Face-lift for anti aging? How effective is Face-lift as an anti aging option?

As years pass by, the image of yourself you see in the mirror does not really reflect the youthfulness you might be feeling inside. The face is a sense of identity for most of the human beings. With the passage of time as signs of aging set in, a lot of people start losing their sense of identity. Facelift is the option which majority of people are choosing nowadays to regain their lost youth.

Facelift procedure or Facelift surgery is also known as Rhytidectomy. It is done by individuals to get a young, energetic look & diminish the signs of aging which prominently manifest themselves on the face. The signs of aging are mainly creases or folds of skin on the forehead; wrinkles on the cheeks, baggy eyes and/or sagging skin on the neck. The sagging skin can sometimes be so eminent that it could be the first thing to be noticed in some people.

The aging effect can make people over conscious about their appearance. As a result they are always short on confidence and cannot live life to the maximum. It starts impacting their professional, social & personal life.  Aging effects can be corrected via a Facelift surgery. Facelift surgery can help one to achieve a more youthful appearance and extend his/her youth for a few more years(maybe more than a decade) and allows one to age gracefully.

People normally have some common doubts like:-

How long will a Facelift last? Is Facelift permanent? Am I suitable candidate for a Facelift surgery? Can a Facelift surgery remove wrinkles? Is Facelift safe? Can we get a Facelift without surgery? Is there a minimally invasive Facelift surgery possible? Is it possible to get a Facelift without surgery??? Is it possible & safe to have a Facelift surgery in India? How much does a Facelift surgery cost in India? Who is the best Facelift surgeon in India? And many more… Let’s try to fix some of the most common, expected queries.

First thing’s first. Choose the right surgeon!

This is the most important decision that you are going to make. You need to choose your surgeon very carefully. There are a lot of Plastic & Cosmetic surgeons who perform surgery on different parts of the body. It is necessary to choose a surgeon who either specializes in only Facelift procedures or who does Facelift surgeries very frequently & has a fair amount of experience. Once you have done your part of research & zeroed down on the surgeon who is going to perform the Facelift surgery for you on you, you need to fix up an appointment with him/her & meet up. It is very important that you enunciate your concerns clearly while consulting your surgeon & the surgeon only gives you options of Facelift surgeries which address the issues or areas that you are interested in getting corrected. It should not happen that the surgeon is more keen on meeting his personal targets & hence “sells” you a package that you don’t relly need. So the point needs to be re-iterated, the surgeon that you choose needs to be really genuine. He needs to take interest in your well-being & you looking good, after the surgery.

Suitable candidate for Facelift surgeries-

1) Anyone who wishes to look young by reducing the signs of aging which appear on the face/neck and is medically fit to undergo a surgery.

2) The individual needs to have realistic expectations in terms of the final result after the Facelift surgical procedure as it will address issues like loose skin, baggy eyes, wrinkles, fat accumulation on the face, loss of volume and give a youthful experience.

3) The candidate needs to understand that a facelift surgery does not permanently stop ageing. It restores a youthful look which can be extended for a few years sometimes up to a decade if one takes care of his/her diet coupled with maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

4) Only those who are non-smokers or who can give up smoking for around 1 month before surgery & 1 month after surgery should opt for a facelift.

                                                                     

Types of Facelift-

The choice of the procedure depends on the need & preferences exercised by the candidate opting for the surgery & recommendations/suggestions given by the surgeon. They can be performed with either local or general anesthesia. The following are the various kinds of Facelift procedures which are performed on individuals.

1) Mini Facelift procedure- It is the most popular procedure. It is used to correct the jawline features & restore the definition lost in this region due to loss of elasticity of the skin. It is performed on the lower third part of the face. It is called mini Facelift as it is efficient but it is not exhaustive. In this the incision is made around the ears(periauricular incisions) and the Superficial Muscular Aponeurotic System(SMAS) is elevated along with the skin. SMAS is a thin layer of muscles & tissues present just under the skin. It is responsible for various facial expressions displayed by us. During mini Facelift, your surgeon will lift the skin along with SMAS & he may use Liposuction to eliminate fat deposits or do some fat grafting to restore the lost fullness in volume. This restores the facial contour and definition.

2) Neck-lift- This procedure is done to tighten the skin on the neck region & the underlying platysmal muscles. These muscles extend from the collar bones to the chin. It provides a wonderful complement to the Facelift procedure. Most people opt for a neck-lift along with a mini Facelift as it addresses everything from the jawline to the collar bones. It is performed via incisions in the periauricular region.

