Bonus Procedures - Best Treatments to Have with a Facelift

A facelift is able to give a patient a younger look by refreshing the appearance of the face by tightening the skin which reduces the amount of sagging skin on the face. There are multiple variations of a facelift available to patients and the type of facelift that is performed depends on the condition of the skin and the results desired by the patient. While a facelift is able to give the face a refreshed look, there are other cosmetic procedures that can be performed at the same time and assist in rejuvenating the appearance of the patient.

Facelift – Will it be Obvious Multiple Procedures Were Performed?

While patients might be concerned that having multiple treatments at the same time will make it obvious to others that plastic surgery was performed, this is not necessarily the case as having more than one procedure performed at the same time can provide a person with a natural appearance as long as the additional procedures are complimentary to a facelift.

Even though a facelift is an effective way to turn back the clock on the appearance of a person, there are some limitations to the surgery as it is not able to improve the texture of the skin. By having multiple procedures performed at the same time, the doctor is able to address different issues or problem points that a facelift is not able to correct by itself. In addition, having multiple treatments at the same time combines the downtime of the treatments and makes them occur at the same time. This saves the patient the need for taking time off work for a second procedure and recovery period.

Now that the reasons for having multiple procedures at the same time have been explained, here is a look at some of the most popular treatments to combine with a facelift.

Facelift – Popular Cosmetic Procedures to Have at the Same Time

On its own, a CO2 laser can have anywhere from seven to twelve days of downtime, so it is ideal to have the treatment with a facelift, so the two downtime periods occur at the same time. A CO2 laser is able to target and improve irregular skin texture and wrinkles in areas sch as the eyes and mouth. The treatment uses pulses of laser light to resurface the skin by penetrating the surface of the skin so water in the skin cells can absorb the light. Then, the superficial layer of the skin is vaporized while the middle layer of the skin is heated and stimulates the growth of new fibers of collagen. During the healing process, new skin that is smoother will replace the old layers of skin. The laser treatment is able to target specific areas of the skin in a precise manner so the surrounding skin will not be impacted or damaged. A CO2 laser is able to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, improve the look of skin damaged by the sun, tighten the skin, reduce the look of acne scars, and even prevent or treat skin cancers by shrinking and destroying the impacted tissue.

While a facelift is able to tighten skin on the face, it is not able to add additional volume. Fat transfer is when fat is removed from another area on the body of the patient through the use of liposuction. By adding fat back into the face that has been lost as a person ages, the patient will enjoy a fuller and more youthful look. In addition to adding additional volume to the face, fat transfer is able to add growth factors that work to improve the texture of the skin of the patient. While all of the transferred fat will likely not survive the transfer process, there will be enough transferred fat that remains in the targeted area to provide the patient will a plumper and more youthful look.

RF (radiofrequency) microneedling is performed using tiny needles and radiofrequency waves to give the skin a rejuvenated look. The procedure creates a controlled injury to the skin so the damage will stimulate the growth of new skin that is healthy and free of conditions such as wrinkles and acne scars. In addition, it can benefit the area around the eyes by eliminating the appearance of bags under the eyes. RF microneedling is an ideal option to address and improve the texture of the skin.

In order to determine if any of these treatment options would be an ideal addition to a facelift, a patient needs to schedule a consultation appointment with a board-certified plastic surgeon who can examine the current condition of their skin. The doctor will be able to set realistic expectations and let the patient know if they are an ideal candidate for any of the desired additional procedures. The surgeon will also be able to explain the benefits and drawbacks of combining treatments so the patient can make an informed and educated decision about whether or not to have additional procedures performed at the same time as their facelift.

- MA