Facial Plastic Surgery Explained

As a person gets older, the face begins to show signs of aging including wrinkles, fine lines and sagging skin. Patients that want to achieve a more youthful and rejuvenated look to the face have multiple options available to them in order to gain the look they desire. Before the final decision is made about having a facial rejuvenation treatment, it is important to understand the best different facial plastic surgery choices and how each option benefits the appearance of a person.

Facial Plastic Surgery Options

Some of the most popular options that provide a more youthful and rejuvenated look to the face include:

• A traditional facelift, AKA rhytidectomy, is an invasive surgical procedure that is performed to reduce visible signs of aging that are easily seen on the face or the neck. During a facelift, the surgeon lifts and tightens the targeted underlying muscles in order to give the structure of the face an improved contour. The surgeon will also remove any excess fat and skin that is contributing to an older or tired look to the face. In general, a traditional facelift is performed to address issues such as sagging cheeks, lines and wrinkles below the eyes/around the mouth and any excess fat and skin located around the jowls. During the procedure, an incision is made so the surgeon can separate the skin from the deeper tissues in the targeted area. The doctor will remove excess fat, tighten facial muscles and trim excess facial skin. Once the desired changes are made, the facial skin is redraped on the face by the surgeon so the healing process can begin.
• Blepharoplasty is the correction of any defects or disfigurations located on the eyelids. Some of the most common eyelid surgery treatments include the removal of excess skin and fat that is blocking or reducing the vision of a patient and the reduction or removal of bags under the eyes. Upper eyelid surgery creates incisions in the natural upper eyelid creases to remove excess skin that is causing vision impairment. Lower eyelid surgery makes incision below the lower eyelashes to remove fat deposits under the eyes and to reduce any puffy or swelling appearance that might be present in the area.
• While rhinoplasty, AKA a nose job, is not often thought of as facial plastic surgery, it does make an impact on the appearance of the face. Rhinoplasty is performed to alter and/or enhance the size, shape or look of the nose.  Changes can also be made to improve the ability of the patient to breathe on a daily basis. The surgeon can make changes to the skin, bone or cartilage of the nose to achieve a different size and give it a straighter look. If the incisions are made on the outside of the nose, it is known as open rhinoplasty. If the incisions are placed on the inside of the nose, the procedure is known as closed rhinoplasty.

Facial Plastic Surgery Risks

While facial plastic surgery turns back the clock on the appearance of a patient, there are some risks patients need to know about in advance:

• Bleeding
• Infection
• Blood Clot
• Nerve Damage
• Numbness
• Scarring
• Swelling
• Bruising
• Skin Discoloration

Caring for the Skin after Facial Plastic Surgery

Once patients have facial plastic surgery, there are certain steps they should take to maintain the results over a long period of time. The top four tips for proper skincare after facial plastic surgery include:

1. Wearing sunscreen on a daily basis
2. Maintaining an ideal weight
3. Stop smoking and start practicing a healthy lifestyle
4. Reduce the amount of stress and anxiety experienced each day

Facial Plastic Surgery Consultation Appointment

The first step in the facial plastic surgery process is scheduling a consultation appointment with a board-certified surgeon that is experienced in performing facial rejuvenation procedures that provide a more youthful appearance. The doctor will examine the skin of the patient in order to determine its current condition as well as assess the number of changes that can be made to the targeted area of the face.

The doctor will also discuss the reasons why the patient wants to make changes to the face through facial plastic surgery. It is important for the surgeon to make the patient wants to make the changes for their own self-image and self-confidence and not to make someone else happy by changing the desired alterations.

It should be noted that the changes made by facial plastic surgery will only impact the outer appearance of the face. The treatments listed above are not permanent solutions to stopping the aging process. Patients need to have an honest and serious discussion with their doctor of choice in order to make sure that the procedure they want to undergo is the ideal choice to gain the look they want to show to the public.

- MA