Facelifts – Dr Bill Lyon

Facelift surgery can dramatically improve the appearance of the face and neck when one or more of these conditions are present: Loose, sagging tissues of the mid-face, deep folds of loose skin at the sides of the nose and mouth, jowls or loss of definition of the jaw line, and excess fat or loose skin causing loss of definition and “hanging” of the tissues in the neck area.  A facelift is sometimes combined with procedures for simultaneous correction of such areas as forehead, eyelid or chin, to produce a balanced, more youthful appearance for the entire face.

Due to gravity and flat deflation, muscles and tissues in the face can descent resulting in a worn-out and aged appearance. Lower face lift can help with loose, drooping muscle, tissue and skin in the cheeks, neck and jaw line areas.

The main goal of eyelid surgery or blepharoplasty is to eliminate excess fat, skin, and muscle from lower and upper lids which can help the patient have a refreshed appearance and younger firmer area around the eye. Your doctor may also suggest a forehead lift to help correct a drooping brow, smooth the forehead, and also eliminate lines or wrinkles in the eye area.

This procedure’s main goal is to elevate the cheeks. It’s very powerful as it transforms the shape of the face from age deflation to arched youth. As we age we lose facial fat and mid facial curves are naturally one of the features of a young face. Ignoring the cheek lift will result in a less natural look.

A forehead or brow lift can help reverse the effects of gravity and tighten the forehead soft tissues to restore a younger contour to the skin in the forehead, eyebrows and upper eyelids. You should consider a forehead lift if you have creases across your forehead, frown lines between the eyebrows or excess skin over your eyes.

The neck is generally one of the first places that show the signs of aging. Sun damage and losing a lot of weight can also contribute to skin deterioration and the skin on the neck looking aged, sagging, and loose. Neck lift surgery can help you when your skin has lost its natural elasticity or there is any extra fat or skin that you wish to remove.

Brow lift repositions the eyebrows to give the eyes a fresher, more open and more youthful look. At the same time, it can correct wrinkles between the eyes, reduce the appearance of heavy eyelids, and can often create a more pleasing shape and arch to the brows themselves. Wrinkling above and between the brows can be caused by your personal pattern of facial expression (example, frequent frowning). Such patterns are almost impossible to change voluntarily.

If you have marked wrinkling between the eyes due to this type of excessive activity of the muscles of expression, this muscle activity can be reduced during your brow lift. Normal facial expression and adequate brow movements are preserved.

This procedure can vary depending on the area that needs improvement. In general, ear incisions will have a post exterior side. You won’t be able to tell a person underwent ear surgery since incisions are unnoticeable. On the case of serious birth defects, complete ear reconstruction may be necessary. Local anesthesia with sedatives is generally used in this type of procedure. Children will need general anesthesia. Surgical and non-surgical techniques are employed and they may be combined to achieve optimal results.

The primary deformity in most patients seeking genioplasty is a small, weak or receded chin.  A “receded” chin can give the face a convex profile from the side.  From the frontal view a weak chin can create the illusion of a large nose.

A genioplasty can be performed using an implant or using the existing chin bone.  Chin implants are made of silicone or high density porous polyethylene.  They are placed on top of the chin bone between the bone and the overlying soft tissue.   An osseous (bone) genioplasty or “sliding genioplasty” uses the patient’s existing chin bone.  A sliding genioplasty is done by accessing the chin bone through an incision inside the mouth.  The bone is then cut horizontally below the teeth and slid forward and/or downward into the desired location and held there with a plate and screws.