Restoring Your Youth With A Facelift

Everybody wants to look their best, but as we get older, it gets more and more difficult to retain the youthful, firm contours we associate with looking good. Sure, there are lots of ways we can pamper our skin and delay the effects of aging. Using sunscreen and moisturizers is one way. Noninvasive and laser-based facial rejuvenation procedures can be helpful too, especially in the early stages of aging, when the most we’re worrying about is really fine lines and maybe a little skin laxity.

But as we get older, the signs of aging become more pronounced, and there’s only so much noninvasive skin treatments can accomplish. At some point, it just makes sense to consider a surgical facelift to help lift sagging tissues and get rid of excess, drooping skin so we can once again enjoy the firmer, uplifted contours of youth.

At Houston Cosmetic Surgery Center, facelift surgery uses advanced techniques to help patients achieve a natural result, minimizing downtime and discomfort while carefully hiding scars so they’re not visible to others. Here’s how facelift surgery “works” — and how to decide if it’s right for you.

FACELIFT: A GOOD NAME FOR A GREAT PROCEDURE

As we age, our skin tends to droop and sag, partly because of gravity, but also because our skin becomes thinner and less elastic as we get older. Decreases in the production of collagen and elastin make it harder for our skin to “bounce back” and stay firm, and years of sun and environmental exposures take their toll too, along with genetic factors. The more our skin sags, the deeper our lines and wrinkles become. Other problems like drooping jowls and cheeks become more obvious. When our lines and wrinkles are very fine, laser resurfacing or other rejuvenation techniques can make them appear less obvious. But as we get older, we need a facelift to address these underlying causes of age-related changes. That’s when a facelift can help.

The term “facelift” is a good description of what actually happens during the surgery. In a facelift procedure, small incisions are made along the sides of your face. Dr. Davila uses special instruments to reach different layers of tissue, gently lifting and repositioning them to reduce the sagging and drooping effects of aging. Once the tissues are repositioned, tiny sutures are used to hold them in place while you heal.

FULL FACELIFT VS. "MINI" FACELIFT

At Houston Cosmetic Surgery Center, Dr. Davila offers two primary approaches to facelift surgery: full facelifts and mini facelifts. Both procedures can help restore a more youthful appearance to the face, but they differ in a couple of key ways:

• A full facelift uses a longer incision that extends from your temples down in front of your ears, then turns to end in the lower scalp behind your earlobes. Dr. Davila uses the incision to access the tissues in your mid-face and lower face regions, gently lifting and repositioning the deeper layers of tissue while removing excess skin and other tissue so your skin is smooth and taut like it was when you were younger.
• In a mini facelift, several small incisions are made around your hairline and ears. Dr. Davila uses those incisions to tighten up the skin and other tissues around your jawline, jowls, and cheeks.

Which approach is right for you? That depends on several factors, including your age, the amount of aging you’re experiencing, your skin’s elasticity, your bone structure, and the results you’re looking for. Dr. Davila will help you decide which option is better for you during your consultation visit.

ARE YOU READY FOR A FACELIFT?

If you’re looking to turn back the hands of time on your facial aging, a facelift procedure at Houston Cosmetic Surgery Center can help you make that wish come true. Dr. Davila is skilled in state-of-the-art techniques and custom approaches that can help you get just the result you’re looking for, without looking “fake” or “obvious.” To learn more about the facelift surgery options that can help you look and feel your best, Contact The Practice today.