Facelift Techniques
A facelift is a procedure that everyday becomes more and more popular amongst both men and women. The different facelift techniques are meant to tighten the skin on the face, and create a more radiant and younger looking appearance with firmer facial contours.
There are many facelifts techniques. The different facelift techniques vary based on the facelift surgeon's preferences and the patient's goals. However; most facelift techniques involve an incision hidden near the ears and along the hair line to the back of the head. The facelift technique to be used and the placement of the incisions will depend on the goals of the patient and the condition of their skin.
The different facelift techniques target different problems in a person's face and can help you look younger in one simple procedure. Make a consultation with a Facelift specialist to know what facelift technique would benefit you the most!
In general, during a facelift procedure, the skin is pulled to readjust facial contours and muscles. Also, the skin is pulled to fit the new contours being created. Then, the excess skin is removed and the incision is closed with surgical sutures and bandaged.
Some facelift techniques target the forehead area while others target the cheeks and neck too. Mini-facelifts target only specific areas where a person show signs of aging.
Patients may also opt for the thread lift technique. This facelift technique involves the use of sanitary string to lift and hold the skin taut rather than the surgical techniques used with a traditional facelift. Another common facelift technique is the mid face lift. This facelift technique is performed using smaller incisions that traditional facelift techniques and uses endoscopic facelift technology.
Discussing your goals and the facelift procedure from start to finish with an experienced facelift surgeon is a great way to decide what facelift technique best suit your needs.
Advances in cosmetic and surgical procedures have made it possible to create several different face lift techniques which address each individual patients needs in a more specific way. The concept of the different facelift techniques remains the same; which is to correct and tighten loose skin and muscles, as well as remove and reposition fatty tissues on the face to give a more youthful appearance.
Face Lift Techniques Overview
However, there are several innovative techniques built upon existing facelift techniques that are designed to achieve the specific results patients are requesting with minimal invasion and shorter downtime.
During a facelift consultation you can address any specific questions regarding the various facelift techniques, recovery and what to expect after with you facelift surgeon. Working with a qualified facelift surgeon will help you to determine which facelift technique will best benefit you.
Some facelift techniques target the forehead area while others target the cheeks and neck. Others, like the Mini-facelift technique, produce fewer scars than more extensive facelift techniques and might be appropriate for those individuals that show signs of aging only in specific areas of the face.
Facelift Techniques Description
There are many types of facelift techniques. Each facelift technique targets different problems in a person's face and the technique used is chosen by the facelift surgeon based on the patient's individual needs and goals.
Facelift can bring benefits to both men and women. The most common facelift techniques available today are:
- Lower (standard) facelift technique
- Mini facelift technique
- Endoscopic facelift technique
- Thread facelift technique
- Mid facelift technique
- Laser facelift technique
- Microcurrent facelift technique
SMAS (Superficial Musculoaponeurotic System) Facelift Technique
The Superficial Musculoaponeurotic System facelift technique is known as the gold standard in face lift techniques.
This facelift technique builds on existing traditional face lift methods by focusing on the thin underlying connective tissue layer of the skin called the superficial musculoaponeurotic system. BY tightening this foundational tissue the patient is able to achieve a smoother and improved shape without noticeable tension in the skin. This facelift technique works well for people who are most concerned with the folds around the nose and mouth (nasolabial folds).
Subperisteal Lift Facelift Technique
Some facelift surgeons believe the Subperisteal Lift facelift technique gives patients a more long-lasting face lift, because it works by tightening the deeper tissues of the face. It is believed by some facelift specialists that by releasing the tissues off of the bony layer the elevating and reshaping results will be improved in this facelift technique.
This facelift technique is performed endoscopically (involves a video camera and small instruments), and can cause more swelling and bruising than other facelift techniques.
Most facelift surgeons do not acknowledge a significant difference in results from this facelift technique in comparison with the Superficial Musculoaponeurotic System facelift technique.
Deep Plane Face Lift Facelift Technique
The deep plane system is a more invasive facelift technique. This facelift technique reshapes the whole face including the neck, brow and both upper and lower eyelids.
