Having a facelift is a procedure that is specifically suited to certain needs and concerns, and produces significant results that take off years or even decades from your appearance. But a facelift is not one-size-fits-all, so it's important to get to know your facelift options. Here we've discussed the different facelift procedures with our facial plastic surgeon, Dr. Buonassisi, to define your facelift options and help you decide which route is best for you.
Short Incision Facelift
The short incision facelift refers to the type of incision used in the procedure, which then leaves an applicable scar behind and below the ear. During this procedure, the skin is elevated and the skin around the jawline and neck are tightened significantly. A short incision facelift is ideal for patients who want to be able to wear their hair up without too noticeable a scar, but the tradeoff is that the short incision facelift allows for less neck lifting. This tradeoff is sometimes very acceptable for those who don't need or want as much neck lifting and are experiencing early jowl formation or laxity around the neck area.
Long Incision Facelift
The long incision facelift is a more invasive approach with more significant results, and is ideal for those who areexperiencing age related changes to the lower part of the face with pronounced sagging of the neck area and jawline. With alonger incision that leaves more obvious scarring, the upside is that a greater improvementto the neck area can be achieved than with the short incision facelift. This procedure is often performed with a platysmaplasty, which provides an even greater improvement to the neck area. The procedure is the gold standard in patients who have significant laxity in the skin. The incision extends into the hairline and behind and below the ear, which leaves scarring which is sometimes visible when wearing the hair up.
Combination Facelift
A combination facelift can be applied to either a short or long incision facelift, and simply involves an additional procedure to address another feature of the face which would otherwise not be changed with the facelift procedure itself. Some procedures opted for in a combination facelift include:
- upper and/or lower blepharoplasty, which removes sagging skin and pockets of bulging fat from the eyelids
- browlift, which repositions the eyes for a more youthful and elegant shape
- chin or cheek implants to improve definition and facial structure
Total Facelift
A total faceliftinvolves a treatment plan which leaves the patient with total rejuvenation by combing a lower facelift (either short or long incision facelift) with resurfacing of the skin withneurotoxins (if desired) to smooth out dynamic wrinklesas well as either fat transfer or dermal fillers to add volume to the mid face area.Are you feeling like you are making progress in deciding which facelift option is best for you? Book a complimentary consultation to speak directly to our team of specialists, and ensure you are on the right track.
