If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. When it comes to facelifts, short procedures, with short incisions and short recoveries, rarely deliver on the promises of the providers that offer them. Avoiding the procedural shortcuts that are so popularly marketed today has allowed me to deliver on my goal of providing long lasting, natural results to my patients. In this article, I hope to explain why I have chosen to perform the procedure the way I do, and why you can expect excellent results.
There are a variety of “less invasive” surgical techniques currently being provided to patients, but slick marketing can lead people down a slippery slope. Who wouldn’t want a shorter scar, shorter anesthesia, shorter recovery and less expensive procedure? But what if the longevity of the result could also be described as short? Or what if it came at the cost of less safety? These minimally invasive and short-scar facelifts are quick and simple for the surgeon, but the shortcuts come at a very high price to the patient in regards to disappointment with the result. Many of these techniques involve tightening the skin only. Skin is a notoriously poor supportive structure as it was designed for protection, not support. Over-tightening skin has created some odd looking individuals! None of us looked stretched or tight when we were young, so there is no reason to believe we would look good now with stretched skin.
Advanced techniques of face lifting provide the most complete, natural, and long-lasting results. These procedures take time, skill, and excellent visualization of the tissues. They involve releasing and properly re-positioning the deeper tissues of the face including connective tissue and muscle, and then gently re-draping the skin without tension. Not all surgeons are created or trained equally. It requires a highly trained, experienced, and adept surgeon to perform this procedure effectively. It is definitely more work, and technically more challenging to do so, but the results are unparalleled.
Specialization in training makes for better results. It is hard to believe, but in Arizona and in many other states, a physician does not have to complete a plastic surgery residency to call themselves a board certified cosmetic surgeon. This huge loophole in scope of practice laws does not bode well for unsuspecting patients. I am board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and a member of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (ASAPS). I also have obtained a certificate of added qualifications in aesthetic surgery from ASAPS. This society publishes the surgical statistics of their member surgeons, and I perform three to four times more facelifts per year than the average member. This large volume of facelift patients has allowed me to continue to improve my skill. For the first eight years of my practice, I performed head and neck microsurgical reconstruction in cancer patients. These difficult cases provided me with a great deal of experience operating on the deeper tissues of the face and undoubtedly made me a more adept facelift surgeon.
My last bit of advice is to seek a surgeon who insists on safety first. A complete medical exam should be completed prior to elective surgery. Also, operating in a certified surgicenter affiliated with a hospital is key. I have board certified anesthesiologists provide anesthesia for my patients so I can concentrate solely on the surgery. I also keep my patients over one night so that they are closely observed and I can examine them the next morning.
Excellent natural results can be obtained from facial rejuvenation surgery, but do your homework and make sure you select a properly trained and experienced plastic surgeon so that you can enjoy your result for years to come.
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