Posted by Dr. Hardesty

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A facelift, or rhytidectomy, is a broad term describing a general, nonspecific operation designed to structurally rejuvenate the physical signs of aging in the face and neck. Individuals who have concerns with lax skin, jowls, and loss of contour often seek a procedure to help achieve their desire for a natural, more youthful and elegant look.

There are different types of facelifts. Each type of face lift focuses on certain specific areas. Sometimes, based on the patient’s needs, wants, and desires, these different procedures are modified or combined with other procedures or techniques to achieve the patient’s desired look. If you are considering a facelift procedure, it’s important to know what techniques are available.

TYPES OF FACELIFTS

Mini facelift

The mini-facelift addresses aging and loose skin in the lower face. It is usually limited to skin-only excision. This procedure is limited to the loose skin in front of the ear and upper jaw area. The best candidates for this procedure are usually younger patients with early changing contours of aging who desire a subtle, more youthful, sleek, and well-defined lower face and neck. The incisions are often hidden behind the ear.

Mid-facelift

The mid-facelift focuses on the cheek area where the sagging is isolated to the mid-face and peri-orbital area (the tissue around the eye). This technique elevates the tissues of the cheeks and mid-face area, improving sagging cheek tissue and reducing the deep groove/creases from the nasal base to the lips (nasolabial fold). The mid-facelift can enhance the definition of the facial contours, create more attractive cheekbones, improve nasolabial folds creases/grooves, and make a more harmoniously junction from the cheeks to the lower eyelids. Mid-facelifts are often done in conjunction with other procedures.

Deep Plane Facelift

The deep plane facelift (also known to some as a subperiosteal facelift) is usually performed for more severe cheek, jowl, and neck aging. This technique elevates the muscle, subcutaneous tissue, and skin as a unit off the facial bones. The deep plane facelift has been found very useful for its unique ability to produce potentially longer-lasting facial rejuvenation results.

SMAS Facelift

The sub muscular aponeurotic system (SMAS) is a technique that elevates the superficial muscular system of the face, and then either resects and/or tightens this layer to create a more definitive, youthful face and neck contour.

Neck Lift

A neck lift is a procedure that addresses sagging in the lower face and neck areas. The procedure uses hidden incisions similar to those used during a facelift, with rejuvenation limited to the neck area only. This is done by tightening the neck SMAS and with neck liposuction with resection of the excess neck skin.

Z-Plasty for Neck Rejuvenation

In select cases, an external incision can be made in the neck creases that allows redistribution of the neck skin (z-plasty technique) with muscle tightening, and when needed, neck liposuction as well.

Before & After

OFTEN ADDED PROCEDURES

Neck Liposuction

Neck liposuction removes excess fat in the neck and even the jowls. This procedure is often combined with facelift surgery to eliminate excess fat that is found along the neck or below the chin. This procedure is ideal for individuals who would like to eliminate a “double chin” and reduce prominent and full jowls.

Thermi (External and Injectable Radiofrequency)

Thermi is a non-surgical treatment that can reduce fat and tone sagging, loose skin along the jawline and under the chin. Using radiofrequency energy, Thermi “melts” the fat and the heat helps “shrink” the skin to tighten early jowls and skin laxity. This procedure is best for patients with good skin elasticity, those who would like the use of only local anesthesia, those who want to preempt the need for future surgery, those who may not be ready for surgery, or patients who wish to “touch up” the beneficial effects of a previous facelift surgery.

Fat Injections

Facial aging is a process of losing collagen and fat in certain areas of the face, resulting in accenting undesirable contours. For facial fat injections, the patient’s fat is harvested, purified, and precisely injected into the areas of the face where needed in small aliquots to restore and improve hollow contours.

CONCLUSION

Facelift surgery and adjuncts have evolved and progressed since its original inception to provide the experienced Plastic Surgeon with various techniques/procedures that can address, and be specifically applied, to better fulfill the patient’s needs, wants, and desires for facial rejuvenation.

The most important factor to consider is seeking the opinion and services of a skilled, experienced and Board Certified Plastic Surgeon in Riverside CA who are experts in modern facelift techniques. The Imagine Plastic Surgery team uniquely provides the full array of both non-surgical and surgical alternatives, thus filling our motto of “One Goal, Many Options.” For more information, call and schedule a consultation.