Types of Face Lifts - Know Your Options
Dr. Otto Placik is a double board-certified plastic surgeon in Chicago who has helped thousands of men and women to rejuvenate, restore, and enhance their body, breasts and face. Recognized as a true artist in the field of plastic surgery, Dr. Placik goes above and beyond in patient care, focusing upon creating a result... more
Is your face showing signs of aging? Then you may want to consider a facelift to reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles to make you look years younger. Some of the problems that a facelift can address are:
- Skin relaxation in the face that causes drooping and sagging.
- Deepening of fold lines between the corners of the mouth and nose.
- Fat that is falling or disappeared, leading to a hollowed-out appearance.
- Jowls in the cheeks and jaw.
- Extra fat and loose skin that can give you a ‘turkey neck’.
But which type of facelift should you get?
Below are the most common types of facelifts and related procedures. Please talk to your board-certified plastic surgeon to find out which may be best for you.
Deep Plane Facelift
The goal of the deep plane facelift is to reduce sagging, loose skin at the base of your cheeks and neck by lifting and enhancing the strength of muscles in that part of the face.
The deep plane procedure involves the surgeon manipulating tissue under the musculoaponeurotic system or SMAS. The surgeon will carefully reposition, reshape, and smooth the SMAS layer to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, so you look younger and fresher.
Mini Facelift
This facelift uses small, hard-to-see incisions below your hairline so the surgeon can carefully tighten and smooth the skin while also taking out extra tissue. The mini facelift is often effective in reducing the jowls or make them entirely disappear.
Jowls usually form on the lower part of the mouth and cheeks because of reduced collagen production as you age.
Mid Facelift
As the name suggests, this procedure involves the middle of the face, especially your cheeks. But unlike cheek implant surgery, there are no implants involved. Instead, your surgeon may remove extra tissue or use existing tissue to bring up the cheeks, reduce sagging, and eliminate wrinkles and fine lines.
Surgeons often recommend the mid facelift for those who don’t have marionette lines or jowls. But you can have this kind of facelift combined with a procedure to eliminate those problems, too.
Cheek Lift
Like the mid facelift, the idea of this procedure is to accentuate your cheekbones and remove fine wrinkles and lines in the middle of the face. In addition, the cheek lift can provide an uplifted appearance if you want to eliminate bags under the eyes.
Jawline Enhancement
Many people show signs of aging in the neckline and jaw area. This jawline procedure involves the removal of fat from the neck with tumescent liposuction. After removing the fat, your surgeon will have enough space to provide contouring and shaping to the jaw to make it smoother.
S-Lift
This procedure is so named because the surgeon makes an incision in the shape of an S on the lower half of your face near the jawline and neck. This lets the surgeon separate the top skin layer from the muscles and tissue underneath.
The purpose of the S-lift is to lift the skin, remove extra fat, and contour the muscles and lower tissues. The result is smoother skin that is free of wrinkles.
Cutaneous Facelift
A cutaneous facelift focuses on the lower portion of your face, including the neck and jaw. Small incisions are made near the ears and jawline.
Next, the surgeon will then separate the top skin layer from the tissue and muscles below. Finally, extra skin is removed and discarded.
Next, the skin that is left is stretched to where the surgeon made the incisions. Then, the incisions are closed with sutures. Stretching the skin resembles ironing clothes - you have tighter skin, and most of the wrinkles are eliminated.
Liquid Facelift
This is the most popular type of facelift that is performed in the United States. The liquid facelift is non-invasive and affordable and uses various dermal fillers, such as Dysport, Botox, or Restylane.
These fillers usually contain hyaluronic acid or collagen, which increases the skin’s production of collagen and skin elasticity.
The liquid facelift doesn’t have the long-term effects of a surgical facelift, but you can expect the results to last at least six months.
Brow Lift
The brows and temples are near each other, so smoothing wrinkles in one part may also benefit other face areas. If you have drooping eyebrows, this may be the procedure you want.
The brow lift isn’t as invasive as an eyebrow lift and is more convenient with less downtime. The surgeon makes a small incision.
Outlook
There are many effective facelift options that can reduce the common signs of aging, such as lines and wrinkles. But the best facelift procedure can vary depending on your body and aesthetic goals.
So, talk to your board-certified plastic surgeon today for a consultation to determine which facelift procedure is best for you.
References
About A Facelift. (n.d.). Accessed at https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/face-lift/about/pac-20394059
Facelift Overview. (n.d.). Accessed at https://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/facelift
What Is A Facelift? (n.d.). Accessed at https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/11023-facelift
Fat Transfer to Face by Dr. Otto Placik. (n.d.). Accessed at https://www.bodysculptor.com/face/fat-transfer/
Facelift Procedure by Dr. Otto Placik. (n.d.). Accessed at https://www.bodysculptor.com/face/facelift-chicago/