Deep plane face lifts can affect more of the face area by lifting the skin, facial tissues, muscle and fat all in one continuous section. While this facelift technique can accomplish more, it is considered very invasive and can take more time for recovery and is generally not used frequently when compared to other facelift techniques.
Mid-face Lift Facelift Technique
The mid-face lift technique, also known as the cheek lift, focuses on the area beginning below the eye to the lower cheek area.
As we age, the area between the lower eyelid, cheek and nasolabial fold descends and cannot always be improved by a regular face lift procedure. The Mid-Face Facelift technique concentrates on improving the loose skin, fat deposits and tissues of this particular area.
This facelift technique is specifically geared toward the cheek area, and does not address the aging signs of brow, jaw line or neck.
Threadlift or Feather Lift Facelift Technique
This newly approved facelift technique is considered the least invasive of face lift methods.
The thread facelift technique is a much less expensive and invasive procedure than the traditional facelift techniques. This facelift procedure is designed to reduce early aging signs, like sagging skin around the neck and cheeks, and can be performed with the patient fully conscious. With this facelift technique, threads are pulled through small incisions, lifting and pulling the skin tighter to the face and producing only minimal scarring.
The threadlift facelift technique uses patented self-anchoring polypropylene threads which have been used safely in surgical procedures for decades. These contour threads lift and suspend tissues in the face by self-anchoring threads with barbs that attach to underlying tissues.
This facelift technique is safe and less invasive than other methods, and yields conservative, natural results. Because this is a newly approved facelift technique, it may take several years to determine the long-term results of this type of procedure.
Endoscopic Facelift Technique
Endoscopic facelift techniques use a thin, long tool that positions a camera inside incisions made to the face, allowing the facelift surgeon to view the tissue and fat that needs to be removed.
The incisions necessary for this facelift technique are much smaller than hairline incisions and result in little to no scarring.
Lower (Standard) Facelift Technique
The lower facelift technique is used to improve the appearance of the neck and jawline through a procedure that is similar to the traditional facelift technique. However, it targets only the lower third of the face. An incision behind the ears and along the chin is made to remove excess skin in the neck.
Mini Facelift Technique
Mini Facelifts also known as "Weekend Facelifts"
The mini facelift is much like the full facelift however it focuses more on specific areas of the face examples such as the folds around the nose, or the wrinkles around the lips. By using the smaller incisions the facelift surgeon lifts and removes the facial tissues and pulls the muscles tighter. Then, the facelift surgeon carefully repositions the skin by using small sutures.
The mini facelift is also called the "weekend facelift" because the procedure itself is quicker and the healing time is much faster than a full facelift.
Sometimes patients will need mini facelifts instead of a full facelift. Mini facelifts help reduce the sagging around the cheeks, the jaw line and the neck removing the excess skin and the wrinkles. Mini Facelifts are less invasive then a full facelift and require less downtime. Mini facelift also costs less than a full facelift and are a good option for people who don't have excessive sagging skin and only require minimal correction.
Mini Facelift Technique Options
A Mini Facelift can be performed either endoscopically or non-endoscopically.
During the endoscopic technique the facelift surgeon inserts surgical instruments through small incisions made around specific locations; the instruments help remove excess fat and reshape the muscles in this location. With the endoscopic technique the facelift surgeon can watch the procedure via a small camera that is inserted in the skin.
During the non-endoscopic technique, the facelift surgeon pulls the skin over and exposes the area to be treated. Non-endoscopic techniques require a more extensive incision than then endoscopic technique.
Difference between a Mini Facelift and a Full Facelift
A full facelift will help sagging skin, wrinkles and age spots on the entire face. A Facelift literally pulls up the entire face and removes wrinkles on the entire area of the face. A full facelift can also lift the brows and forehead. Mini facelifts are used on specific locations on the face and help remove saggy skin, wrinkles and age spots only from that area. Mini facelifts do not lift the eye brows or the forehead.
