Facelift Surgery

Facelift surgery can safely be performed in patients of all ages. Patients often come into the office and ask how old or how young does someone have to be to have a rejuvenation procedure performed.

Patients can be almost any age to undergo facial rejuvenation. I have had patients as young as early twenties undergo some sort of rejuvenation to the neck which may involve minor repositioning of the vector of the platysmal muscles.

I have had a patient who was ninety four years old undergo a facelift operation. The funny thing was that she asked me every day post-operatively, “When can I go back to playing racquetball?”

The point is that one can be almost any age to undergo surgery; they need to first have signs of facial aging that can be corrected with one or more methods. The last requirement, but most important, is that they need to be healthy to receive anesthesia and be able to comply with post-operative regimens. Blood pressure should be under control, other medical conditions stabilized, and exercise capacity should be high. Not only do physically fit patients recover well from anesthesia, they also get the best surgical results.

Facelift surgery is very helpful to restore the contour of the face, jowls, and neck. Facelift surgery not only improves facial contour, it also significantly improves the quality of the skin. After the deep plane facelift, the quality of the skin significantly improves both in tone and in texture.

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Facial Rejuvenation in the Male Patient

Facial rejuvenation in the male can be very powerful. There are subtle modifications of the facelift technique when performed in the male to maintain a masculine quality of the face and to also restore youth.

 
Male patients tend to see significant improvements in the lower eyelids following a facelift as now the cheek is restored to it's natural position. The lower eyelid is an important area to improve in facial rejuvenation, as this area can allow the face to appear better rested.


The jawline is also a significant factor for creating a youthful appearance in the male. Great attention should be placed on the neck contour and the position of the neck angle in relation to the thyroid cartilage.


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Blepharoplasty Surgery (Eyelid Surgery)

Q: What is commonly involved in a blepharoplasty procedure?

A: Anesthesia: Upper Blepharoplasty procedures are commonly performed under general anesthesia. I find that patients are often most comfortable under general anesthesia during an eyelid surgery.

The Incision: Incisions are made in pre-existing eyelid creases. Occasionally, if the creases are at different heights, then creases are set to a level close to approximating each other. The incision is then typically closed with sutures, skin adhesives or surgical tape.

After Surgery: Some swelling or bruising may occur, but will subside. The result will be a refreshed, younger looking you.

Q: What is the recovery time for upper blepharoplasty?

A: I typically tell patients that if surgery is done on Friday, they are fine going back to work on Monday...meaning e-mails, cell phone, phone conference meetings, or paperwork. Typically, I prefer if patients wait for a full two weeks before performing any heavy lifting or straining.

Patients are instructed to sleep with the head of their bed elevated for 48 hours to reduce swelling. Bruising can occur and can be visible for anywhere from 3 days to 3 weeks.

There is usually one suture placed on each eyelid that is removed at approximately 5 days following surgery.

All patients are given pain pills such as Percocet or Vicodin. Typically, patients do not complain of any pain following upper eyelid surgery and can easily convert to Tylenol or Motrin within a day or two.

Facelift Surgery and CO2 Laser: A Powerful Combination

 

 



Facelift Surgery is one of the more commonly performed operations for facial rejuvenation. Facelift surgery focuses on improving several signs of aging. When the fractionated CO2 laser is used in combination with a facelift, the results can be quite dramatic.

1.       Of all the areas on the face associated with facial aging, the neck is almost invariably the region that patients would like corrected. As we age, the platysma muscle in the neck becomes more lax. As the muscle becomes more lax, a banding appearance appears on either side of the midline of the neck. One of the most important maneuvers in facelift surgery is to improve the appearance of these bands.

2.       Another common area on the face that patients would like to improve are the jowls. As we age, the cheek tends to fall. As the cheek falls, the skin and subcutaneous tissue tend to hand below the level of the mandible. In the mid-portion of the mandible, the retaining ligaments are loose. This areas tends to lead to an ill-dfined mandibular border.  When a facelift is performed, attention is placed on lifting this area of the cheek so that the border of the mandible can be more readily seen.

 

 



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Facelift Surgery

One of the earliest signs of facial aging is the lower face and neck. Facelift surgery is one of the more common procedures performed in our practice.

Facelift surgery is designed to rejuvenate those areas of the face that have been affected by time. The most common areas that are improved in facelift surgery are the platysmal bands, the jowls, the nasolabial folds, and the area beneath the lower eyelid.

One of the rejuvenating benefits of the facelift is the restoration of volume beneath the lower eyelid. Typically, by lifting the cheek or restoring the volume beneath the lower eyelid, the face takes on a more youthful appearance.


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Male Blepharoplasty Surgery

There are an increasing number of male patients who present to our office who are excellent candiates for upper blepharoplasty surgery. Typically male patients begin to notice that they have developed an obstruction of their visual fields. This often is described as having difficulty seeing when driving out of their peripheral vision, a feeling of heaviness, or feeling tired early at work or in front of the keyboard.

When blepharoplasty surgery is performed for male patients, there are subtle differences in terms of the amount and pattern of skin to be excised as well as the positioning of the eyelid crease. Satisfaction is quite high with male patients who undergo blepharoplasty surgery.

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Blepharoplasty Surgery, Upper Eyelid Surgery

Blepharoplasty is a common procedure among young women. Women typically come into the office in consultation with a complaint that their eyes feel tired or heavy at the end of the day. They often describe a sensation of fullness on the lateral aspect of their upper eyelids that either makes them feel tired or look tired. 

Q: What is commonly involved in a blepharoplasty procedure?

A: Upper blepharoplasty procedures are very common. Blepharoplasty procedures are commonly performed under general anesthesia. I find that patients are often most comfortable under general anesthesia when performing surgery on the eyelids. I find that when the patient is relaxed, the entire surgical experience is much more enjoyable.

Q: What is the recovery time for upper blepharoplasty?

A: I typically tell patients that if surgery is done on Friday, on Monday they are fine going back to work...meaning e-mails, cell phone, phone conference meetings, or paperwork. Typically, I prefer if patients wait for a full two weeks before performing any heavy lifting or straining.

Patients are instructed to sleep with the head of their bed elevated for 48 hours to reduce swelling. Bruising can occur and can be visible for anywhere from 3 days to 3 weeks.

There is usually one suture placed on each eyelid that is removed at approximately 5 days following surgery.

All patients are given pain pills such as Percocet or Vicodin. Typically, patients do not complain of any pain following upper eyelid surgery and can easily convert to Tylenol or Motrin within a day or two.

www.drbriandickinson.com