To undergo a facelift is a big deal. The process of surgical facial rejuvenation is both exciting and somewhat intimidating. We understand that and explain to each of our patients what they can expect in terms of their procedure, anesthesia, recovery, and long-term results. Still, it takes a lot for most people to get to that point at which they’re ready to talk to a plastic surgeon about a facelift. They may feel that they aren’t the right age or that their cosmetic concerns are not “bad enough” to seek surgery. Here, we offer a couple of ways to determine if now is your best time for a facelift.

You Don’t Look Like “You” Anymore

We often expect aging to cause wrinkles and creases like crow’s feet and laugh lines or worry lines. What comes as a surprise is how the deflation of fat and deterioration of bone tissue around the eyes affects the entire shape of the face. A young face is wider at the temple area and mid-face. It gradually tapers in from there, ending at the chin, the narrowest point of the face. With the structural changes that occur beneath the skin, this shape becomes inverted. The jawline widens with fatty tissue and starts to sag into jowls. The mid-face starts to look flat. The face, overall, doesn’t look like it used to; which means you don’t look like you used to.

Nonsurgical Treatments No Longer Get Satisfying Results

The strategies that we use to manage aging skin must change periodically. We may begin by using quality cleansers and moisturizers and move into injectable treatments as we begin to see lines and creases. Dermal fillers and Botox are popular for rejuvenating the eye and mid-face area. What patients need to be mindful of is how much improvement these treatments can achieve before they start to make the face look unnatural. There is only so much dermal filler a person can have before their face looks puffy and “done.” A facelift not only repositions your natural tissue where it should be on the mid-face but it also significantly lengthens the results. Surgery makes the face look about ten years younger. A facelift can also be followed up with injectables to gently lift the eyebrows or add a little more contour to the cheeks. However, additional surgery may not be needed in the future.

Do you want to look like yourself again? Contact us at 408-840-2553 to schedule a facelift consultation in our office near San Jose.