The aging face is nuanced and has substantial beauty. However, some of the signs of aging create a sense of dissatisfaction. If you’re beginning to become unhappy with the way your face is aging, you may be considering how you can feel your best even as you get older. A facelift is a great option. In our office near San Jose, we believe that our patients deserve to bolster their self-esteem with procedures that meet their needs. When it comes to plastic surgery, though, we talk a lot about realistic expectations. Here, we discuss what realistic expectations look like when talking about facelift surgery.

What a Facelift Can Do

The purpose of a facelift is to correct a few specific problems that relate to facial aging. These include:

• Jowls
• Loss of muscle tone in the face and upper neck
• Loss of contour along the jawline and chin
• Deep creases around the nose and mouth
• Loss of skin elasticity

Plastic surgeons employ various techniques to achieve outstanding facelift results that look naturally refreshed, not “done.” Dr. Rosenthal’s extensive training and experience in plastic surgery deliver improvements that enhance facial appearance for adults of all ages. Each surgical procedure is carefully planned according to patient needs and desired outcome.

During a facelift, three distinct improvements are made. These include:

• Tightening of the facial muscles in the mid and lower face. The superficial musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS) is a layer of tissue that weakens with age. This tissue is tightened and rearranged during a facelift so that unnecessary tension is not put onto the facial skin.
• Repairing loose skin. After the underlying structural tissue has been elevated and tightened across the mid-face, the skin that has loosened and sagged is carefully tightened over it. Care is taken to avoid overtightening the skin so rejuvenation looks natural.
• Improving facial contours. A facelift focuses on the lower aspects of the face, including the cheeks, which enhances contours along the jawline and upper neck. This may be enhanced further with the use of dermal fillers once full recovery has occurred.

What a Facelift Can’t Do

Facelift surgery is the gold standard technique for visibly reducing the signs of aging. No other treatment can achieve results that last as long as a facelift. However, patients should not expect to look 20 years younger by having a facelift. That’s not the point of plastic surgery. The point is to refresh areas of the body that have been affected by aging. Although a facelift can make a person look several years younger, it does not correct the signs of aging across the entire face. Concerns like drooping eyebrows or fleshy, heavy eyelids require other techniques for correction.

Learn more about how we can help you refresh your look. Call (408) 559-4700 to schedule a visit.