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Many people want their facial appearance to look more youthful and vibrant. It’s one of the reasons that so many celebrities have had facelifts.
However, when you hear the term “facelift,” you may think that the procedure encompasses the entire face — “face” is in the name, after all.
However, this is a common misconception.
In reality, facelift surgery only addresses the lower two-thirds of the face. So, while the lower part of your face will look refreshed and renewed after a facelift, the upper portion will remain untreated.
What Is a Facelift?
A facelift is a cosmetic surgical procedure that addresses sagging and loose skin in the lower portions of the face, which is brought on by age, substantial weight loss, or genetics.
The main areas of correction include the cheeks, jowls, areas around the mouth, chin, and neck.
Since many patients are concerned about fine lines, wrinkles, and sagging tissues that have developed around these areas, facelift surgery is the ideal procedure, and it addresses these issues to give a younger and more refreshed look, which will, in turn, leave patients feeling more confident in the way they look.
The Procedure
A facelift addresses the middle and lower portions of the face, which includes everything from the cheeks to the neck. Depending on the extent of the surgery, either local or general anesthesia is used, so patients won’t feel any pain during the procedure.
After the anesthesia has been administered, incisions are made, starting at the temples and extending down the sides of the face, going behind the ear, and ending in the lower scalp. If the neck needs to be addressed, an extra incision is made under the chin.
The underlying tissues and muscles are tightened, fat is removed and/or redistributed, and the skin is elevated. Once this has been completed, the facial skin is redraped, and any excess skin is removed.
Finally, the incisions are closed, and the patient is ready to begin the recovery process. After a few weeks, the patient will have a rejuvenated lower face.
But what if you want your whole face to look younger?
How to Rejuvenate the Rest of the Face
Since a facelift only focuses on the lower portion of your face, you may want to consider an additional facial procedure to ensure a completely balanced and natural look.
Some of these procedures include:
- Brow lift surgery: to lift sagging brows and eliminate deep creases across the forehead
- Blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery): to address hooded upper eyelids and heavy bags beneath the eyes
- Rhinoplasty (nose surgery): to adjust the nasal structure
Besides having a more evenly contoured face, which makes you look years younger, another benefit of combining procedures is that there is less overall recovery, as your facelift recovery will be happening at the same time as you are recovering from the other procedures.
Once your results settle in, you won’t be able to help smiling at your reflection in the mirror!
Want to Learn More About Rejuvenating Your Entire Face?
If you have any questions about facelift surgery or combining it with other facial procedures, then our board-certified plastic surgeons will be happy to help give you the information you need.
Give us a call at 202-966-9560 or fill out our online form here.
You can also see our facelift transformations by visiting our facelift before and after photo gallery.
