If you’ve been thinking about getting a facelift, you may be finding all the differing information out there overwhelming. Our team at New England Cosmetic Surgery & Laser Center in Weymouth, MA, is here to answer some common questions around this procedure.
What Is the Best Age for a Facelift?
40 to 60 Years Is the Most Common Age Range
If you are 30 years old or younger, you may want to consider other treatment options to address signs of aging. Our practice offers various fillers and laser treatments to suit a variety of needs. If you are 40 years old or older, a facelift could be the right solution for you.
It Works Best When There Are Prominent Signs of Aging
By the time we reach around 40 years old, it’s common to have some signs of aging skin. Skin may begin to sag, which can exaggerate the appearance of wrinkles and folds throughout the face. However, everyone’s skin is unique and everyone ages at their own rate.
With that in mind, rather than focusing on your age, determining when you would like to receive this treatment can be based on other factors. If the appearance of your facial skin is bothering you and other non-surgical treatments aren’t giving you the results they used to, it could be time to consider a facelift.
It Can Address Many Concerns All at Once
A lot of factors can play a role in how our skin ages. Genetics, prolonged sun exposure, stress, and smoking can all leave their mark on our skin. By tightening and smoothing over the skin, this treatment can offer the entire face a more youthful complexion.
Areas of concern that can be improved include:
- Sagging skin throughout the face
- Deep wrinkles or creases around the nose and mouth
- Wrinkles around the mouth and chin
- Double chins
- Jowls
What Are the Different Types of Facelifts?
Traditional Lift
With incision lines well hidden in the hairline and around the folds of the ears, a facelift can be a discreet but truly effective way to battle sagging skin.
It has an overall lifting and smoothing effect throughout the face, and is a great way to address sagging along the neck and jowl as well. We take each patient’s unique needs into consideration and can tailor your treatment to fit your needs.
How Does It Work?
By elevating the skin, we can reposition the underlying tissues and muscle, producing a tightening effect. The goal is to work with the natural contours of your face so it looks like you’ve stepped back in time to a more youthful complexion. The excess skin is redraped and trimmed, and fat can be removed during this process as well.
Can Both Men and Women Receive This Treatment?
This can be an effective treatment for any gender. Men are sometimes concerned about incisions affecting the appearance of their beards, but we place the incisions in such a way as to not disturb your natural beard lines.
Can It Be Combined With Other Treatments?
While this treatment stands very well on its own, it can also be combined with eyelid surgery, nose reshaping, or a forehead lift depending on your goals. Whether you decide to pair it with another treatment or not, our talented team will strive to produce smooth, natural-looking results.
The Anterior Mini-Lift
We offer both traditional and mini-facelift options. If your primary concern is your lower face, an anterior mini-lift could be a good fit for you. It involves an anesthetic injection, which has a numbing effect and helps the skin to gently separate from its underlying tissue. We then will make small incisions along the hairline. We won’t have to shave your hair for this process.
After some gentle pulling, tailoring, and supportive measures, a few fine sutures will be used to close the incisions. The process should be complete in two hours or less.
The Posterior Mini-Lift
This can also be known as a mini-necklift, as it excels in improving the appearance of the neck and jowls. In this case, the anesthetic solution will be injected behind the ears to numb the lower face and neck area.
The incisions will also be located behind the ears and hairline. We will use these small incisions to gently tighten the skin of the jowls and neck before closing them with some fine sutures.
The Extended Mini-Lift
The extended mini-lift combines the benefits of the anterior and posterior options into one treatment.
Benefits of a Mini-Lift
While traditional lifts tend to be better suited for patients ages 40 and above, this treatment can be a good option for patients between 30 to 65 years old.
Receiving a mini-lift won’t prevent you from seeking out a full procedure in the future, which makes it a great option for patients who want to stay on top of the aging process. It can also work as a follow-up if you’ve received a full lift in the past and want to touch up your results.
Ready To Discover Which Option Is Right for You?
If you’re having a hard time deciding which kind of lifting procedure is a good fit for you, our experienced team is ready to help. Whether you are interested in surgical or non-surgical solutions, we’re ready to work with you and find you the right fit. Reach out to us at New England Cosmetic Surgery & Laser Center in Weymouth, MA, today to set up a consultation.
