Facelift: Stop the Moments of Youth

Perhaps no one wants to say goodbye to youth and beauty. Fortunately, plastic surgeons are ready to argue with time: with their help, patients are able to "stop" the aging process, preserve youth and at the same time naturalness. But is it possible to trust someone with your face without fear? How to choose a good clinic and a competent specialist among the abundance of tempting offers?

What is a facelift for?

With age, the appearance and contours of the face change due to natural physiological processes. There are a lot of reasons for this: hormonal imbalance, a slowdown in metabolic processes, a decrease in collagen production, a change in the composition of bone tissue, the loss of fat packets in some places and their appearance in others, where it is undesirable, and so on. As a result, facial tissues lose their volume and elasticity, the skin becomes flabby and loose.

No matter how good care, effective folk methods and cosmetic procedures are used, time will take its toll: all these funds can only affect the surface layers of the skin. Even if it turns out to delay the appearance of superficial wrinkles for a long time, then it will not be possible to stop or completely reverse the processes that occur in deep tissues with the help of all of the above.

On a noteThe emergence of modern techniques has allowed surgical tightening services to once again strengthen their position. According to the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS), today our country is in the TOP 15 countries in the world in terms of the number of plastic surgeries performed. In 2017, the local plastic surgery market reached a record turnover over the past five years, increasing by more than 30%. The demand for aesthetic medicine continues to grow. The third most popular among all types of plastic surgery is the facelift.

Astestimonyfor a facelift, ptosis is the first to appear. This is a prolapse of the soft tissues of the face as a result of a gradual loss of skin elasticity and tone, deterioration of muscle contractility. Ptosis can predominate in a specific part of the face:

• in the lower third of the face- ptosis (drooping) of the tissues of the neck and chin against the background of relaxation and an increase in the area of the skin. This leads to the formation of wrinkles and folds on the neck and to the smoothing of a clear chin-cervical angle;
• in the middle third of the face- nasolabial folds, nasolacrimal grooves, bags under the eyes and sagging cheeks, distorting the oval of the face;
• in the upper third of the face- wrinkles in the forehead, drooping of the outer edges of the eyebrows and corners of the eyes, overhanging of the eyelids, the formation of horizontal wrinkles in the bridge of the nose.

These signs of age-related aging of tissues can be compensated for using various techniques of facial plastic surgery and professional cosmetology. However, when it comes to surgical intervention, it is important not to forget about the other side of the coin - contraindications.

Contraindications:

• malignant neoplasms;
• violation of blood clotting;
• epilepsy and severe psychosomatic illnesses;
• untreated hypertension;
• diseases of internal organs;
• dermatological diseases;
• chronic diseases in the stage of exacerbation;
• pregnancy;
• inflammatory and infectious processes.

On a note

Aging, although not very pleasant, is a natural process in which the natural anthropometric proportions of the face should be preserved, despite the fact that this is accompanied by the appearance of gravitational ptosis, that is, physiological loss of tissue volume and the formation of skin folds and wrinkles. Therefore, from the very beginning of the degenerative process of tissues, it is better to choose more delicate methods of exposure that do not give a pronounced effect of a "tuned" face.

Aesthetic and reconstructive surgery, of course, has gone far in its development and its possibilities are great now. However, you must be aware that after plastic surgery there is a possibility of complications - surgeons are well aware of them and know how to minimize side effects. But some complications can be protracted and even dangerous, which is why it is so important to choose a plastic surgeon with extensive experience and an impeccable reputation.

Here is an overview of the currently most popular methods of face lifting - this will allow you to get an idea of the "arsenal" of modern clinics of aesthetic surgery and cosmetology.

Types of braces

Today, plastic surgery specialists are able to carry out facelift procedures for every taste, because the possibilities of modern medicine allow it. Each technique has its own adherents both among doctors and among patients. Let's take a closer look at how these techniques differ.

Surgical methods of facelift

These techniques allow you to work on the deep tissues of the face, so they can have a lasting effect. The most popular and effective are endoscopic facelift and SMAS-lifting - they are aimed at a comprehensive solution to age-related problems. With their help, the redistribution of the soft tissues of the face and skin tightening are performed.

Circular facelift (complex face and neck correction) -a combined method of surgical rejuvenation, which includes the possibilities of several techniques.

