Facial aging is a natural process. You can slow the clock, but you can never stop it. We all age at a different pace depending on our genes, bone structure and other environmental influences like sun exposure and smoking. People spend thousands of dollars on cosmetic products, facial creams, fillers, and laser treatments to maintain a youthful look. Now these are all good strategies that I routinely use in my practice. They definitely have a role in facial rejuvenation. However, non-invasive methods still have their limitations. The technology is definitely improving but it’s not perfect yet.
What patients are usually confused about is the role of each treatment and what it accomplishes. Non-invasive methods have the advantage of no to little down time but they are most effective in the early aging phase. Fillers add volume mainly in the center of the face and some even have a lifting effect in the cheeks. Facial products, peels, and laser treatments treat sun damage, and improve wrinkles and the overall skin quality. Significant skin tightening can also be accomplished by ultrasound and laser therapy. However, when the skin starts hanging in the jowl area and neck, there is nothing that restores a beautiful face shape and a perfect neckline like a properly done facelift.
The choice of the type of facelift depends mostly on your surgeon’s preference and comfort level. I find the most effective method is the one that tightens the deep tissue layers and the neck muscles without excessive tightening of the skin, which often looks unnatural. A facelift combined with fat grafting is a powerful and transformative procedure that truly restores a youthful look with long lasting results. Some patients elect to undergo a mini facelift, which in my opinion, is a waste of time and money and does not accomplish the desired goals. I have seen many patients with “mini facelifts” that have bad scars and an unnaturally pulled look. If you commit to surgery then you should probably commit to the right surgery, not the easy surgery. Commit to one that will give you what you want, which is a long lasting natural result.
Finally, when you decide who is going to operate on your FACE, it is critical that you find a qualified plastic surgeon with the credentials, board certification and training background and expertise to do a safe, thorough and effective facelift. Make sure to discuss the details of the operation, the expected results, the limitation of the procedure and risks involved.
