Our society places a premium on having a youthful appearance. Fortunately, we have many options for aging gracefully. Of all the methods available to look younger, facelift surgery is the most effective treatment. The best facelift can restore a youthful appearance and correct many of the factors – including excess skin – that cause someone to look older than they want to.
There are many components to facial aging. The exposure of the face to environmental stresses such as UV radiation from the sun, wind, and air pollution ages the skin. Gravity causes the skin to sag and facial fat to descend, resulting in prominent jowls, looseness in the neck, and excess skin. As we age, our facial and neck muscles weaken and loosen. Of course, genetics play a role as well. The best way to address all these changes is through facelift surgery.
A Surgical Procedure by Another Name
The original name for a facelift was rhytidectomy. In Latin, this means wrinkle removal. This name was adopted because early facelift surgery was a skin-tightening surgical procedure designed to remove facial wrinkles. The facial skin was lifted and pulled, excess skin was excised, and the incisions were hidden around the ear. This did result in tighter, less-wrinkled skin, but it usually was evident that the patient had facelift surgery.
Deep Plane Facelifts
At Horizons Plastic Surgery, we use multiple layers of the face to create a youthful, long-lasting natural appearance. Facial muscles can be tightened using a deep plane facelift approach. Facial fat can be replaced or elevated. The skin can be redraped in multiple vectors. By combining these approaches, patients who opt for facelift surgery will often look 10 to 20 years younger than their chronological age, and the results can last for 10 to 15 years or more.
Typical Facelift Concerns
When we see patients in consultation who are considering facelift surgery, they want to have the benefits of a facelift, but they usually express similar concerns. These include:
- Will I look natural?
- Will it be painful?
- Will it be a long recovery?
- Will I need general anesthesia?
- Will I need drains?
Techniques in facelift surgery vary from surgeon to surgeon. A patient considering a facelift must understand that they are not just deciding to have a surgical procedure but are also choosing the right surgeon to do their surgery. Technique, recovery post-op care, and results differ among surgeons. Because of the vast experience of Dr. Marc Wetherington, natural long-lasting results are consistent and reproducible.
Addressing Excess Skin and Sagging Skin
What’s more, facelift procedures should not be painful. Most patients’ discomfort is not from the removal of excess skin or sagging skin, but from the post-op dressing, which feels snug but is removed the day after surgery. In most cases, patients will look better at one-week post-op than they did pre-operatively in makeup.
A caring plastic surgeon will address all your concerns before the surgery. The plastic surgeon should be as motivated to obtain an optimal result as their patient. In considering who will do your facelift surgery, there are many things to consider, but most of all, make sure you have a good rapport with an experienced board-certified plastic surgeon who will do your cosmetic surgery procedure safely and effectively and treat you the way they would want to be treated.
Ready to Get Started?
At Horizons Plastic Surgery, we understand the importance of feeling confident and youthful in your appearance. That’s why Dr. Wetherington and his experienced team go the extra mile to ensure a safe, effective, and personalized facelift procedure for every patient. We believe in fostering open dialogue where your concerns and expectations are carefully addressed.
If you’re considering a facelift and want long-lasting, natural results, then we invite you to schedule a consultation with Dr. Wetherington. It’s time to take the first step toward the youthful look you desire and deserve. Contact us today and embrace the exciting journey ahead.
