FACELIFT

A face lift typically describes a surgical procedure rendered by a plastic surgeon which lifts and tightens the facial tissues which usually includes skin and sometimes involves fat or muscle.

Face lifts are useful for addressing signs of ageing which include:

• Sagging excess skin causing deep folds, eg. Laugh lines, Marionette folds
• Severe jowls causing loss of jawline definition
• “Turkey-Neck” deformity caused by loose skin under the chin
• Brow ptosis causing severe upper eyelid hooding

Not everybody wants or needs a facelift. There are less invasive or even non-surgical alternatives such as:

• Ulthera – USFDA approved ultrasonic device for non-invasive facelifting
• Thermage – USFDA approved radiofrequency device for non-invasive tightening
• UVL – Korean Ultra-V Lift with absorbable PDO (PolyDioxanone) threads
• Silhouette Lift – Silhouette threads (USA) with 3-dimenional cones for anchored lift

These procedures will not give the same strength of result as a full surgical facelift. However, they are suitable for patients who need or want more moderate improvements with less downtime and cost.

There are a vast number of facelifting techniques available with no one solution suitable for every patient. The procedure needs to be customised upon assessment of the individual patient. The more common facelifts I perform are (1) the Deep-Plane sub-SMAS facelift, (2) the MACS mini-facelift or (3) the Endotine facelift. Common small ancillary procedures performed concurrently include Vaser Liposuctionof the lower face and neck, neck muscle (platysma) tightening and eyelid procedures (blepharoplasties). The exact techniques will be decided during the consultation.

A deep-plane facelift classically refers to a facelift which lifts the deeper support layer of the skin, the SMAS and platysma. The advantage of lifting this layer is longevity of result as it is stronger and less prone to stretching under tension. Even when performing a deep-plane lift, the skin will need to be lifted and the excess trimmed.

MACS stands for Minimal Access Cranial Suspension. This version of a facelift involves shorter scars than the Deep-Plane lift. Key stitches are used to lift fat compartments within the face which have sagged with age. Excess skin can be trimmed using this technique which has less downtime than the more aggressive Deep-Plane lift.

The Endotine implants are bio-absorbable devices with patented hooks or “tines” to hold tissue in a lifted more youthful position. These implants effectively distribute the load and enable a stronger fixation. The end-result is a durable, dramatic lift.

Though the swelling persists for a number of weeks, most patients return to work within two weeks.