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Is a Facelift Right for You?

Posted on: August 28th, 2015 by California Skin Institute

Will my face look “plastic”? How long does facelift recovery take? Will people notice I’ve had work done? Here at California Skin Institute we hear many questions like these from our patients who have noticed changes in their facial appearance, and are considering a facelift.* Our dermatologic and plastic surgeons have helped thousands of patients over the years to look and feel their best, and we understand that for some patients getting a facelift is a very big decision.* That’s why California Skin Institute’s plastic and dermatologic surgeons go to great lengths to ensure that each patient gets a personalized treatment approach, and a custom-tailored surgical plan to help achieve outcomes that look natural and balanced.*

How the Face Ages

The face is an amazing part of the human body. It’s quite fascinating how even the slightest muscle movements can create facial expressions that communicate a plethora of emotions. Our faces are not just a representation of who we are, but an intricate communication mechanism that can evoke emotions in others with just a slight rise in the eyebrow or a nearly-unnoticeable movement in the corner of the mouth.

As we age, however, all of these muscle and tissue structures can undergo dramatic changes. The change in skin elasticity is one of the most obvious developments; we see a visible increase in wrinkles and sagging skin. This leads to noticeable wrinkles around the eyes, mouth, and the development of jowls.

Other changes may be harder to pinpoint just by looking in the mirror, but can alter your appearance dramatically. For example, the cheeks often begin to droop because they lose fatty tissue volume, and the facial muscles become stretched. This dropping in the cheeks can create a downward appearance in the face, and further exacerbate nasolabial folds and other wrinkles around the mouth. The most important aspect of this aging process is the gravity-induced descent of the face and neck.

How a Facelift Works

During facelift surgery, your California Skin Institute provider will perform a number of steps to tighten the skin and achieve a more youthful appearance in the face.*

Typically, an incision will be made on the sides of the face; along the hairline and behind the ear.* If one of your concerns is cheek sagging and loss of volume, your surgeon will use this opportunity to tighten the tissue and muscle structures under the skin.* This will provide lift in the cheeks, for a more youthful appearance.*

Once the tissue and muscles have been tightened, the surgeon will pull the skin up, toward the incision, and remove excess skin before closing the incision.* This removal of excess skin will create a tighter appearance in the face, decrease the appearance of nasolabial folds, and decrease wrinkles around the eyes.* However, it is vital not to over-stretch the skin during this step, as that may lead to an appearance that looks “plastic.”*

Vertical Vector Facelift

Dr. Morganroth is the innovator of the concept of vertical vector tightening or pulling the muscles of the face and neck upward, against gravity.* The traditional technique of pulling the muscle and skin horizontally creates a “cosmetic look” that looks less natural.*

The Vertical Vector Facelift is performed under local anesthesia in less than two hours, has a small incision, quicker recovery and fewer risks.* The vertical elevation eliminates the “windswept” appearance, stretched earlobes, larger scars, and hair loss associated with traditional facelift techniques performed with sedation.*

Combination Treatments

In addition to tightening the skin to create a more lifted appearance, your California Skin Institute surgeon may also perform an eyebrow lift.* During this procedure, sagging eyebrows can be lifted and forehead wrinkles are reduced.*

Another step your surgeon may suggest to be combined with a facelift is the reduction of vertical neck lines.* These lines develop as the edges of neck muscles become visible with time.* By surgically tightening these muscles, the neck will look rejuvenated and gain a smoother appearance.*

Eyelifts, laser resurfacing for wrinkles, chin implants, and chemical peels are often combined with facelifts to provide a single downtime and enhance the overall facial rejuvenation.*

These are just some of the additional treatment options.* Your California Skin Institute surgeon will discuss your facelift options in great detail during your consultation, to create a treatment that achieves a natural, balanced appearance.*

Facelift Recovery

Your facelift recovery time will depend on the extent of the procedure in your case, and any other procedures that may have been combined with the facelift.* However, California Skin Institute patients typically need several weeks of recovery time, to ensure proper healing.*

Personalized Treatment

Personalization of treatment is absolutely vital when it comes to a successful facelift, and will depend on many factors, including severity of wrinkles, the extent to which skin elasticity has been lost, the drooping of other facial tissues (like the muscles in the cheeks), sagging in the eyebrows, projection of the chin, and many other factors.* Once your California Skin Institute surgeon has made a detailed analysis of these issues, and has listened to your specific concerns, she or he will develop a custom facelift plan to address all of these problems.*

If you’d like to learn more about how our dermatologic and plastic surgeons perform facelift surgery, please call a California Skin Institute practice near you, or fill out the Contact Form below to set up your appointment online!

*Individual results may vary and are not guaranteed.


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