|
Plastic Surgery Santa Fe-Albuquerque-New Mexico
|
|
|
|
JAMES GREEN, MD
POPULAR PROCEDURES
|
Facelift SurgeryBack to Our Services
A facelift is a cosmetic surgery procedure focused on reshaping the facial contour for a more youthful appearance. The facelift has been one of the top cosmetic procedures for many years.
Facelift is commonly chosen by women in their 30s and 40s to prevent certain signs of aging or by women in their 40s and beyond to achieve a rejuvenated, dramatically younger facial appearance. A facelift reduces sagging and wrinkling in the lower face area, particularly around the jaw line. Because the jaw area is one of the first facial regions to show aging, the facelift is so successful because it reshapes the jaw to be smaller and rounder.
A cosmetic surgeon can tighten the facial skin and remove the sagging jowl or under-the-chin skin that can add years to your appearance. When the facial skin is reshaped, many of the wrinkles or facial imperfections are minimized or eliminated. Results can range from subtle to dramatic, depending upon the skin quality and the amount of repair needed.
Typically the face is divided into three areas: the lower face being those tissues extending from the upper lip into the neck, the mid-face are those tissues extending from the lower lids to the upper lip, and the forehead area being the tissues of the upper eyelid and the forehead. Many newer techniques have been developed to treat these areas. Some procedures that use an endoscope to operate through small incisions have become quite refined. Results can be obtained with minimal evidence of operation. Typically, operations on the lower face involve moving the skin back and slightly upward to avoid the pulling and stretching which may be noticed in individuals that have had more traditional techniques.
Operations certainly can be performed to maximize a patient's result based on the need for larger incisions as opposed to smaller incisions and the level of improvement desired. These operations are typically performed in the Office Operating Suite under general anesthesia (going to sleep). These operations, depending on the combination and extent, may last from one to four hours. Patients return home after their operation and are followed in the office as needed. Many times combinations of procedures are performed utilizing endoscopic techniques, laser surgery techniques, and fibrin glue techniques to obtain results with minimal swelling and postoperative recovery. Recovery periods range from one to three weeks.
It is important also to realize that procedures can be performed simultaneously or in stages to gradually improve facial appearance without overly dramatic changes. Areas of concern may be treated early to avoid larger procedures later. The best results are often achieved in conjunction with the use of injectables, fillers, and skin care procedures.
Things to Consider
- Smooths the loose skin of face and neck.
- Tightens underlying tissue and removes excess fat.
- Ideal for patients 40—80.
- New techniques provide less invasive procedures.
- Can be performed in stages without overly dramatic changes.
|
|
|
|
|
Newsletter Signup
