From less invasive techniques to more natural-looking, longer-lasting results, cosmetic surgeries have seen significant advancements in recent decades. La Jolla board-certified cosmetic surgeons are more artful in their approach than ever, aiming for results that will beautifully complement their patient’s unique appearance instead of working within a one-size-fits-all mentality. However, despite these advancements, negative stereotypes are often the first thing that comes to mind when it comes to plastic surgery— especially regarding the facelift.
A facelift, or rhytidectomy, is a surgical procedure that improves the visible signs of aging in the face and neck. In fact, both William Umansky, MD and Dr.Jeffery Umansky consider a facelift to be the most comprehensive rejuvenation procedure for addressing multiple signs of aging on your lower face, jawline, and neck. In spite of this, facelifts are often associated with long, painful recoveries in dark rooms and botched results. At Umansky Plastic Surgery, we’ve put together a list of ten benefits to a facelift you didn’t know to break the stigma around facelift procedures and help you discover how a facelift can help you return to a vibrant, youthful appearance once again.
1. Addresses Multiple Signs of Aging
The gradual decline of your skin quality can be a result of a variety of processes, including the thinning of dermal tissue and the loss of facial fat. The culprits in these changes might include age, gravity, sun damage, smoking, heredity and stress. Modern facelift procedures aim to restore multiple signs of aging sustained over the years by removing excess skin, tightening underlying tissue and muscle, and then redraping the remaining skin for a smoother and tighter appearance to the face and neck. If you find yourself struggling with any of the following common signs of aging, a facelift can resolve these concerns in just one surgery:
- Sagging skin around midface, jawline or neck
- Deep creases that extend from your nose to the corners of your mouth (nasolabial folds)
- Lines that extend from the corners of your mouth to your chin (marionette lines)
- Jowls or a double chin
- Displaced facial fat or volume
2. Tightens Up Sagging Skin
As a restorative surgery, a facelift works to tighten and smooth loose skin on the face and neck by separating the skin from underlying muscles and tissues in a process called “undermining”. Once the muscles and tissue beneath the skin have been repositioned and tightened, skin is redraped over the face and excess skin is trimmed- effectively smoothing away wrinkles and firming the skin.
3. Re-Contours Your Jawline and Neck
Gravity and the loss of facial fat and skin elasticity has a tendency to drag our skin down as we age, often resulting in sagging skin on the face. Loose skin tends to hang off the jaw and neck, forming jowls or an unsightly double chin. A facelift can redefine the contours of a strong jawline by removing the excess skin and fatty deposits found in these areas.
4. Beneficial for Men, Too
Contrary to popular belief, facelifts aren’t just a popular procedure among women. According to the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), facelifts landed in the top five cosmetic procedures of 2017 for men, and male patients made up nearly ten percent of all facelift procedures performed that year. Men who are good health and are concerned with sagging facial skin or wrinkles can reap all the same benefits of a facelift that women can— after all, time affects all of us the same way.
5. There’s No Wrong Age to Get a Facelift
Many patients wrongly assume that facelifts are only beneficial to older individuals with more advanced signs of aging. The most common age for patients who had a facelift in the last year was between the ages of 51 and 64, but anyone with symptoms of sagging skin and wrinkles can benefit from the procedure. Whether you will be a good candidate for a facelift will depend on your overall health, the condition of your skin and your lifestyle choices. With different techniques to choose from, our surgeons can tailor your facelift to your aesthetic goals and the amount of correction necessary to achieve them.
6. Pair with Additional Procedures
There are a variety of other rejuvenation procedures you may choose to have performed in conjunction with your facelift to enhance your results further. For example, many patients will undergo brow lifts or eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) to restore youthful contours to the forehead skin, eyebrows, or heavy upper-lids that a facelift won’t address. Pairing any of these rejuvenating techniques with your facelift is practical in that you won’t have to undergo a separate procedure and recovery process while achieving consistent, younger-looking results across your entire face.
7. Invisible Surgical Scars
Incisions made during a facelift are designed to be virtually invisible, which means no noticeable scarring or visible signs you underwent an aesthetic procedure. While the size and exact location of your incisions will depend on your targeted areas for treatment and your desired results, most incisions are made behind the ear or along the hairline for easy concealment post-operation, so only you will know your secret to more youthful skin.
8. Manageable Downtime
Many patients find themselves hesitating to get a facelift due to misconceptions about long periods of downtime wrapped in bandages. While facelifts are a surgical procedure, modern facelifts are considerably less invasive due to smaller incisions and advanced skin tightening techniques. Gentler techniques mean less downtime than you might think. The ASAPS estimates you can get back to work or your daily routine with a presentable face within two weeks after facelift surgery.
9. Natural-Looking Results
Gone are the days of facelift results that look “windswept” or obviously overdone. Advancements in cosmetic procedure techniques have come a long way from merely tightening the excess skin over your face as the focus has shifted to repositioning underlying tissue to create a more natural appearance. William Umansky, MD and Dr. Jeffery Umansky are experts in restoring youthful facial contours to the skin and ensuring you still look like yourself, just decades younger.
10. Long-Lasting Youthful Skin
The longevity of each facelift will be determined by how well you care for your skin after your procedure, as well as genetics and lifestyle choices. However, generally speaking, you can anticipate your fresh, younger-looking skin to remain for an average of seven to ten years. At that time, you might opt for a nonsurgical or surgical treatment to maintain your youthful vitality once aging symptoms begin to creep in once more.
If you’re ready to discover even more benefits a facelift procedure can offer, Umansky Plastic Surgery is here to help patients in La Jolla and San Diego area. By using the most advanced surgical technology and techniques, William Umansky, MD and Dr. Jeffrey will work with your appearance and aesthetic goals to achieve the best possible outcome. Call 858-281-4276 to schedule a consultation today!