3) Mid Facelift- Mid Facelift addresses areas from the cheekbones to the jawline. The incisions used are similar to the mini facelift. The surgeon will tighten the skin by pulling the SMAS & tissue horizontally towards the ears. This gives a lift(reduces the skin sagging by 2 to 4 cms) & flattens the folds around the mouth. The surgeon can enhance the facial contours by redistributing the fat tissue in the cheeks. After the skin & underlying tissues are worked upon; the excess tissues are trimmed, incisions are closed & natural refinement is achieved.

4) Upper Facelift (Brow-lift or Forehead lift)- reduces wrinkles, folds and creases in the upper third part of the face. Brow-lift tightens the skin and underlying muscle tissue of the zone below the hairline, eyes and the eyebrows. Incisions are done in the hairline. Normally those who opt for Forehead lift also go for blepharoplasty (eyelid lift surgery). It is a good combination which gives wonderful results along with fresh, young & energetic look.

5) Full Facelift- Individuals who have overly eminent aging features or who want to completely overhaul their looks, normally opt for this surgery. It is a combination of upper, lower and mini facelift procedures. It gives a fantastic result with the sagging skin, wrinkles & the muscles being toned up. It results in a harmonious result which is close to perfection.

6) Silhouette Instalift- It involves readily dissolvable sutures & cones which anchor the cheeks & re-suspend sagging facial features on the nasolabial folds, neck, cheeks & jowls. The Silhouette Instalift procedure mitigates signs of aging & is specially used to diminish the signs of aging around the cheeks, brows, jawline, neck & restore a youthful look to the candidate. This is mostly opted for by younger patients who are not ready for a full facelift surgery.

Trend – Normally people go for a combination of any of the above two procedures.

Non-Surgical Options-

1) Ultherapy or HIFU(High Intensity Focused Ultrasound) Facelift is a non-surgical non-invasive technique to reduce wrinkles & ultimately the signs of aging. Intensified, focused ultrasound waves treat the concerned area. Collagen simulation is stimulated which results in a youthful look. Collagen is a natural protein which gives our skin a firm, sprightly look by keeping it bound tightly together. With the passage of time, the collagen breaks down resulting in the loss of skin elasticity. Via Ultherapy which uses focused ultrasound, a thermal effect is generated under the skin which results in regeneration of fresh, new Collagen.

The zones from eyebrows up to chest/breast can be treated. Normally people who are beyond 30 years of age, who have skin laxity, are beginning to feel less firm, have sagging skin under the chin/neck opt for Ultherapy. It is mostly a one-time procedure & how long will the result of Ultherapy last depends on the candidates body’s natural ageing procedure. The ultrasound produces natural collagen on the inside but the breaking down of the collagen will depend on the individual’s natural ageing process which varies from person to person.

2) Thread Facelift- is a convenient & less invasive procedure compared to the traditional Facelift surgeries. It involves insertion of threads into the skin via incisions made in the targeted areas. These threads are pulled together to tighten the skin. As anesthesia is not used in this procedure, the candidate normally remains fully conscious & witnesses the entire process. The threads are pulled and skin is tightened as per his/her satisfaction. This entire process is carried out with the approval of the candidate which ultimately results in a delightfully rejuvenated skin. After the procedure is completed the threads are knotted & remain hidden within the skin itself. Scarring is virtually invisible.

3) Laser Facelift- It is a procedure which involves use of Laser to heat & stimulate the production of collagen. The controlled heat from laser stimulates the coagulation of tissues which leads to skin tightening & improved facial contour. Laser Facelift is performed with highly sophisticated instruments which along with Therma-guide ensures very high level of safety while carrying out the procedure. This is a fantastic procedure which provides very good results completely eliminating the unnecessary down time & recovery time of some of the other traditional methods.

Possible complications/side effects of a facelift surgery-

1) Bleeding, haematoma, bruising, residual swelling.

2) Infection

3) Loss of hair (around the incision site)

4) Asymmetry (unevenness between two sides)

These can be addressed by making the choice of a surgeon very carefully who specializes in Facelift surgeries and has a lot of experience. Also following the after surgery guidelines religiously, once surgery is completed helps to practically eliminate possibilities of complications.

Scarring-

As the incisions in a surgical procedure are performed inside the hairline, scarring is practically not visible.

Recovery time.

For a Facelift surgery, 2 weeks is normally enough for recovery. Compression bandage maybe provided just after the surgery & it needs to be worn for 1-3 weeks. There can be a mild pain or discomfort initially just after the surgery which is countered by the oral medication provided.

Dr. Prashant Yadav is an Indian Board certified Plastic & Cosmetic surgeon who has a vast experience in performing complex surgeries. Feel free to call and fix up a free consultation to discuss how can Dr. Yadav & his team help you to counter the aging effects you suffer from with beauty enhancement and anti aging treatment options.