When going under the knife for anti-aging facial surgery, there are two separate issues to consider – skin quality and excess skin quantity.
While the quality of the skin can be assisted to some extent (reports vary as to how much) with non-invasive treatments such as skin products, laser and botox, excesses of loose skin coupled with gravitational aging conditions such as sagging jowls do require surgery.
Instead of going for ‘the works’ as in a full face lift, many patients today are opting for short scar options (known as ‘ponytail friendly’ as the scarring is not obvious even when the patient wears their hair pulled back afterwards).
A well-known New York plastic surgeon says in regard to the mini-face lift procedure, "Aside from the shorter scar, there's no wind-tunnel look because we work on the deeper layers and reposition the fat and muscles, so the result is more natural."
Another less-invasive option is the ‘mid-face lift’. However it is not recommended because it is often done through lower-eyelid incisions and can cause a noticeable, unwanted change in eye shape.
So what is the short-scar face lift?
The surgeon makes incisions at the hairline and around the ears and vertically lifts the fat, muscles and skin. The result is elevation of the skin and support of both skin and underlying tissue and muscles, especially in the mid face and jowls areas.
The procedure is usually done under local anaesthetic and is not longer than 90 minutes. You can expect some discomfort for the first day, which can be alleviated with painkillers.
Apart from a little bruising and swelling, the procedure has many advantages over the full face lift.
If you are considering facial cosmetic enhancement discuss this method with your surgeon as a possible solution to your needs. Also do thorough research beforehand.
By: Nicolet -