• Indications: loss of tissue volume, "floating" contour, a large amount of excess loose tissue, deep wrinkles and other age-related changes.
• Contraindications: diseases of the cardiovascular, respiratory, endocrine, nervous and other systems, as well as the liver and kidneys, hematological and skin pathologies, inflammatory and infectious processes, pregnancy and lactation - to identify contraindications, it is necessary to conduct laboratory and instrumental studies, consult with a number of specialists. . .
• Injury: high. This is a full-fledged operation, therefore, when choosing this technique, you need to be aware of the severity of the forthcoming intervention.
• Carrying out: With a circular scalpel lifting, long incisions are made, followed by deep tissue modeling, transposition of fat bags and excision of excess skin. The operation is performed under general anesthesia. Subsequently, it is necessary to stay in a hospital (up to two days) and a rehabilitation period for at least one month.
• Result- the most pronounced and long-lasting, when compared with all other techniques. Possible complications are scars, damage to the facial nerve and its branches, and extensive hematomas.
• pros: the most effective procedure for a facelift with an excessive amount of tissue, the ability to correct deficiencies that other methods cannot cope with.
• Minuses: high trauma, relatively serious risk of complications, long rehabilitation period.

Endoscopic facelift -a progressive type of surgical intervention for deep correction of age-related changes using video endoscopic equipment. As you can understand, this method uses an endoscope with a video camera several millimeters in size, which transmits an image magnified many times over to the monitor. So the doctor can clearly see the area of work with the nerve bundles and vessels that are located in it. An endoscopic face and neck lift is performed under general anesthesia. Varieties are endoscopic lifting of the upper, middle or lower third of the face - each of the operations is used depending on which part of the face problems need to be dealt with. It is possible both to work with separate zones, and to combine several types of interventions. With an endoscopic facelift, the blood vessels are little injured and full control over the operation is available, and if all the rules and recommendations are followed, the risk of serious complications is practically excluded. Swelling of the tissues, small bruises and temporary hair loss in the area of the intervention are possible, but over time, the tissues are completely restored.

• Indications: deep wrinkles and creases, consequences of soft tissue sagging, lack of tissue volume due to age-related changes, drooping eyelid, drooping eyebrows and other aesthetic problems.
• Contraindications: oncology, severe chronic diseases in the acute stage, inflammatory skin diseases, infections, skin clotting disorders, pregnancy and lactation.
• Injury: medium. The equipment makes it possible to dispense with large incisions and to control the location of blood vessels and nerves.
• Carrying out the procedure: under general anesthesia, small incisions are made (up to 1. 5 cm), then a deep detachment of the face mask is performed and tissue manipulation is performed under the control of video endoscopic equipment: dissection, tension and fixation of muscles and fat packs. At the end, cosmetic stitches are applied. The stitches are removed in five to seven days, and the patient can return to the usual way of life in two to three weeks.
• Result: the patient looks 10-15 years younger and does not lose his natural individuality - the skin is smoothed, the volume is replenished, but the natural symmetry is preserved. The duration of the effect depends on individual characteristics, the presence of bad habits and behavioral stereotypes, but in general, the result can last up to 20 years. If we talk about possible negative consequences, then everything here is limited to swelling and small bruises.
• Pluseshigh safety and low level of trauma, the possibility of complete control with a video camera, the absence of visible traces of surgery, a pronounced rejuvenating effect.
• Minuses: in the early rehabilitation period, the effect of overcorrection is observed, the technique is poorly suited for patients with a very large excess of skin.

SMAS lifting- an effective method of surgical tightening with modeling of the muscular-aponeurotic layer. Most foreign plastic surgeons believe that the aging process of the middle and lower third of the face is mainly associated with this layer.

• Indications: signs of aging in the form of sagging and losing elasticity of the skin, wrinkles, indistinct facial contours.
• Contraindications: oncology, chronic diseases in the acute stage, blood clotting disorders, pregnancy.
• Carrying out the procedure: during the operation, after excision of the excess, the skin is tightened, the muscle tissue is moved and fixed. The operation takes several hours, after which a recovery period is required, which takes about a month.
• Resultpersistent, lasts up to eight years, but not as pronounced as with endoscopic lifting. Possible complications include nerve damage, hematomas, and edema.
• prosmethods: noticeable lifting effect, elimination of excess skin.
• Minuses: the risk of complications, the presence of scars around the auricle (in front of and behind the ears).

Non-surgical skin tightening

This is a group of techniques, the use of which allows you to obtain a lifting effect without significant damage to the skin. Such approaches have earned their popularity due to the possibility of performing a facelift procedure without surgery, that is, in a more gentle way with a minimum rehabilitation period. Unfortunately, this inevitably affects the severity and duration of the effect.

Hardware cosmetologyincludes techniques using ultrasonic, radio wave or laser lifting effects on tissues without violating their integrity.

• Indications: wrinkles, loss of skin firmness and clear contour.
• Contraindications: oncology, chronic diseases, inflammatory skin diseases, pregnancy.
• Injury: absent or almost absent.
• Carrying out: during the procedure, the impact on the problem area with special equipment is performed, In this case, there is no need to use general anesthesia and in a long rehabilitation period. The patient can immediately return to their business, it is only required to follow the doctor's recommendations. With some procedures, just a few sessions are enough, while others require a course of procedures.
• Result: restoring firmness and turgor, smoothing wrinkles, stimulating the natural production of collagen and elastin. The result is less lasting than after surgical tightening, and strongly depends both on the characteristics of the patient's body and directly on the specifics of the chosen technique. Usually the effect lasts for two to three years.
• pros- visible effect without trauma, absence of painful sensations and the need for long-term rehabilitation, skin tightening.
• Minuses- the inability to eliminate many of the expressed problems of aging, less noticeable and lasting result, the need to repeat the course.

