Despite all the new choices in noninvasive facial rejuvenation — from dermal fillers to radiofrequency treatment — facelift remains one of the most popular cosmetic procedures in the world. Its enduring popularity spans decades, from the Golden Age of Hollywood to the image-conscious world of social media.
The experienced plastic surgeons of Graper Harper Cosmetic Surgery have performed thousands of facelift surgeries for patients in Charlotte and throughout North Carolina. Below, they review key facts about this proven restorative procedure.
Time Travel
Facelift trims years from a patient’s appearance by tightening facial skin and muscles, while sometimes also removing skin and fat. It comprehensively corrects signs of aging by focusing on the middle and lower facial regions. It effectively targets loose skin, displaced fat or sagging tissue on the cheeks, creases beneath the lower eyelids, excess skin and fat along the jawline, and furrows between the nose and corners of the mouth.
Youthful Decade
Facelift performed by a skilled plastic surgeon will typically last about 10 years. The range of results is dependent upon the type of facelift you choose, the flexibility of your skin, and certain lifestyle factors, such as whether you smoke. Limited procedures such as the so-called “mini facelift” may last two to four years; and revisions may last up to seven years. In addition to paring years off your appearance, facelift has the effect of slightly improving the strength and resiliency of the skin, helping to preserve your rejuvenated look into the future.
Skill and Artistry
Your plastic surgeon’s skill is key to achieving a successful facelift. A surgeon who has done many facelifts has accumulated experience with a wide variety of facial types and situations. A surgeon who keeps abreast of the latest techniques and medical best practices knows how important it is to pay attention to the muscles and ligaments under the skin, not simply stretch the surface. The so-called “windswept” or “open cockpit” look is often the result of a doctor cutting and stretching only the surface layer, creating tension with deeper tissue.
This is also where your surgeon’s eye for balance and proportion is so important. A satisfying result requires both surgical excellence and exceptional artistic talent.
Fine-Tuning Your Look
When your facial skin needs a touch-up, there are many noninvasive options to consider in place of additional surgery. Laser resurfacing can smooth and tighten the skin, and injectables will fill lines, wrinkles and hollows on your face that make you look older. Dermal fillers not only add volume to targeted facial areas, but also trigger the production of collagen, the natural protein that adds strength and flexibility to the skin.
If you’d like to learn more about facelift, schedule your personal consultation with experienced Charlotte plastic surgeon Dr. Robert Graper or Dr. Garret Harper by contacting Graper Harper Cosmetic Surgery today.