Despite Derision, Face-lifts Are On The Rise For Beauty Restoration

The facelift, that most visible and popular of plastic surgery procedures, has long been sought by the aging to restore a more youthful appearance, and it has also been the target of derision in many quarters as the most "plastic" of restorative techniques. Even noted comedienne Joan Rivers, whose own high-profile multiple facelifts have been held up as the most insidious example of the cure being worse than the disease, makes fun of herself by quipping that, as a result of plastic surgery, "I can't feel my face."

Of course it is just a joke, but it illustrates the public's obsession with youthfulness and beauty at any cost when a celeb well known for close to 50 years is now more famous for having cosmetic surgery in her 70s.

However, the attention that Rivers and other noted personalities, like reality television star Heidi Montag and her 10-procdeedures-in-one-day, makes it look like the only people who can afford plastic surgery are the rich and famous.

That is not true. New surgical techniques have not only made facelift procedures more affordable, they have also vastly improved recovery times and set a new standard for outcomes that result in patients appearing to shed 10 to 15 years in age without the clichéd pulled-face look.

While Hollywood is, of course, the renowned capital of plastic surgery, for obvious reasons , cosmetic surgeons and many other in major cities and even small town throughout the country are now skilled in the new techniques and busy meeting the demand for facelifts in the marketplace for even everyday people. Indeed, the wider appeal of facelift techniques is recent years, experts say, is the desire for people in their 40s, 50s and 60s to garner a more youthful look as they compete in the job market with the 20-somethings and 30-somethings.

More than 300,000 people year underwent a surgical facelift in the United States in 2007, and the numbers are rising each year, making the facelift the most popular plastic surgery procedure. There are actually two types of facelifts available today, along with related treatments used in concert, offering patients options depending on their age and personal requirements

In a full facelift, called a rhytidectomy, the surgery addresses the lower two thirds of the face, removing lax facial skin, repositioning and reducing underlying excess fat deposits, and tightening underlying muscles and deeper tissues. The results are a more restful, youthful appearance, experts say. New techniques have given the facelift a fresher face, experts say, as the incisions are smaller, more precise and more hidden, and surgeons are focusing on a more natural end-result.

A facelfit is typically performed under local anesthesia or general anesthesia with sedation and depending on the additional procedures performed, may take up to four hours or longer. The traditional facelift incisions begin above the hairline and then extend down in front of the ear and then circle back with the hairline. After the skin is raised from the face, a layer of tissue called the SMAS (superficial musculoaponeurotic system) is exposed, repositioned and/or tightened, the excess skin is removed and the incisions closed with very fine sutures. Small tubes may be placed under the skin behind the ear to drain any blood that may have collected during surgery and the head may be bandaged to minimize bruising and swelling. In A mid-face lift can reshape the face significantly with quicker recovery. Small incisions are made in the hairline above the ear and sometimes inside the mouth. The fat along the cheeks is pulled back and the underlying tissue is tightened, the incisions are then sealed with very fine sutures. This procedure is designed to elevate the descending tissue of the cheek and below the lower eyelid. A less-invasive option is the mini-facelift, sometimes called the weekend facelift because recovery can happen in as little time as a weekend. Some surgeons also employ the Combofeacelift, where a mini surgical procedure is combined with a regimen of injectable fillers tailored to each patient's needs.

Many patients also elect to undergo related procedures at the same time, such as a neck lift, eyelid surgery, brow lift, and dermal fillers like Botox that even out wrinkles.

In recent years the marketplace for surgical facelifts has broadened significantly, offering patients pricing structures to meet any budget and a wider range of options than ever before. Cosmetic surgery is no longer only for the famous and rich.


Copyright (c) 2010 Janet Webb