As you age, you begin to notice changes in your body. Although you want to slow down this process through a healthy diet or sports, the appearance of wrinkles and sagging skin is inevitable. Fortunately, in addition to a healthy diet, today, several types of facelifts may help you restore your youthful appearance.
Keep reading to discover whether you are an ideal candidate for a facelift and learn how to make an informed decision on your journey towards a more youthful and refreshed appearance.
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Types of Facelifts
Today’s facelift is very different from the procedures that were done in the past. This aesthetic treatment used to be too expensive, and not everyone could afford it. Besides, patients could choose from limited types of facelifts.
With the advancement of medicine and technology, a variety of facelifts are available today that are more personalized and affordable for patients. Therefore, in the following, you’ll find the most popular facelifts to help you rewind time and improve your self-confidence.
Mini facelift
Patients with mild to moderate signs of aging usually opt for this type of facelift. So, what is a mini facelift? The mini facelift uses small and unnoticeable incisions under the hairline from where the skin is tightened. This procedure may tighten droopy jowls, sagging cheeks, and wrinkles in the middle or lower part of the face.
Mini facelift involves an incision in front of the ear and extends behind the eardrum. After the incision, the SMAS (superficial muscular aponeurotic system) is pulled up, excess skin is removed, and the incision is sutured with fine sutures.
Note that this treatment differs significantly from the more complex traditional facelift.
Skin-only facelift
Unlike a mini facelift, this skin-only facelift involves lifting the surface skin of the face and neck. Therefore, lifting the SMAS and other facial muscles is excluded here. This type of surgery was quite popular in the past due to several factors such as minimal incision, relatively quick procedure, small swelling, and small incision.
Skin-only facelift treatment consists of a small incision of 1-2 centimeters in front of the ear, tightening the skin and removing excess. However, this aesthetic treatment cannot be compared to a complete facelift surgery. Skin-only facelift may provide minimally satisfying results that last relatively short.
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Traditional facelift
The traditional facelift, or SMAS, is the most popular cosmetic enhancement among patients. Namely, this type of facelift is usually recommended for people with moderate to advanced signs of aging.
Therefore, a traditional facelift may help with changes that appear with age, such as excess skin on the lower jaw, sagging cheeks, skin folds between the sides of the nose to the corners of the lips, and so on.
This aesthetic procedure concentrates on the middle and lower areas of the face. Initially, incisions are made around the ears, in the hairline, and under the chin. Then, the surgeon will free the skin from SMAS, fat, and muscle.
Once this is done, the surgeon will pull the SMAS and deep tissues back to normal.This way, the muscles will be lifted, and the signs of aging should be reduced.
Keep in mind that besides this procedure, additional aesthetic surgeries can be performed, such as rhinoplasty, blepharoplasty or eyelid lift, fat transfer, or implants.
S-lift
S-lift enhancement treats the lower third of the face, including the neck and jowls. As the name suggests, an S-shaped incision is made to separate the skin from the underlying tissue. That way, the surgeon will be able to tighten the tissue and muscles easily.
After the entire procedure is completed, the incision is closed with sutures. This aesthetic treatment is less invasive than a traditional facelift and requires less time for the patient to recover.
Mid-facelift
Mid-facelift targets the middle of the face, especially the cheeks. Namely, with this procedure, excess fat tissue is removed, or permanent tissue is used to lift the cheeks.
To perform this facelift surgery, the surgeon makes incisions at the hairline behind the ear and mouth area. These incisions allow the surgeon to reposition the fat pads. In this way, wrinkles and sagging cheeks may be removed.
Mid-facelift is recommended for patients who do not have marionette lines or jowls. However, this type of surgery may be combined with procedures for marionette lines and jowl removal.
Liquid facelift
In addition to invasive procedures, some treatments differ from the traditional facelift. Such treatments are done with the help of fillers and do not involve incisions and operating room visitations.
With the liquid facelift treatment, hyaluronan or dermal fillers are injected into the subcutaneous layer of the face. This treatment may improve the overall skin’s appearance and remove wrinkles.
This treatment is mainly performed for tightening the skin around the lips, eyes, jowls, and temples. However, remember that liquid facelift is only intended for patients with minimal signs of aging and not for patients with severe signs. Unlike the traditional facelift, this procedure lasts relatively short (6-12 months) and requires constant maintenance or repetition.
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Side Effects
Just like any surgery, a facelift may carry potential side effects. Although rare, such side effects occur if the surgeon’s advice is not followed. In addition, adverse events may occur if you hire someone who is not an expert in this procedure.
Therefore, presented in the following are the most common side effects that can happen during the facelift procedure:
Hematoma
A hematoma is a blood collection under the skin. It is the most common complication during a facelift. The hematoma forms within 24 hours after the treatment and usually causes pressure and swelling. However, with timely intervention, damage to the surrounding tissue and skin may be prevented.
Scars
When making an incision, the surgeon chooses places that are difficult to notice. The choice of such places is due to the permanence of the scars. Therefore, incision sites such as the hairline and facial contours are chosen in most facelift procedures.
In addition, to reduce the effect of scars, in some cases, corticosteroid-based drugs are also used that may help improve the appearance of scars.
Nerve injury
Although extremely rare, nerve injury may occur during these procedures. These injuries may involve those nerves that innervate muscles or sensations. Usually, this might happen if the surgeon or aesthetician is not well-trained and experienced in doing such procedures.
Nerve injuries can be temporary or permanent. If temporary, these injuries may last up to a year. In such cases, there is an uneven appearance of the face. Moreover, temporary injuries may be addressed with certain operative procedures.
Hair loss
A facelift involves making an incision in the skin near the hairline. Therefore, you may experience temporary or permanent hair loss in those areas. If it is a permanent hair loss, this problem may be solved with surgery where the skin is transplanted with hair follicles.
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Who Is the Ideal Candidate for the Facelift Procedure?
Several signs indicate that you are an ideal candidate for this procedure. A facelift is usually performed on people between 40 and 70, but this procedure may also be performed on people younger than 40 or older than 70.
To determine whether you are an ideal candidate for a facelift, you should consider some factors such as general health, bone structure, and skin elasticity. In general, patients who can undergo a facelift procedure are those with problems such as:
- Loose skin
- Double chin
- Sagging jowls
- Wrinkles
- Sunken cheeks
Remember that you must consult a professional before deciding on such a surgery. The surgeon will perform the necessary examinations and give you an answer as to whether you need a facelift. If you are an ideal candidate, he will explain in detail which type of facelift is intended for you.
Conclusion
Facelift is a very popular procedure that has helped many patients gain their confidence back. If you decide on this treatment, you should be well acquainted with the available facelifts. In addition, you should find a reputable surgeon you can trust.
Talk to him to find out which procedure is right for you. The surgeon will inform you about the course of the procedure and tell you if you are an ideal candidate for a facelift.
Hopefully, you discovered the different types of facelifts and their benefits.
