A Facelift, or rhytidectomy, is a procedure that aims to tighten and smooth the face, giving an overall younger appearance. This is done by tightening the muscular and fascial layers of the face and neck and redraping the skin, removing any excess.
Different regions of the face can be "lifted," such as the forehead, midface (cheek area), lower face (jawline), and neck. These can be done together or individually, with the patient's specific goals in mind.
Many procedures complement well with a facelift, including eyelid surgery, fat grafting, rhinoplasty, and chin augmentation. Suggestions about combining any procedures are strictly aimed to achieve the patient's goals.
A brow lift is a procedure that aims to lift the forehead and temporal region of the face. This typically consists of an incision along the hairline, separating the skin and soft tissue from the bone, and anchoring it at a higher point. This results in a smoother forehead, free of deep wrinkles, and eliminating any brow hooding over the eyes. Ultimately this gives a younger, less "angry" appearance, while also occasionally fixing functional drooping into the field of vision.
Eyelid surgery, known as blepharoplasty, can target the upper or lower eyelids, or both. The goals with upper blepharoplasty are to remove excess skin of the eyelid, and occasionally excess fat. This removes redundancy that bunches when the eyes are open, making the eyes look younger. In certain situations, results can benefit from additional fat grafting when the eyes are deeply sunken in.
With lower blepharoplasty, the main goal is usually to remove "bags" underneath the eyes. These bags occur because fat within the eye socket herniates out. Treatment involves removing the herniated fat and redraping the skin. Occasionally, a small sliver of skin may be removed. An add on in certain situations can be a cathopexy, which involves raising the lateral corner of the eye. This isn't always needed, but can accentuate results when done.
Rhinoplasty, or a nose reshaping surgery, involves various techniques aimed at providing different support and shape to the nasal subunits. Goals are highly variable with nasal surgery and that makes this one of the more diverse surgeries that are done. Depending on the patient's goals, cartilage can be manipulated, removed, or added in an effort to achieve the right functional and cosmetic results.
Chin augmentation is the process of enhancing the size and projection of the chin. This can have a dramatic improvement in the facial appearance, as it can balance a deficiency that ultimately affects multiple proportions in the aesthetics of the face. Typically this will involve inserting an implant that matches with the necessary goals of each patient. It is relatively simple and completely transforms the lower face contour.
Ear reshaping surgery, or otoplasty, is another surgery that can encompass various techniques to achieve changes in the shape and structure of the ear. This can involved pinning ear back further on the head, adjusting ear lobe size, adjusting asymmetries, and more.
Facial fat transfer is typically an underutilized, and unappreciated procedure. The major changes of aging in the face occur from not only "sagging" of the fat, but also atrophy, or fat loss. Fat transfer involves taking fat from any part of the body, purifying it to obtain only the best fat cells, and injecting them into areas to replenish prior loss. The restoration of fat in the face in one of the main ways to contour facial boundaries, provide shape, and fill in deficits. These goals can, in of themselves, provide a dramatically more youthful appearance. The benefit of fat over fillers is that fat lasts indefinitely, while fillers have a time limited efficacy. Facial fat transfer is also a key component of other facial surgeries, including facelifts.
While facial surgery, when done properly, has some of the most dramatic anti-aging results in our field, there are still limits. Fine lines and wrinkles are one of the main limits. Fine wrinkles in the skin are typically unable to be completely eliminated surgically, no matter how tight a lift can be. Instead, the field has developed incredible laser technology and can induce damage in the various layers of skin, allowing your own body to build collagen to repair itself. This process builds the necessary collagen that is able to smooth fine lines. The carbon dioxide (CO2) laser is one of the best technologies for this effect. It can be used independently or in combination with other facial surgery procedures.
Liposuction is a technique that aims to suction out fat in different areas of the body and allow the skin to "snap back" and properly contour the body. It can be done in almost any region of the body, but not everyone is a great candidate. Results can vary based on age, skin quality, history of weight gain or loss, and overall body mass index or body fat percentage. In the best candidates, it can be extensively used to completely change the contour of many parts of the body. In less ideal candidates, it can still be used, but is frequently an adjunct to another procedure to provide optimal results.
