If you’re thinking about getting a facelift, one of your top concerns might be that you still want to look like yourself, not an obviously “done” Hollywood wannabe. But the truth is that thanks to the latest facelift techniques, you can now get a very natural-looking result while still erasing years from your face.
That said, facelifts do still have their limitations. To help you separate fact from fiction, here are a few of the things that this popular procedure can and can’t do for you.
Today’s Facelift CAN Reposition Muscle Tissue
Today’s facelifts offer enhanced results compared to the facelifts of yesteryear for a number of reasons. One notable improvement in modern techniques is that rather than just pulling back and removing excess skin, plastic surgeons are now able to reposition underlying muscle tissue to provide added support and slow the natural aging process.
So what does this mean for you? In the hands of an experienced facelift surgeon, you should see much longer-lasting results and a natural-looking final outcome.
The Modern Facelift CAN Offer More Discreet Scars
Any time an incision is made in your skin, there’s a good chance that a scar will develop. But the good news is that the latest facelift techniques involve discreetly placed incisions that’ll help to make scars smaller and hide them better than in the past.
If scarring is something that you’re worried about, discuss incision placement and technique with your plastic surgeon prior to your facelift. He or she should also be able to provide facelift recovery guidelines to help you minimize scarring even more.
Advanced Facelift Techniques CAN Pass the Street Test
The goal of a facelift is not to look like someone else entirely or to make you look plastic and fake. Actually, the opposite is true. With the help of a skilled plastic surgeon, you can easily pass what’s sometimes called the “street test,” meaning that you can walk down the street after getting a facelift and no one would know you’ve had plastic surgery—they’ll just wonder what you’re doing to look so young and refreshed.
Facelift Surgery CAN Take Years off Your Look
While a modern facelift shouldn’t make you look fake, it can help you look years younger. In fact, studies have shown that a facelift takes an average of seven years off your appearance. The key to maintaining that same youthful look for years to come is to take great care of your skin after your facelift, including staying out of the sun and wearing sunscreen.
Prolong your facelift results by combining healthy lifestyle habits and nonsurgical treatments like dermal fillers and laser treatments.
A Facelift CAN’T Address Brown Spots or Uneven Skin Tone
Although it would be nice to be able to kill two birds with one stone, so to speak, your facelift results can only stretch so far. A facelift can be a great option if you want to address sagging skin and wrinkles in your lower face, chin and neck area, but it’s not going to make brown spots or other pigmentation issues go away. For these, you’ll want to consider non-surgical treatments like chemical peels, laser skin rejuvenation and medical-grade skincare products.
Facelift Surgery CAN’T Address Your Brow Area
One of the most common misconceptions about facelifts is that they can target unwanted wrinkles and loose skin all over your face. But the reality is that facelifts only address the lower half of your face. If you’d also like to address forehead wrinkles or a drooping brow, for instance, you could combine eyelid surgery or a brow lift with your facelift.
Providing patients with plastic surgery and non-surgical treatment options, Dr. Rand uses his medical expertise and aesthetic sensibilities to make a positive impact on the lives of his patients. Dr. Rand is constantly driven by the unique challenges of plastic surgery, a field that seamlessly blends artistry and medical science.
