their normal position under the cheek bone.The incision for the jowl lift is inside the ear- years ago and still now, some surgeons put the incision in front of the ear , which makes it obvious you had surgery. i prefer to hide the scar. On its own, the jowl lift takes about 1.5 hours to complete- hence "lunch hour" lift; Its results are not dramatic like the larger mini lift or full face lift, but it certainly will give you a fresher, younger look with minimal down time. You are good to go to a party in a week. This is becoming one of my favorite procedures. |
The Neck - Are there bands in the mid line of your neck? Is there excess loose skin? Is your Jawline not clearly defined? a neck lift is what you need .Neck Lift is a procedure to tighten the platysma muscles of the neck and remove excess skin from the neck to behind the ears. Two incisions are made behind each ear ( so they are hidden) and a third under the chin for tightening of the muscles. If you don't have the muscle separation, you may only need a liposuction of the neck with or without skin excision. Usually a drain is also placed for a couple of days to remove any accumulations of fluids. Your bandage comes off in a couple of days and you can get back to work with a scarf or polo neck around your neck after 5-7 days.These are the elements of what are called "Face Lifts".
ALL TOGETHER NOW; so as you can see, you can now mix and match the procedures that are best for you! All of them = Full Face, Brow and eyes. Full Face lift = Cheek, Jowls, and Neck. Mini Face lift = Cheek and Jowls (mid-face lift), or Jowls and Neck (lower face lift) Minimal = any of the procedures on their own- such as a Jowl lift.
For more information on Face Lift
Surgery or to schedule a consultation
please visit my web site at
or call my office at 703-876-9400.
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