It’s a very natural thing for people to want to retain a youthful look for as long as possible, and to maintain an attractive appearance as they age. Unfortunately, many people are put off about the possibility of having a facelift because they’ve heard horror stories about celebrity facelifts that went horribly wrong.
While it’s certainly true that not every facelift procedure goes as planned, it’s also true that the vast majority of them do achieve the desired look, and patients are perfectly happy with their new appearance. You can assume that for every extreme facelift you may have noticed, there are tons more that are so natural, you weren’t even aware that any kind of surgical intervention occurred.
This is truer than ever nowadays, because there have been decades of advances in plastic surgery techniques that have made facelifts far more effective and successful than they ever used to be. Nowadays, a facial plastic surgery specialist like the ones you can find in facial plastic surgery institute can make a very natural-looking change to your facial features. So, the short answer to the title question is yes, facelifts can look perfectly natural, and the majority of them do achieve the desired look hoped for by the patient.
Advanced Technologies
The techniques and the technology used in the early days of plastic surgery are now long gone, having been replaced by more knowledgeable surgeons and more precise techniques. A facial plastic surgery specialist doesn’t have to rely anymore on just tightening the skin. Nowadays, it’s possible to use precision sutures that will tighten up underlying connective tissue throughout the facial area and the neck.
These same advances allow surgeons to lift the skin and transfer undesirable fat pockets using strategically placed incisions. These advanced technologies and more experienced surgeons are now capable of working with patients’ facial anatomy to tighten muscles, minimize wrinkles, and develop a more youthful appearance in the face and neck. As a matter of fact, like most areas of healthcare, new and better ways are constantly being researched and pioneered by surgeons, so as to improve the process even more, and deliver even better results.
Who is a good candidate for a facelift?
Some patients have the mistaken notion that facelifts can tighten up the entire facial area, but that isn’t quite true. A facelift is actually a very specialized procedure which normally addresses the lower two-thirds of the facial area, taking in the jaw line and the cheeks. Patients who also wish to address the upper third of the face may need to couple a facelift with an eyelid tuck or a brow lift in order to accomplish all their goals at once.
It’s entirely possible that you might achieve your best results by combining a neck lift with a facelift. Any patient who is experiencing laxity of the facial skin, sagging cheeks or jowls, or wrinkling of the mid-facial area might be a very good candidate for undergoing a facelift.
However, it’s always best to thoroughly discuss your goals and objectives with a plastic surgeon, so that you both have a good understanding of what your desires are, and what you hope to achieve. It’s important that you place realistic goals on the outcome of facelift surgery, so you’re not expecting to instantly become a movie star following surgery.
Types of facelifts
Obviously, all patients are different, and that means any kind of facial rejuvenation they undergo will be totally unique. The process starts with a one-on-one consultation with a plastic surgeon. At this time, all questions should be answered, and the most desirable procedure should be identified. Depending on the patient’s age and their goals and objectives, a surgeon may recommend either a mini facelift, a scar facelift, or a standard facelift.
- Standard facelift – this procedure will generally address sagging cheeks, facial wrinkles, and aging of the jawline. During a standard facelift, incisions will be made along the hairline, under the chin, and under ear contours. Then the skin will get separated from the underlying muscles, and muscles will be tightened to create a firmer skin foundation. Then the skin will be placed back over the underlying tissue and the patient will have a more youthful appearance.
- Mini facelift – patients who have mildly sagging skin or jowls might be a good candidate for a mini facelift. This is somewhat less invasive than a standard facelift, because it requires shorter incisions around the hairline, above the ears, and in some cases around ear creases. Tissues around the cheeks get lifted and tightened so that the skin can be firmer, and so the jowls can be tightened up.
- Short scar facelift – this procedure is generally undertaken as a means of combating early signs of aging. This is a minimally invasive procedure which requires fewer incisions and less downtime than any other type of facelift. It’s usually chosen by patients who are in their late thirties and early forties, because it’s a very effective way of addressing undesirable signs of premature aging.
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