Authors

Article Index
Submission Guidelines
Acceptance Notification

Our Ads

Google Ads

Other Ads

Facelifts, Chin Augmentation, and Cheek Augmentation Can Turn Back The Clock

By: Dave Stringham

As people age, the effects of gravity, exposure to the sun, and the stresses of daily life can be seen in their faces. Deep creases form between the nose and mouth; the jawline grows slack and jowly; folds and fat deposits appear around the neck. These factors can make you look older than you really are.

FACELIFT

A facelift (technically known as rhytidectomy) can't stop this aging process. What it can do is "set back the clock," improving the most visible signs of aging by removing excess fat, tightening underlying muscles, and redraping the skin of your face and neck. A facelift can be done alone, or in conjunction with other procedures such as a forehead lift, eyelid surgery, or nose reshaping. Nothing boosts your confidence like having someone guess your age and miss the mark by as much as ten years. The right face lift procedure will keep them guessing, giving you added confidence in your personal and professional lives.

If you're considering a facelift, this brochure will give you a basic understanding of the procedure when it can help, how it's performed, and what results you can expect. It can't answer all of your questions, since a lot depends on the individual patient and the plastic surgeon. Please ask your surgeon about anything you don't understand.

The best candidate for a facelift surgery is a man or woman whose face and neck have begun to sag, but whose skin still has some elasticity and whose bone structure is strong and well-defined. Most patients are in their forties to sixties, but facelifts can be done successfully on people in their seventies or eighties as well.

A facelift can make you look younger and fresher, and it may enhance your self- confidence in the process. But it can't give you a totally different look, nor can it restore the health and vitality of your youth. Before you decide to have plastic or cosmetic surgery, think carefully about your expectations and discuss them with your your plastic or cosmetic surgeon.

CHIN AND CHEEK AUGMENTATION

Chin augmentation (Genioplasty or Mentoplasty) can strengthen the appearance of a receding chin by increasing its projection. Simultaneously, it can create better harmony between the chin and other facial features for a more balanced profile. Chin augmentation does not affect your bite or jaw function.

There are two techniques for adding prominence and contour to your chin. One, performed through an incision inside the mouth, involves moving the chin bone. The other approach involves inserting an implant. The incision to insert this implant may be made in the mouth or on the underside of the chin, in the latter case, surgery will usually leave a negligible scar. To permit proper healing following chin augmentation, you may be placed on a liquid diet for a day or two. The area may be taped or bandaged.

Similarly, in some cases the cheekbones may be built up (augmented) by placing an implant over them. This is usually performed through an incision within the mouth, but it may be done through a lower eyelid or brow lift incision.

After a chin or cheek augmentation, you will most likely be up and about the same day as surgery and back to work within a week.