Many of us want to look refreshed and more youthful and have exhausted so many options such as neurotoxins, fillers, lasers and other devices. But what do you do when all of the minimally-invasive options have failed?
So many men and women, myself included, are battling with signs of aging or trying to correct mistakes we made when we were younger. Hello, no sunscreen! Typically signs of aging can start as young as our early 30’s! There seems to be an endless stream of new products, new fillers, new devices to combat signs of aging with minimal downtime. Often times these less invasive options have the most value at the early signs of aging (early 30s) or even BEFORE the clock starts ticking! For those of us who have tried numerous minimally-invasive options and are still not satisfied by what we see in the mirror, what are the next steps?
While I will be the first to say that I never want to have a facelift, sometimes surgery IS the only reasonable option. As we age, there are so many changes that happen:
1) We have reabsorption of our bony skull and facial framework, which leads to loss of support to our soft tissues.
2) We have looseness of our muscles and ligaments, which descend with gravity leading to a heavy appearance, especially in our jowls and midface.
3) Our skin loses its elasticity and collagen framework, leading to lines, wrinkles and excess skin.
In order to restore a more youthful appearance, we need to address ALL of these concerns: loss of framework, descent of normal structures/fat pads and overall skin quality.
While many of the non-invasive procedures have their role, none of them can address ALL of the causes of aging in one modality. The minimally-invasive techniques can certainly enhance and often times camouflage a concern, but there becomes a point when a surgical procedure is necessary to achieve the desired outcome.
There are so many types of facelifts, each with their own pros and cons. At Metro ENT & Facial Plastic Surgery, we will guide you through all of your options and select the right treatment plan that fits YOU.
ALL procedures, surgical or non-surgical, have an associated down-time. Typically a deep-plane face lift will require 2 weeks of limited activity with associated swelling and possible bruising. There is a post-procedure head wrap which needs to be worn during that 2 week recovery period to optimize your result. Over the following months, you will continue to see improvement and tightening, but does not require an active recovery during this phase.
Typically you can expect your results to last 10 years, as long as there are no large fluctuations in weight. While the price tag of a facelift can be overwhelming, think about how much you are spending per year on neurotoxins, fillers, creams, devices over the course of 10 years! I know personally, I spend several THOUSANDS of dollars per year on skin care/treatments! Adding all of that together exceeds the cost of a facelift!
If you are ready to make the commitment to starting the New Year with a fresh face, Dr. Jennifer Goodrich and Dr. Annette Pham are excited to guide you through this journey!