Injections -the introduction of fillers based on hyaluronic acid, collagen or botulinum toxin to combat age-related changes.

• Indications: wrinkles, lack of volume.
• Contraindications: severe chronic diseases in the stage of exacerbation, skin diseases, violation of the integrity of the skin, blood clotting disorders, individual drug intolerance, pregnancy and lactation.
• Injury: The contour plasty procedure is considered to be less traumatic, but there is a risk of damage to blood vessels and nerves with a needle.
• Carrying out: The procedure usually takes less than an hour to complete. Only application anesthesia can be used, after which the drug is injected into the problem area with a needle or cannula. With the help of a filler, you can eliminate nasolacrimal grooves, nasolabial folds, correct the lack of volume in the middle and lower third of the face. Botulinum toxin is injected only into the muscles - to relieve hypertonicity and then smooth out wrinkles. Also in this way it is quite possible to "raise" the lowered corners of the mouth. After the procedure, the patient can return to normal business and do them, following the doctor's recommendations.
• Result: procedures allow you to replenish the volume and eliminate wrinkles, but the result depends on the characteristics of the patient's body and the choice of the drug. The effect can last for three-six months to one year or one and a half years.
• pros: low trauma, the ability to correct the result if it turned out to be unsatisfactory, no need for rehabilitation and the use of general anesthesia.
• Minuses: short-term result, need for repetition, visual elimination of only superficial imperfections.

The cost of facial rejuvenation procedures: can't you buy youth?

When choosing a clinic, it is worth remembering the well-known phrase: "You get what you pay for. "Any type of facelift is a procedure that requires modern equipment, high-quality medications and anesthesia, providing the patient with special conditions of stay, and most importantly, a high qualification of the surgeon. If the price for this kind of service is suspiciously low, it means that some of these points (or all at once) are not respected, and perhaps the clinic does not have a license at all. But the beauty and health of facial skin is not something that you can save on. The public knows a huge number of stories about patients who, once deciding to save money, were later forced to spend much larger amounts not only on correcting the consequences of an unsuccessful operation regarding the aesthetic side, but also on restoring their health.

On average, the price for a deep surgical facelift of two areas of the face starts from a rather impressive amount; if you need to perform more serious manipulations with a combination of techniques, you will have to spend even more. The exact cost can be found out only at the consultation, since the scope of the intervention depends on the individual characteristics of the patient. We are talking about the age, quality of the skin, the volume of unwanted tissues, the type of structure of the face, as well as the wishes of the person himself, and much more.

Hardware (ultrasonic) SMAS facelift is not too cheap, the price is largely influenced by the number of lines. The cost of contouring with fillers depends on the drug and the required volume of administration.

Technologies allowing to return youth are constantly being improved, more and more expanding the possibilities of modern aesthetic medicine. Today, plastic surgeons are able to eliminate almost any manifestation of age-related changes, and after the introduction of endoscopic technology, it also became possible to minimize the trauma of operations. So the use of modern equipment, an individual approach and the use of advanced techniques are all that people who want to look rejuvenated can count on.

Where can I go for the procedure?

Recommendations for choosing a center of aesthetic medicine and a specialist are given by an expert - plastic surgeon:

"Since plastic surgery and cosmetology gained wide popularity, a large number of specialized clinics have appeared on the market. Unfortunately, some of these institutions do not meet high standards for the provision of medical services and employ unscrupulous specialists. Such clinics are not only not interested in successfully resolving the patient's problem, but also simply do not have the resources necessary for high-quality work.

In order to find a high-class doctor and a comfortable clinic, it is necessary to study as much information as possible about the specialists and the institution itself. First of all, do not hesitate to ask for a license for the right to carry out medical activities, certificates, diplomas of doctors . . . Moreover, all these documents should be publicly available on the site. It is necessary that the license reflects compliance with the requirements of the Procedure for the provision of medical care in the "Plastic Surgery" profile, approved by the order of the Ministry of Health. You should also pay attention to the documents confirming the current certification of the surgeon. It is worth finding out what the status of the clinic is, whether it has a sufficient level of funding to acquire high-quality equipment, and whether the medical institution has experience in performing the necessary procedures and photos of illustrative examples. It is desirable that the institution has been functioning for more than a year: if the history of the clinic is long, then this suggests that patients (and regulatory authorities) have already formed a trusting attitude towards this medical institution.

An important selection criterion is a wide range of services provided and an integrated approach to solving the patient's aesthetic problems in one place: from diagnostic measures to plastic surgery and professional cosmetology.