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Below is a summary of the most common facial cosmetic surgery procedures. For more information on a specific procedure or to schedule a consultation, please call us and our attentive staff will assist you.
The Thread Lift
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A thread lift is a procedure that attempts to lift sagging areas of the face with barbed threads inserted under the facial skin, where they attach to underlying tissues.
This procedure uses threads made of clear polypropylene, a strong, lightweight plastic similar to fishing wire, with sharp barbs at the ends made to hook or engage facial soft tissue.
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Developed as a short cut or quick fix procedure that is accomplished under local anesthesia, thread lifts have been fraught with problems and complications due to threads pushing through the skin, breaking or being malpositioned. Certain threads were recently taken off the market by the FDA.
Even when perfected, thread lifts produced a very limited, short-term result. Since no incisions are made, no redundant or extra tissue can be removed which causes bunching or pleating of soft tissue around the ears.
This procedure gained early popularity after it was featured on the Today Show. Another reason for its popularity is that it can be done by almost any physician under local anesthesia. Once longer term outcomes and complications became known most highly trained facial plastic surgeons abandoned this technique. |
The Mini Facelift
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A mini facelift is referred to and marketed by many different names including the 'S lift', 'short scar facelift', 'weekend facelift', 'Lifestyle lift' and others. The procedure was developed years ago as a more limited version of a SMAS facelift and is aimed at younger people, in their late 30's to 40's, with more limited aging changes. Over the years subtle variations have been created and marketed as 'new' in order to entice people who are fearful of facelifts or are looking for a less expensive alternative.
Since a minilift is a more limited version of a SMAS facelift, it uses shorter incisions, effects smaller areas and produces a limited, short duration result. Typically it has minimal effect on deeper sagging tissue which creates our prominent nasolabial folds and neck laxity.
Because it often relies on skin pulling and tightening there is a greater chance of producing a tight or plastic appearance. This is especially true when a minilift is done on a person who has greater aging changes, such as jowls or neck changes. Surgeons who try to achieve too much result from a minilift can produce an unnatural appearance with obvious scars because of tension on the skin layer of the face.
Today a deep-plane midface lift is the preferred technique for younger people with more limited aging changes. Since this technique focuses on repositioning the deeper facial tissues there is no excess tightness on the skin, producing consistently natural results. Utilizing shorter incision lines and manipulating smaller areas, recovery is usually quicker.
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Are You a Candidate for a Midfacelift?
The ideal age for a midfacelift candidate depends on the degree of aging changes an individual manifests. Different faces from different families can age at different rates. Most people are in their late 30's to 40's. In general, a person is appropriate for midfacelift when they have changes such as prominent nasolabial folds or jowls but have minimal aging changes in their neck.
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Often a midfacelift will prevent or slow further neck changes from occurring because the deep-plane layer that is repositioned is connected to the muscle layer that becomes loose in our necks. Similar to more complete facelifts, it is common to approach other areas of the face, such as eyes and/or forehead, in conjunction with a midfacelift.
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As we enter our late thirties, our lips begin to shrink slightly. They become thin and pale as we age. Women tend to form vertical lines in the skin above the lip. Lip augmentation is a procedure in which the lips are made fuller and smoother by the insertion of an implant or implant materials. An augmentation may include the entire lip or may be used only on the borders of the lips. In some cases, the augmentation may smooth fine wrinkles around the lips. There are several types of implant materials. Implants may be injectable fillers, which are temporary, or they may be made of solid material, and are permanent.
With the advancement of soft tissue fillers and experience with the problems and limitations with solid implants, lip augmentation is best achieved using fillers.
Often the reason why we perceive are lips shrinking is not a lip problem. As gravity affects the facial soft tissue causing it to sag into a lower position, the lower face becomes wider, square or bottom heavy. Since our lips are part of this region, as our lower face becomes wider at the bottom the lips or mouth appear smaller. Sophisticated facelifts recreate a fuller lip appearance by repositioning the sagging facial tissue back to the cheekbone region, narrowing the bottom part of our face making the lips appear fuller without altering the lips.
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