Facelift surgery remains among the top cosmetic procedures for men and women with over 125,000 facelifts performed last year. Facial rejuvenation from a facelift can remove up to 10-15 years off your appearance and make your entire appearance look healthier.
While this procedure is capable of doing amazing things for your face, it is also beneficial to consider using other complementary procedures to give your facelift an extra boost. Not only can these other options complement your facelift, they may also extend the effects of the procedure and give you an even more rejuvenated appearance.
Fat Transfer
Facial fat grafts are becoming more popular among plastic surgeons and patients each year. The procedure involves harvesting fat cells from the patient, usually from the thighs or buttocks, and then injecting the cells at strategic points around the face. The cells are taken from the patient using liposuction through a very small incision. They are then treated so that only the best and healthiest cells are used in the procedure. Once the cells are ready, they are carefully injected into the face.
Fat transfers are used to combat volume loss around the face and improve the look of wrinkles. They can be placed around the mouth, in the cheeks, under the eyes, and in other areas as needed. The extra fat cells add more volume to the face, which may be beneficial for patients who have a hollow or gaunt appearance due to volume loss. The additional volume gives your face a more youthful appearance, which can be especially effective when combined with a facelift procedure.
Injectables
Wrinkles may be improved with facelift surgery, but the procedure doesn’t always make them look significantly better. This is especially true for deep wrinkles that occur around the forehead, mouth, and eyes. These areas may need extra help because a facelift doesn’t target them.
Injectables like Botox and Dysport contain botulinum toxin, which effectively paralyze the facial muscles. When used correctly and in the right locations, these injectables can paralyze the muscles that create wrinkles through repeated contractions, such as crow’s feet and worry lines. When those muscles can’t contract, the skin will start to smooth out and wrinkles will become less visible.
Fillers
Wrinkles can also be treated with dermal fillers. Dermal fillers are a series of injections that add a synthetic material to the face. There are two major types of fillers used by Dr. Bustillo: hyaluronic acids and calcium hydroxylapatite. Hyaluronic acids, such as Restylane and Juvederm, provide more hydration and structure to the skin that helps smooth out wrinkles and increase the skin’s firmness. Radiesse, which is made of calcium hydroxylapatite, provides extra volume under the skin that makes wrinkles less prominent, much like fat grafting.
Other Lift Procedures
The facelift isn’t the only lift procedure available in facial plastic surgery. A brow lift will smooth out wrinkles that have appeared between the eyebrows and across the forehead. It can also tighten and lift the soft tissue in the forehead to get rid of a tired or angry appearance. An eye lift can do similar effects around the eyes by smoothing out wrinkles at the corners, improving the look of drooping eyelids, and improving the area under the eyes to help your eyes look brighter and younger.
Both of these procedures are excellent complements to facelift surgery and may rejuvenate your face better than just a facelift by itself.
Which Options Are Most Beneficial?
Facial rejuvenation procedures can be combined in different ways to maximize the benefits for each patient. One option isn’t always better than another and not every patient needs the same procedures. People age in different ways depending on their environments, health, and lifestyle habits. Some people have a volume loss problem while others have a problem with skin laxity around their face. Each of these procedures, and others, can be used in tandem with a facelift procedure, but they don’t all have to be used at the same time to give you the best results.
You may not know which procedures will be most beneficial to you, which is why it’s necessary to see a professional facial plastic surgeon to discuss your options.
Facial Rejuvenation Consultations
Dr. Andres Bustillo is a double-board certified facial plastic surgeon who dedicates about half of his practice to facial rejuvenation. He has more than a decade of experience which he also teaches to other plastic surgeons. Dr. Bustillo will use your patient consultation to assess your face and determine which options will provide the greatest benefits to your appearance. He will also discuss the procedures in detail with you and answer any questions you may have about the process.
Getting started on your facial rejuvenation is as easy as picking up the phone. Contact Dr. Bustillo’s office at (305) 663-3380 today to get started on making your appearance look younger and healthier than ever.