What Does a Facelift Do?
A facelift is a procedure used to reduce the appearance of facial wrinkles and other telltale signs of aging, with the goal of improving the overall appearance of the face and jaw. Facelift surgery can help to reverse the harmful effects of time, stress, and exposure to the elements. To perform this procedure, Dr. Lee will lift and tighten the underlying muscles of the face to create more aesthetically pleasing appearance and rejuvenate the facial structure. Then he will remove excess pockets of fat and skin that can contribute to an aged, tired appearance.
What Does a Facelift Not Do?
It is not unusual for a patient to assume a facelift also treats the forehead. Such an assumption is reasonable. However, a patient will need to consider forehead rejuvenation separately. A forehead lift, also called a brow lift is often recommended simultaneously to treat the forehead at the same time the middle and lower thirds of the face are treated with a facelift.
A facelift does not treat the eyelids. The rejuvenation procedure for eyelids is called blepharoplasty. Often, blepharoplasties are performed at the same time as the facelift, unless they have been treated previously and do not need revision.
A facelift does not remove the fine lines around the mouth. As you might imagine, pulling up the cheeks does not affect the upper lip. Vertical lip lines are smoothed with the laser and/or fat injection.
A facelift does not restore lost volume to the face. To provide youthful facial fullness, fat transfer is the key, using donated fat from another area of the body. The successful integration of fat injection with a facelift is an important advance in facial rejuvenation and has been shown to provide lasting fullness in the cheeks.
What Age is Best for a Facelift?
There is no specific age for having a facelift, though a common age is around 50. Most women are noticing jowls at this age, but there is no ideal age for a facelift and likewise no reason to delay the surgery until a certain time in one’s life.
In considering timing for surgery, loose skin, sagging cheeks, and jowls are more important than chronological age itself. When these signs of aging start causing concern, a facelift may be recommended, whether the patient is 45 or 55.
There are advantages in not waiting once the signs of aging are apparent. Having a facelift earlier rather than later, while the skin still has greater elasticity, avoids deeper creases that can be more difficult to treat later on. With proper skin care and future touch-up procedures as needed, many patients can maintain an appearance much younger than their chronological age well into their later years.
Who is an Ideal Candidate for a Facelift?
The following criteria typically makes for a good facelift candidate:
- When you look down your jowls sag more.
- You can pull up on your face with a finger on each temple to take up the slack in the skin.
- You don’t like the appearance of loose skin or vertical bands of the neck.
- You don’t like how you’re starting to look in pictures, particularly profile views.
- Your aging appearance is starting to affect your mood and self-esteem.
- Good overall health
Dr. Raymond Lee is an award winning, double board certified facial plastic surgeon with expertise in facial rejuvenation under local anesthesia. He has been practicing in Orange County for over 10 years and has performed 4000 facial rejuvenation procedures under light anesthesia.
Dr. Lee has been voted The #1 Cosmetic Surgeon in Orange County by the OC Register. Dr. Lee wants you to “Experience Beauty, the most natural way”. Dr. Lee’s does not believe in the old traditional facelift. Over the course of his career he has mastered the art and science of facial rejuvenation with natural results, minimal sedation, and easy recovery. His signature “FACEology LIFT” (face and neck lift alternative) is the embodiment of all these elements and is what he is widely sought out for.
