What are the objectives of facelift?

The main objective of a facelift is to restore a rested and youthful appearance, without appearing tight. The areas of the face that start showing our age first are the eye lids, the lower face and the neck. Blepharoplasty (eyelid lift) can help the eyelids, while a Rhytidectomy (face lift) can help the lower face and neck.

As we age, we lose fat on the face. This translates into loss of support for the facial skin. The cheeks descend, the jowls enlarge and the neck skin becomes lax. A facelift can raise the cheeks, soften the nasolabial folds (the lines that start alongside the nose and run to the corners of the mouth), reduce the marionette lines (the lines that run from the corners of the mouth down to the jaw) and tighten the neck skin. Sometimes there is added benefit with tightening the underlying muscles too, on the neck this is termed a platysmaplasty.

The secret to a successful facelift is to reduce the skin laxity, without distorting the normal anatomy. Cat eyes and the appearance of standing in a wind tunnel occur when too much tension is placed on the skin. My goal is to make changes that provide aesthetic rejuvenation, significant improvement without the "done " look. After a facelift, you should look like yourself, a more rested, relaxed and younger self.

Joseph A. Mele, III, MD, FACS Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and the American Board of Surgery Walnut Creek, CA (925) 943-6353
www.DrMele.com
www.SanFranciscoPlasticSurgeryBlog.com
www.CirugiaPlasticaSanFrancisco.com
www.SanFranciscoBreast.com