My Take on Facial Rejuvenation

People are living longer, more active lives. The effects of time and sun exposure can take a toll on the skin and facial tissues. We all have observed the manifestations of facial aging and understand it be emotionally challenging. One of the most common remarks we hear from patients is that they “feel much younger than they look.” Still, other patients feel that they look tired and haggard even after a full night’s sleep. They specifically ask to “look refreshed, and not necessarily younger.”

Understanding the concerns of the patient is one of the most important parts of the initial evaluation and education. Loss of skin elasticity, reduced skin collagen and thickness, reduced deep facial volume, and gravity all contribute to the descent of the facial soft tissues. The cheek bones and the cheek fat pads become thinner and also begin to get pulled down, away from the eye sockets, giving the appearance of hollow or aged eyes. The smile lines around the mouth known as nasolabial folds also begin to deepen. Additional loss of volume in the upper face and temples contribute to further sagging and formation of jowls along the jaw line. This “deflation” and drooping of the facial soft tissues produces skin redundancy and heavy wrinkling down to the level of the neck, sometimes significantly changing the natural attractive curvature of the jaw line. All of the above age-related changes can make a person appear tired, unhappy, and even less healthy. A person may appear older than they would like.

If you walked into a plastic surgeons office 20 years ago, most of the discussion would have focused around invasive surgical techniques alone, for the removal excess skin and for pulling and tightening the skin to make them appear smooth. As a result of overly aggressive surgery of the eyes, forehead, and cheeks, people often looked over-pulled and distorted. Many prospective patients today can still clearly recall the overdone look of facelifts of the past and it is no surprise that some of them may be reluctant to consider a facelift for themselves now.

Today, things are dramatically different. We live in a time where many safe and effective treatments are available for improving the way we look. Under the care of an up-to-date, well-trained facial plastic surgeon, you are able to achieve dramatic yet natural looking results using a variety of advanced techniques. Minimally invasive procedures like Botox, facial fillers, fat transfer, and even endoscopic brow lifts and mini facelift allow for low risk and quick recovery times for patients. Modern understanding of face structure and facelift techniques, along with a meaningful appreciation for restoring facial volume allow for reliable and great results. In order to best rejuvenate the face, often a combination of both surgical and nonsurgical procedures are designed to help the patient take control of the aging process so that they can look as good as they feel.

If you are interested in learning more about facial rejuvenation options, please contact our office at 415-702-3000 for a consultation.