Surgical Facelift Technique
Surgical facelift is a solution for anyone that is looking for a way to permanently take care of the wrinkles, sagging skin and age spots. By having a surgical facelift it will make your face look and feel more youthful.
As people age their facial muscles loosen and their skin becomes less elastic, you start seeing more wrinkles and saggy skin. Having a surgical facelift will tighten and pull together the sagging skin, wrinkled skin, and loosen muscles. A surgical facelift can lift the whole face or certain areas of the face such as, eye brow area, lower face, and the neck.
The most common facelift techniques involve an incision that runs along your hairline behind the ears, allowing sagging fat and skin to be removed before reattaching and tightening the skin to the face with stitches or staples. The incision is generally made behind the hairline to hide any scarring. Patients with strong facial bone structure typically have the best results with this facelift technique.
Surgical Facelift: The Different Techniques
Having a surgical facelift can help your skin appear younger and make your overall appearance youthful. Surgical facelift means to surgically make the face lift up and tighten the skin and muscles. The facelift surgeons can use different techniques while performing the surgical facelift.
At the consultation the doctor and the patient will go over which surgical facelift technique is best for that patient.
Surgical Facelift: The Traditional Surgical Facelift:
In this surgical facelift the surgeon makes a surgical cut in the hairline near the temple, then follows the hairline down and goes in front of the ear, then follows the natural ear line down the ear and goes behind the ears. The surgeon will then move to the side of the face and start at the temple and work its way down in front of the ear and finish behind the ear. The doctor may also cut under the chin if the patient wants to lift a sagging jawline.
After the facelift surgeon has made the incisions the next part of the surgical facelift is to carefully separate the skin from the tissue. After the tissue and the skin are separated the facelift surgeon will remove or reposition the fat, in the surgical facelift the surgeon removes the fat so the face looks youthful, but sometimes repositions the fat to help make the whole face even and reduces the wrinkles.
After the fat is removed or put in its position, the surgeon will then tighten the muscles in the face to give the appearance of a more youthful face. Next in the surgical facelift procedure the surgeon will lift the skin and put it back around the face and trim off any extra skin.
When the skin is trimmed off the surgeon will then stitch the skin back in place, in this surgical facelift procedure many doctors use dissolvable stitches.
This surgical facelift is the traditional way of having a facelift. After getting out of the surgery your face and head will be wrapped in bandages. Also, with the surgical facelift the doctors will put draining tubes behind the patient's ears so that they can drain out all the fluids, the tubes will be out within two days of surgery.
Surgical Facelift: Minimal Access Cranial Suspension
This surgical facelift procedure has shorter incisions than what the tradition facelift had. The incisions are made by the temple and in front of the ears. When the surgeon makes these cuts he or she will remove the fat that is around the muscles and the muscles get tightened, but in this surgical procedure the doctor will use permanent stitches. In other surgical procedures the stitches either get removed or are dissolvable.
This picture shows where the incisions will be for this specific surgical facelift procedure.
Surgical Facelift: Keyhole surgery
Another surgical facelift procedure is called the keyhole surgery. In this surgical facelift procedure the surgeon makes tiny cuts into the skin. In this surgical facelift procedure the surgeon uses a narrow, flexible tube that has a telescopic camera on the end of it and puts this tube like object into the incision. This camera tool is called endoscope. During this surgical facelift procedure the surgeon does the entire procedure by looking at the pictures that are sent from the endoscope. When the surgeon puts the endoscope into the incision the camera takes pictures and the doctor can see the pictures from a monitor and this monitor helps the doctor perform this surgical facelift procedure.
With this surgical facelift procedure there are smaller scars, but this surgical facelift procedure is mostly common for the upper face or brow lift procedure. By having this procedure there will be a shorter recovery time because the incisions are so much smaller.
Determining The Right Facelift Technique For You
The type of face lift you undergo will depend on your facelift surgeon and the method he or she is most experienced performing and your individual case. During consultation, you can find out about your facelift surgeon's preferred facelift technique and the specific benefits and risks of the procedure.