When we wake up in the morning and look in the mirror, the first thing we see is our face—our skin, eyes, cheeks, lips, nose, ears and forehead. This is what others notice when they see us too, so it’s important to always put our best face forward.
However, as time goes on, our faces undergo changes that aren’t always positive. The question is, can we change the way our faces look?
Facelifts and Facial Rejuvenation
Facial rejuvenation is defined as a cosmetic or medical procedure used to enhance and restore a more youthful appearance to the face. This fountain of youth comes in a variety of surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures including brow lift, eyelid lift, facelift, chin lift, dermal filler injections, laser resurfacing, and numerous others.
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), there were 16 million plastic surgery procedures performed in 2006, with facelifts being the second most popular cosmetic surgery for both men and woman over the age of 55. It is estimated that nearly 102,000 people 40 and over had facelifts in 2006.
Facial Aging
Many factors may accelerate facial aging, including:
· Environmental factors such as sun, wind, heat and cold
· Hormonal changes
· Dietary habits—not eating well
· Skin disorders that cause scarring like acne
· Genetics
A common assumption is that gravity shifts as we get older and the face sags. However, this is more myth than fact.
“People make assumptions about how the face ages because when they pull up on their face skin, they look better. Actually, the pull of gravity on facial tissues is not a significant component of facial aging. Instead, other factors, like the loss of facial fat and sun damage are more contributory in the complex process of aging,” said Dr. Val Lambros, ASPS member.
The Cure
According to a recent article in Medical News Today, approaches to facial aging are divided into three areas: the upper face, mid-face and lower face.
Facelift
Facelifts consist of work on the cheeks, jawline and neck. Your board certified plastic surgeon makes an incision called the “S” incision on each side of your face running partly by the hairline and partly by the ear. It takes 2 to 3 hours to perform, done under general anesthesia or with local IV sedation and in the hospital or surgical office. The good thing about this procedure is that recovery time is minimal, not much pain and the swelling dissipates in a few days, bruising in a few weeks.
Brow Lift
Brow lifts can positively affect the aging process by taking care of drooping eyebrows, crow’s feet and frown wrinkles. The brow lift (also called a forehead lift) takes only 1 to 2 hours to perform. Your surgeon will to determine the best technique for your brow lift procedure.
Minimally Invasive Procedures
Laser and injectable fillers are other options to rejuvenating the face.
“With the introduction of injectable fillers and Botox, many people over 45 believe they can achieve the same results as a facelift without surgery,” commented ASPS President elect Dr. Richard D’Amico.
He added: “However, as we get older our brow lines, jowls and wrinkles can become too deep for an injectable to smooth out. When a patient’s degree of facial aging is such that an injectable cannot achieve the desired results, surgery is the next natural progression.”
Dr. D’Amico feels that whether you choose surgery, injectable fillers, or a combination of both, it is the ultimate need of the patient and their needs that have to be filled.
(Article by: Donna Corrado)
Considering a facial rejuvenation? Contact a board certified plastic surgeon in your area to learn more about your options.