Abdominoplasty, also known as a tummy tuck, is a procedure that has several goals. First, excess skin and fat are lifted off the abdominal wall and advanced downward to eliminate any hanging tissue, and tighten and flatten that abdomen. Typically, at least all the skin and soft tissue below the belly button are removed in an ellipse pattern. The belly button is then brought out through a new opening in the skin at the same level as it previously was located. The abdominal muscles are also brought back together and tightened toward the midline to fix a problem called diastasis rectii, which is not uncommon, especially after pregnancy. The overall results are a much later and tighter midsection. Liposuction is frequently added to the flank region and back to further sculpt the waistline and hips.
Gynecomastia surgery involves correcting excessive tissue in the male chest. This can consist of either fatty tissue buildup, fibrous breast tissue, or a combination. Methods to correct this can be with liposuction alone, excision alone, or a combination. Depending on the patient, the technique needed may very.
While facial surgery, when done properly, has some of the most dramatic anti-aging results in our field, there are still limits. Fine lines and wrinkles are one of the main limits. Fine wrinkles in the skin are typically unable to be completely eliminated surgically, no matter how tight a lift can be. Instead, the field has developed incredible laser technology and can induce damage in the various layers of skin, allowing your own body to build collagen to repair itself. This process builds the necessary collagen that is able to smooth fine lines. The carbon dioxide (CO2) laser is one of the best technologies for this effect. It can be used independently or in combination with other facial surgery procedures.
Thighplasty, or a thigh lift, is analogous to a brachioplasty, except targeting excess skin and soft tissue in the thigh. It involves a vertical incision on the inside of the thigh, and frequently an extension into the groin region. This technique allows excess tissue to be removed, but also gives an actual lift of what remains, and there is very typically an element of sagging along the inner thigh. This is a versatile procedure that is fairly desired by patients, but is very common in the massive weight loss patient.
Upper body lift, as it sounds, aims to eliminate "rolls" and redundancy that exists in the upper torso, very typically along the upper back and bra line. This procedure is especially useful for patients where liposuction would give only limited results. There are multiple techniques that can be used, depending on the needs of the patient. In some cases, a full 360 degree incision is needed, while in others, it can be two separate incisions extending along the upper flanks. Regardless of the technique needed, the redundancy is directly excised with the goal of providing a smooth contour along the upper body, free of any rolls. This is also a versatile procedure and especially dramatic in the massive weight loss patient.
Lower body lift is a collection of procedures with the goals of eliminating excess skin and tissue that extends along the lower flanks and back. This is especially useful in patient where an abdominoplasty cannot eliminate all the redundancy of tissue. This is frequently done in the massive weight loss patient. Techniques can involve either extension of a lower pant line incision around the flanks, or a 360 degree incision. It is typically aims at flattening the abdominal region, while lifting the lower back and buttock region, providing a smoother contour around the lower body.
Hand rejuvenation is a somewhat lesser known procedure but can have a profound improvement in the appearance of the aging hand. As we age, we lose fat in our hands, making tendons and blood vessels more prominent and visible through the thin skin. Rejuvenation is done with fat transfer, which involves liposuction of fat from another area of the body, purification of the fat cells, and injection in the dorsum of the hand. By injected small to moderate volumes of fat, the prominent vessels and tendons can be hidden, restoring the youth in the hands.
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Chantale joined Youthful Images in November 2021 as one of our Front Office Coordinators. She started her career as a dedicated Human Resources professional with a passion for fostering a positive work culture and facilitating employee development. After years of experience in HR operations, she took her first steps into the field of aesthetics and has found a new home at Youthful Images. This opened the opportunity to get her foot into the door to learn from an amazing team of highly educated and experienced professionals. Chantale enjoys her work responsibilities as a Front Office Coordinator but the most rewarding part of her job is making patients feel welcomed, have an amazing experience, and seeing and hearing them achieve their aesthetic results.
When Chantale is not at work she loves to garden, ice skate, be active in fitness, practice her French language skills, and travel the world. Last, but not least, she enjoys being a fur mom to her Chihuahua named Coco Bijou.
