Facelift Alternatives: Take Your Pick

A facelift is a surgical procedure performed by a cosmetic surgeon in order to uplift a person's facial region. The main portion of the face that is addressed by a classic facelift is the lower three-quarters of the face. If the jowls and lower region of the face are the main areas that are sagging and needing a bit of tightening up, then this procedure may be the correct option. If wrinkled skin, drooping tissue around the eyes, forehead and brow area are the areas that need to be addressed, another alternative might be a better choice.

During a traditional facelift, a cosmetic surgeon will make incisions behind the ears and in the hairline in order to cut away excess skin. He or she would then pull up and stitch the face into a tauter appearance. The scars remain fairly well hidden since they are placed in the hair growing regions. This procedure takes from three to five hours to perform and usually requires an overnight hospital stay. General anesthesia or a local with a sedative will be necessary in order to keep the patient pain-free during the procedure. There will be swelling, bruising and tightness initially, but all should subside within a few weeks.

Other options for a younger looking facial area include skin resurfacing techniques that would give a fresh and wrinkle free look. Dermabrasion and microdermabrasion are two techniques performed by either a cosmetic surgeon or dermatologist in order to plane away the top layer of wrinkled skin. When healing occurs, a new layer will grow in that will be tighter and less damaged. Laser resurfacing and chemical peels will perform the same type of service but with different tools.

In a laser or chemical resurfacing treatment, the top layer of damaged skin is burned off, rather than being sanded away with an abrasive rotary tool as in the dermabrasion methods.

Dermatological fillers may also be used in order to plump up facial regions that need a bit of rejuvenation. The fillers may be made from either natural or chemical substances. Botox acts as a muscle relaxing aid in the facial region, which eliminates wrinkles, as well.

If the upper region of the face is sagging, a brow lift or eyelid surgery may do the trick. These two procedures would also be performed in a hospital setting by a reputable plastic surgeon. There are times when both a facelift and a brow lift or eyelid surgery may be performed simultaneously.

Facial liposuction is yet another option for sculpting the face free of protruding jowls, neck and jawline. It may be used as a lone procedure or in conjunction with some of the other options.

If you are thinking of having either a facelift performed or one of the alternatives, it would be wise to make an appointment with a reputable cosmetic surgeon to discuss your options.