As we age, there are multiple key factors that make us look older. Why, then, should it be that the solution is simply a facelift? It’s not.
Before we discuss the treatment for reversing the signs of aging, let’s discuss the different aspects of how we age.
BONE
Loss of teeth can make the lips look shrunken. The area in the midface, especially at the base of the nose loses bone, causing “laugh lines” to look more prominent. The jawbone loses bone material, reducing the size of the lower face. The forehead, nose, and mouth thus look more pronounced.
FAT
There are several deeper fat compartments of the face; not the kind of fat that makes the face appear round, but DEEP compartments that give the face youth. These are typically located in the midface, around the nose and cheekbones, as well as surrounding the eyes.
MUSCLE
Muscle tone may be lost, causing a flabby or droopy appearance. Around the eyes, the loss of muscle tone leads to more visible conjunctiva, or the pink, inner surface of the lower eyelids. In addition, because your facial muscles have been contracting and making thousands of expressions daily, deeper wrinkles develop. Upper eyelids tend to droop, often obstructing vision, especially peripheral vision.
SKIN
The skin loses its elasticity and collagen, thereby developing wrinkles. In addition, there also may be an increase in the number, size, and color of pigmented spots on the face, which is largely due to sun exposure.
SO HOW SHOULD WE TREAT THESE ISSUES? A COMPONENT FACELIFT
A component facelift begins by tailoring the procedure to each patient. Firstly, reversing changes in bone and fat are treated by injected the patient’s own purified fat into selected areas of the face that have “deflated” over time. This makes a patient’s face appear rounder, fuller, and more youthful.
Changes in fat and muscle are treated by the actual facelift itself, where a vertical resuspension is performed by raising areas of the face that have “fallen.” The neck muscles are tightened to recreate a chiseled appearance, as opposed to the obtuse angle that has developed.
Lastly, diet, sun and other environmental factors take their toll on the skin. This is simply changed by using a fractionated CO2 laser. This resurfacing laser removes the damaged layer of the skin, increases collagen production, and removes variations in pigmentation. In addition, fine lines and wrinkles around the forehead, eyes and mouth are greatly improved – if not eliminated entirely.
If you are considering a facelift, please contact us at the Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery Group for a consultation at (310) 275-6600, and achieve a natural, more youthful appearance! There are several components to aging…make sure that each element is treated!
