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Benefits of a Facelift
A skilled plastic surgeon like Dr. Scott Reis employs facelift surgery to create a number of subtle enhancements that, when taken together, leave patients looking dramatically younger and more refreshed—but still like themselves.
A facelift can remedy many signs of aging that impact the face and neck,
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including
:
- Excess fat or sagging skin in the neck (often referred to as double chin or “turkey neck”)
- The appearance of jowls at the lower cheek and jaw
- Sagging of skin from upper cheeks below your eyes to lower down your face causing a flattened appearance or your face and less projection of the cheek bones
- Deepening creases between the nose and mouth (called nasolabial folds)
In some cases, Dr. Reis may combine a facelift with additional facial plastic surgery procedures, such as a neck lift, cosmetic eyelid surgery, chin implant, or non-surgical treatments like lasers, chemical peels, BOTOX® or filler injections and even fat grafting to further rejuvenate a patient’s appearance.
Facelift Surgery Procedures
Dr. Reis customizes each facelift surgery to address patients’ unique conditions and goals. While a full or traditional facelift is the ideal solution for many patients, patients who are younger or have less pronounced signs of facial aging may achieve their desired results with a mini facelift.
Regardless of the technique chosen, the most powerful effect of a facelift is actually in the lower face, the jawline, and especially the neck. All facelift techniques aim to eliminate jowls, elevate the sagging cheek tissue to its normal higher position just beneath the eyes, restore the smooth youthful contour of the jawline, to tighten and restore a youthful neck appearance, and to sharpen the distinction between the neck and the area under the jawline.
Full Facelift
A full facelift is best-suited for patients who wish to address multiple potentially severe signs of aging to the mid- to lower face and neck. For this procedure, Dr. Reis makes an incision starting in the hairline near the temples. The incision is extended down in front of the ear and ends at the lower scalp behind the ear. He will then redistribute and sculpt fat, tissues, and fascia that structure the face. Finally, the skin is redraped over the refreshed contours of the patient’s face, excess skin is trimmed away, and sutures are used to close the incisions.
Mini Facelift (Short Scar Facelift)
A mini or limited incision facelift can yield excellent results for patients whose main signs of facial aging are moderate and mostly visible in the chin, jowl, and upper neck. This type of facelift does not address signs of aging to the mid-face to the same degree as a traditional facelift and also does not tighten the neck to the same extent, given the shorter incision used. However, the
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major benefits
in patients who are good candidates for short scar facelift are that it employs a shorter incision that does not extend from the back of the ears to the lower scalp and is associated with shorter recovery times, less bruising and less swelling generally.
Recovery After Facelift Surgery
After facelift surgery, you will be fitted with a bandage and small tubes may be used to drain excess fluid from the surgical site. It’s wise to ask a friend or family member to remain with you for at least the first 24 hours following your procedure.
It is expected that you will experience moderate discomfort immediately following your procedure, then more mild discomfort for up to one week. Your stitches will be removed during the first week after your surgery.
Bruising generally subsides within the first two weeks following facelift surgery, and swelling will gradually diminish over the course of several months. Dr. Reis recommends that patients wait at least three weeks before returning to work after facelift surgery and slightly longer before resuming normal physical activities. Patients should wait six to eight weeks before resuming any strenuous physical exertion or exercise after facelift surgery.
Full results won’t be visible until all swelling has subsided, but most patients are able to get a good idea of the benefits of their facelift within one month.The full results of a facelift will be visible after several months. In order to optimize the long-lasting benefits of the facelift, the treated area may temporarily appear a little “tightened” or “pulled” for the first month or so. This is intentional and necessary to optimize the long term effects of the procedure.
Are There Risks Associated With Facelift Surgery?
There are certain risks associated with any type of surgery, including anesthesia complications, bleeding, poor healing, and infection. However, these and other facelift risks are rare. Additional potential risks specific to facial plastic surgery may include swelling, bruising, numbness, temporary or longer-lasting nerve injury, and scarring. These risks are rare when your facelift is conducted by a highly-trained plastic surgeon such as Dr. Reis.
The incisions used for facelift surgery do cause scars, but these are hidden by the hairline and natural facial contours as well as behind the ears. Dr. Reis is careful to minimize any facelift scarring, and he also offers fractional CO2 laser treatment and topical solutions to further reduce visible scarring
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What Are The Risks of Facelift Surgery?
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when necessary
.
Scar Prevention & Treatment After Facelift Surgery
The incisions used for facelift surgery do cause scars, but these are hidden by the hairline and natural facial contours as well as behind the ears. Dr. Reis is careful to minimize any facelift scarring, and he also offers pre- and post-operative skincare scar regimens to optimize facelift outcomes and significantly reduce the visible appearance of surgical scars as well as fractional CO2 laser treatments to further reduce visible scarring when necessary. Learn more about how to prevent and treat scars after facelift surgery here.
Is Facelift Surgery Right for You?
Dr. Reis’ technical skill and years of experience ensure that his facelift surgery patients in Houston enjoy a more youthful and refreshed appearance that looks natural (never “pulled”). His goal is to restore a more youthful you and not over-tighten the face, which looks unnatural and even worse than before in some instances. Still, it’s important for each patient to make an educated decision about which facial rejuvenation options are right for their unique situation. During your confidential plastic surgery consultation, Dr. Reis will conduct a thorough examination and listen compassionately to gain a full understanding of your goals, then you’ll work together to arrive at the right treatment plan for you. To learn more about how Dr. Reis can help you refine your appearance and increase your self-confidence, please contact us today.
Patient Testimonials
Dr. Reis and the whole staff is wonderful. They are compassionate and caring and deliver excellent and competent care. I am very pleased...
Dr. Reis and his staff have given exceptional care throughout my experience. They took extra time to answer questions, talk through...
Dr. Reis was a pleasure to speak with. He was very knowledgeable about current procedures and put me at ease right away.
I think Dr. Reis did a wonderful job and the outcome is perfect for me. I think he is an awesome person, and from the beginning...
Sources
1 American Society of Plastic Surgeons. 2018 Plastic Surgery Statistics Report. Available https://www.plasticsurgery.org/documents/News/Statistics/2018/plastic-surgery-statistics-full-report-2018.pdf. Accessed April 7, 2020.
2 American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Facelift. Available: https://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/facelift. Accessed April 7, 2020.
3 Mayo Clinic. Facelift. Available: https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/face-lift/about/pac-20394059. Accessed April 7, 2020.
4 American Society of Plastic Surgeons. What Are The Risks of Facelift Surgery? Available: https://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/facelift/safety. Accessed April 7, 2020.
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