Having a facelift is not a question of “one size fits all”. Choosing the best look for you is important, as is having a surgeon who’s qualified to help you make the best choice. Dr. Thomas Liszka runs Ballantyne Plastic Surgery in Charlotte, North Carolina, and talks here about what to strive toward – and what to avoid…
A facelift or rhytidectomy counteracts the signs of aging by removing excess skin, tightening the skin, and repositioning deeper structures to their proper position. Sagging cheeks, deep creases or “smile lines,” loose skin on the face and neck, and even a double chin can all be corrected with a variety of facelift techniques. The result is a more youthful appearance of the face and neck and a fresh appearance to the skin.
When choosing the right facelift for a patient, what we really try to do is discuss the patient’s desires, how they want to look after surgery, and what kind of recovery time is acceptable to them. Patients who are younger, in their early 40s or early 50s, will usually want a limited or mini facelift that addresses specific anatomical facial issues. As patients get older, they want a more dramatic facelift, they want to correct specific problems.
Less Dramatic Look
We are seeing a lot of younger patients nowadays compared to in the past. When I first started as a plastic surgeon doing cosmetic work about 15 years ago, people wanted something dramatic. They came to me when they were in their 60s and wanted to look like they were only in their 40s.
Now people just want to look a little more youthful, or retain their appearance for a few more years. We also try now to avoid that “windblown look.” You need more than just tightening when you come to a surgeon for a facelift, not just an over-corrected look.
Beware Quick Results
I think it’s important for patients interested in facelifts to make sure their physician is properly trained in cosmetic surgery. And to also ensure that you are not in a hurry to get a quick result, as you might not be happy in the long term.
In our area of North Carolina, many businesses are advertising “weekend facelifts,” for example. People just have to be careful that they understand what that means. Usually, minimal downtime means minimal results. A couple of different franchises here also advertise “quick lifts.” A quick life can mean a completely different thing to different people or different surgeons; it all really depends in who is doing the procedure.
Temporary vs Permanent
A lot of people use injectables. We even can do some cheek augmentation with injectables, treat the smile lines and do what some people call a liquid facelift. You can get some improvement with a liquid facelift, but not the same results as you would get with a real facelift. A liquid facelift is not the same as a surgical facelift.
In fact, people who come to me for a surgical facelift often choose to have other procedures done in at the same time. Other procedures frequently done alongside a facelift include eyelid surgery, browlift, laser resurfacing, rhinoplasty, and cheek or chin implants. Some patients also desire only contouring of the neck area. Those patients may be candidates for a necklift, which is essentially the lower half of a facelift, but less invasive.
The information in the article is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.
