What is  important to know for a patient who wants a facelift?

Dr. Bucky has extensively researched facial aging and has developed techniques that enhance natural appearances after cosmetic surgery. He says anyone considering a facelift needs to understand how your skin changes with age, and “the keys to an excellent facelift are understanding the [following] three components and treating them individually.”
The first change is a loss of elasticity to the skin. Elasticity problems need to be treated with things that improve elasticity; dermabrasion, peels or lasers.

Volume loss is a Key Problem a facelift needs to address

The second change is a loss of volume or deflation.  Bucky says, “Deflation problems need to be treated with things that improve volume, typically your own fat or sometimes other fillers.”

When deflation happens everything starts to drop and that leads to third change, gravitational descent.  According to Bucky, “Gravitational descent is the third component in aging and needs to be treated with a lifting procedure, some sort of anti-gravity approach.”

Dr. Bucky says, “When all three are performed appropriately, that usually ensures a good aesthetic result.” The final key is a quick and easy recovery.  “When all that is put together, you should come out with a result that looks refreshed, balanced, younger and not surgical.”

Plastic Surgery Channel facial expert Dr. Patrick  Sullivan commented,  “Facelifts when  performed properly can  result in some of the happiest patients;however, when patients are lured into procedures driven by marketing that  do not address all the facial aging components big issues are  often seen.”

As always, interested patients should ensure their surgeon is Board Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery when considering a facelift.

About The Plastic Surgery Channel

The Plastic Surgery Channel is a company devoted exclusively to educational programming about cosmetic and reconstructive surgery. Our goal is to provide credible, up-to-date information to people considering plastic surgery or a cosmetic procedure, as well as coverage of the latest news and hot topics from the field of plastic surgery.

Unlike shows you might see on network or cable television, the programming on The Plastic Surgery Channel does not strive to be sensationalist, focusing solely on extreme cases, nor is it solely devoted to a documentary-style overview of various medical procedures. Rather, we strive to inform — and in some cases entertain — viewers by providing relevant, engaging content that covers all facets of cosmetic and reconstructive surgery. We rely on experienced, board certified leaders in the field as content consultants, and conduct substantive research to verify the accuracy of the articles and videos that we present.

Of course, The Plastic Surgery Channel is not meant to replace the advice of medical professionals. Viewers are reminded to always consult a medical professional before making any decisions about plastic surgery or any other form of surgery.

For more information about our programming and our faculty, please email us at info@theplasticsurgerychannel.com

In another PSC mediawire exclusive Plastic Surgery Channel expert Dr. Paul Lorenc discusses the  “Vampire Facelift.”

Vampire facelift

One of the  newest facial treatment to hit the shelves – the Vampire Facelift. This isn’t really a traditional facelift but is a variation of a dermal filler. It is the latest permutation of new filler which is essentially the patient’s own blood that is used for the treatment. In this procedure, the plasma or a portion of the blood is extracted and drawn out and then processed. The result is plasma with a lot of platelets and this plasma is then injected back into the skin of the patients. This product injected back into the skin stimulates collagen growth in the body.

Is the Vampire Facelift legitimate?

This procedure, however, is in its early stages and hasn’t been tested much. Sometimes, the media gets ahead of itself and publicizes techniques that haven’t been properly researched. At the moment, there isn’t much scientific research on the Vampire Facelift, but it certainly looks like a promising technique that should be investigated.

Dr. Lorenc specializes in facial rejuvenation and continues to be closely involved in research and development of new advances in aesthetic surgery. He is considered a pioneer in the development of the new generation of dermal fillers (including the one touted for vampire facelift) and is a leading authority in facial anatomy.

In today’s media-saturated culture, aging gracefully is a dying art. Women find themselves competing with images of young Hollywood starlets – or even erstwhile starlets who, now in their 40s, 50s and 60s, have undergone artful cosmetic procedures to maintain the image of youth. Consequently, more and more middle aged women – and men, too – are considering a little nip and tuck themselves to stay forever young.

