Facial rejuvenation procedures are performed to reverse or minimize the effects of facial aging. This is accomplished by addressing one or more of the three major features of facial aging: skin aging, volume depletion, and tissue laxity and sagging.
Skin aging is due primarily to sun exposure, but also due to other environmental agents and to some extent, the natural aging process. Aging skin is characterized by a roughened skin texture, thinning, enlargement of the pores and discoloration, both red and brown, as well as sallow complexion and wrinkling. Volume depletion is due to a loss of facial structural tissues including the collagen layer of the skin, structural fat, muscle, and facial skeletal bone. Laxity and sagging are the result of gravity acting on tissues affected by skin aging and volume depletion. The result is downward displacement of the facial tissues, flattening of youthful facial convexities, deep folds around the mouth, jowls, and loose tissues in the neck.
Skin rejuvenation is accomplished by a variety of procedures including skin resurfacing, both invasive and non-invasive, Botox Cosmetic or Dysport to diminish the number of fine lines by quieting the muscles of facial expression, and facial fillers to fill in fine lines and skin irregularities.
Facial volume loss usually becomes apparent in the fourth decade of life, as heaviness of the folds between the cheeks and the lips, as well as flattening in the middle part of the face. As it continues, it creates hollows around the eyes and around the mouth, as well as other areas of the face. The best correction for volume loss is volume replacement, which is accomplished by either autologous fat transplantation, (injecting one’s own fat), injectable fillers, such as Radiesse, Juvederm, Restylane or Sculptra, and in some cases, placement of facial implants into the cheeks or chin.
Facial laxity and sagging is corrected to some extent by volume replacement but more significantly by lifting procedures, including facelift, mid-facelift, and forehead lift or brow lift.
Facelift
A major component of facial aging is gravitational aging, which is seen as drooping, bagginess, and sagginess of the facial tisues. This is due to the downward displacement of the facial soft tissues: skin, muscle and fat due primarily to gravity and volume loss. While all the causes of facial aging act in concert, they’re treated separately.
The facelift, or “cervico-facial rhytidoplasty”, corrects the gravitational changes in the lower one third of the face and the upper neck by smoothing the jaw-line, softening the jowls, taking up the lax skin in the neck and under the chin, and repositioning the lower cheeks in a more superior position, resulting in a smoother, more youthful appearance. While a facelift (or any other surgical procedure for that matter) can’t stop the aging process, it can “turn back the clock”.
“In many younger individuals 40-55 years of age, who exhibi less sagging, a more abbreviated form of the facelift operation, a minimal incision facelift, can be performed”. This operation uses a shorter incision and less surgery to rejuvenate the face. It has an excellent effect on the jowl and lower cheek, but less effect on the neck than the standard facelift operation. It results in a much quicker healing time. Whether or not you are a candidate for this operation is determined at the time of consultation, depending on your concerns, expectations for improvement, and Dr. Russo’s examination of your face.
Facelifts can be performed alone or with other cosmetic procedures such as forehead lift, mid-face lift, or blepharoplasty and chin implant. Most are performed under general anesthesia in an outpatient surgical facility. Depending on the area to be treated, facelifts usually involve incisions made along the hairline, which extend around the ears to the lower scalp. The skin is lifted away from the fat and muscle underneath, and excess fat is sculpted and the remaining tissue is tightened, the skin is replaced, tightened and secured with sutures or clips.
Swelling and minor discomfort lasts for a few days; sutures and clips are usually out within the first eight days.
Following surgery, strenuous activity, which increases your blood pressure, should be avoided for about three weeks. Along with prolonged exposure to heat or the sun.
Check out our photo gallery for facelifts.
