Facelift
When you’re young, it’s easy to say that you’ll never get plastic surgery because you plan to take impeccable care of your skin and age gracefully. You avoid the sun, use sunscreen, and find the best skin care regimen on the market that promises to keep you looking young indefinitely. While these are definitely excellent preventative measures to take, over time, you’ll start to notice the beginnings of inevitable changes to your skin that no amount of moisturizers or serums can remedy.
As you age, the production of collagen and elastin, vital building blocks of youthful skin, begins to diminish. Eventually, you realize that your face is starting to show early signs of deepening wrinkles and sagging, because without the essential boost provided by collagen and elastin, it can no longer retain the elasticity, lift and volume inherent in healthy, younger skin.
In your 30s and 40s, most symptoms of aging skin can be addressed using nonsurgical options, including injectable fillers, chemical peels, laser treatments and other non-invasive facial procedures designed to restore volume and smooth skin. However, there comes a time when these nonsurgical options are no longer an effective means for providing you with the results you expect, so it may be time to consider undergoing a surgical facelift, or rhytidectomy.
We understand that the decision to get a facelift is a big one. As a highly trained and experienced board certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Franziska Huettner uses the latest in techniques and technologies to refresh and rejuvenate your appearance, providing you with natural, beautiful results. Gone are the days of looking unnaturally taut or windblown; instead, Dr. Huettner offers several facelift options that can be performed alone or in combination with other aesthetic facial treatments to further enhance your results.
Traditional Facelift
Because the techniques and technologies used in surgical facelifts are always evolving and advancing, a traditional facelift no longer means an overdone or plastic look that was so characteristic of facelifts in the past. Today’s facelifts target excess sagging skin and tissue around your lower face and jaw, and are designed to smooth and lift the skin of your lower face and neck.
Once nonsurgical anti-aging options are no longer doing the trick, a traditional facelift may be the next step. Ideal candidates for a traditional facelift typically have deep creases or furrows and loose skin on their face, or have one or more other age-related issues, including:
Deep nasolabial folds (lines around the nose and mouth) or marionette lines
Loss of volume in areas of your face because of “fallen” or diminished fat
Drooping or sagging skin due to loss of skin tone or redundant tissue
Excess, lax skin on your neck, forming a “turkey wattle” or jowls
You’ll begin by scheduling a consultation with Dr. Huettner, where she will examine your face as well as discuss your aesthetic goals and expectations for your facelift. Depending on your desired results, she will then create an individualized treatment plan designed to address your facial aging concerns and provide you with a superior experience and gorgeous results.
MIMS (Minimally Invasive Mid-Face Suspension) Facelift
One of the most noticeable symptoms of aging you may experience, especially once you reach your 30s is that your skin is becoming laxer, and you’re losing volume in your mid-face. Age, as well as the natural pull of gravity, affects volume in the area under your eyes, making it look shadowed and hollow, the natural fat pads in your cheeks diminish and lose volume, and your nasolabial folds begin to etch themselves deeper into your skin.
These are all issues that affect the mid-face, which describes the portion of your face below your eyes and above your mouth. While a traditional facelift primarily addresses aging in your lower face and neck, a MIMS lift is used to gently correct age-related wrinkles and volume loss in the middle section of your face.
A MIMS lift is a bit different, as it utilizes a suture suspension technique, and minimal incisions. The goal is to lift and refresh the mid-face, restoring lost volume and augmenting the appearance of your cheekbones to give you a more youthful look. A MIMS lift can be combined with nearly any other facial rejuvenation procedure, including a traditional facelift, brow lift or fillers to further enhance your results.
If signs of aging are more severe in your mid-face and milder in your lower face, you may find that a MIMS lift will address all of your concerns; however, all of your options will be discussed as part of your consultation with Dr. Huettner.
Mini Facelift
Many women experience signs of aging that aren’t pronounced enough to merit a full facelift, but that injectable fillers and other facial treatments can no longer adequately address. If so, a mini facelift may be the perfect solution for you.
With a mini facelift, you no longer have to wait until wrinkles and sagging get worse, making you a candidate for a traditional facelift. Mini facelifts can help address specific physical changes that occur as you age, including:
Deep lines or creases that run from the corners of your mouth to your chin, known as “marionette lines”
The early formation of jowls beneath your chin
Minimal excess or loose skin on your neck
A mini facelift is perfect for those looking for a refreshed look, but who may not be a candidate for a full facelift just yet. Mini facelifts leave shorter scars, as there is no need for Dr. Huettner to access or rearrange the deeper tissues of the face.
Recovery & Results
There are few differences in the recovery processes of all of the facelift options we offer. Once your facelift procedure is complete, Dr. Huettner will wrap your face in bandages to help reduce swelling and bruising, as well as to protect your incisions. You will want to rest and limit your activities for the first few days, and you may experience some minor pain or discomfort, but this is easily managed with over-the-counter pain medications. Dr. Huettner will also instruct you to keep your head elevated as much as possible to assist in the healing process. Facelifts typically require about two weeks of downtime for recovery, and once most of the bruising and swelling has dissipated, you will be able to return to work and your other everyday activities. Dr. Huettner will provide you with detailed post-surgery instructions and schedule follow-up appointments to help ensure that your facelift recovery goes smoothly.
Results of your facelift will depend on which type of facelift you select, and it can take anywhere from six months to a year for your final results to be fully visible, once all of the residual swelling has dissipated. The refreshed, more youthful results of your facelift will be lasting; however, it is important to remember that your face will continue to age naturally. Being diligent with your anti-aging skincare regimen and sun protection will enhance and lengthen your results, as will maintaining a healthy lifestyle by staying hydrated, eating well and avoiding smoking.
We are here to help
If you’re tired of the pain and discomfort caused by your breasts and want a change, Dr. Franziska Huettner can help you achieve the shapely, feminine and pain-free breasts you deserve. As a double board-certified surgeon with the credentials and experience to match, her exclusive patients receive highly personalized care and beautiful, artistic results that can only be achieved with skill and finesse.
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