Facelift is probably the best-known plastic surgery procedure in the world. Most consumers understand that facelift dramatically trims years from a patient’s appearance by tightening facial skin and muscles, while sometimes also removing skin and fat. But there is much more to the story. Below, trusted Southeastern Michigan plastic surgeon Dr. Mune Gowda reviews the benefits of facelift, separating myth from reality.
Practiced and Proven
The idea of erasing wrinkles and fine lines by surgically tightening facial skin has been around for more than a century. In addition, techniques that concurrently target subdermal facial muscles have been used for more than 50 years. After all this time, facelift is still considered the gold standard for facial rejuvenation. It comprehensively corrects signs of aging by focusing on the middle and lower facial regions. It effectively targets loose skin, displaced fat or sagging tissue on the cheeks, creases beneath the lower eyelids, excess skin and fat along the jawline, and furrows between the nose and corners of the mouth.
Reclaiming the Years
Facelift performed by a skilled plastic surgeon will typically last about 10 years. The range of results is dependent upon the type of facelift you choose, the flexibility of your skin, and certain lifestyle factors, such as whether you smoke. Limited procedures such as the so-called “mini facelift” may last two to four years; and revisions may last up to seven years. In addition to paring years off your appearance, facelift has the effect of slightly improving the strength and resiliency of the skin, helping to preserve your rejuvenated look into the future.
Beauty Runs Deep
Your plastic surgeon’s skill is key to achieving a successful facelift. A surgeon who has done many facelifts has accumulated experience with a wide variety of facial types and situations. A surgeon who keeps abreast of the latest techniques and medical best practices knows how important it is to pay attention to the muscles and ligaments under the skin, not simply stretch the surface. The so-called “windswept” or “open cockpit” look is often the result of a doctor cutting and stretching only the surface layer, creating tension with deeper tissue.
Accenting Your Look
When your facial skin needs a touch-up, there are many noninvasive options to consider in place of additional surgery. Laser resurfacing can smooth and tighten the skin, and injectables will fill lines, wrinkles and hollows on your face that make you look older. New varieties of dermal fillers not only add volume to targeted facial areas, but also trigger the production of collagen, the natural protein that adds strength and flexibility to the skin.
If you would like to learn more about facelift, we invite you to schedule a personal consultation with experienced Southeastern Michigan plastic surgeon Dr. Mune Gowda by using our email form, or calling our Novi office at (248) 305-8400 or our Troy office at (248) 530-0000.