But when a facelift goes wrong — and they often do — the mistakes are very visible. People on the lookout for signs of plastic surgery are familiar with the stretched skin, “cat-like” face that shows evidence of a surgeon’s tampering. And, few would volunteer to have the tightly pulled visage of a Jocelyn Wildenstein or Joan Rivers, or the perpetually surprised demeanor of Sly Stallone.

“There are reasons why these [things] happen, and there’s a way to prevent this from happening,” notes Dr. Daniel Man, a board certified plastic surgeon in Boca Raton, Florida. In his practice, Dr. Man strives to create a natural-looking face through surgery. And what he avoids, most often of all, is giving his patients the “pulled-skin look” that would draw attention to their time under the knife.

During an interview at the 2009 meeting of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Dr. Man explained the common pitfalls of facial plastic surgery, and shared some little-known trade secrets for avoiding them.

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During the typical facelift operation, the patient’s ears are subjected to a lot of tension, which causes some drooping of the ear canal, Dr. Man notes. And as the surgeon adjusts the patient’s facial skin and muscle during the face lift, the altered ear drops down, producing extra skin to deal with and dispose of. Patching the patient back up from this usually means producing the “pulled” look. Signs of surgery are conspicuous, as well.

“If they have a lot more skin to remove, the incision is longer,” he says. “And if it’s longer, it’s visible.”

Dr. Man’s method – published in July 2009 in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal – is to use a surgical technique that slightly elevates the patient’s ear and prevents it from drooping. From there, he uses a bit of the patient’s transplanted fat to build up the mid-facial area.

“So, we do two things,” he explains. “The ear is little higher and there’s more volume. We still do the muscle work, but is there less or more skin? There’s less. And if there’s less skin, the incision is shorter and can be hidden inside the ear.”

Dr. Daniel Man’s result: A facelift that doesn’t so strongly resemble a “lifted” face, and whose surgical evidence is well-concealed. It also offers the patient slim chance of ever being confused with the family cat.

Approved by the FDA in September 2009, Ulthera is sweeping the nation as the newest non-invasive facelift technology.

Ulthera works through focused ultrasound. Focused ultrasound allows doctors to look deep inside the skin and treat areas without surgery. “We can actually see the layers, the skin, the fat, the muscle,” says Dr. Barry DiBernardo. “And then we target the muscle layer that we pull in a face lift, and it locks in on that layers and fires little pulses which tighten and shrink that layer.”

It works the same as a facelift in that when doctors lift the bow, cheek or jowl line, they are targeting the muscle layer under the skin–not the skin itself–and pulling it tight. “[Ulthera] targets that layer which we would otherwise do in a face lift, and tighten it with no downtime, no anesthesia.”  Ultrasound accomplishes the same thing by targeting that muscle but acting through the skin to shrink the muscle and draw it tighter. Article continues below video player.

This procedure works best for patients with the beginning signs of aging, not those who have lots of excess skin and muscle. “Those who are not that bad, who are starting to have loose structures, who have the jawline diminished,” says Dr. DiBernardo. “Those would be very good candidates, and they like the fact that they don’t need surgery.”

Rhytidectomy Procedure

In most cases, facelifts are performed under local anesthesia which leaves the patient awake and relaxed but basically unaware of the pain. Although some surgeons opt for general anesthesia, local anesthesia is preferred. The surgical procedure usually last for several hours and is often performed on an outpatient basis.

During a face lift, skin is lifted from the face and neck and excess tissue and bare muscle are tightened. If fats are exposed, some liposuction would be required. The skin is stretched back across the face and the excess skin is removed. Facelifts are often combined with eyelid surgery or blepharoplasty and other procedures that are typically performed under general anesthesia if the patient chooses.

Rhytidectomy Risks
Complications of a rhytidectomy can involve hematoma, infection, and reactions to anesthesia.  Damage to the facial nerves and necrosis of the skin can also occur, but instances are very rare.  Smokers are strictly advised to stop smoking prior to a face lift, and medications such as aspirin, anti-inflammatory medications and some vitamins can increase the risk of bleeding.

Today, many different face lift techniques exist, and most outcomes are consistently reliable.  Plastic surgeons should be trained in techniques for safely operating on facial skin.