The three most common types of facelift techniques are a subcutaneous facelift, subcutaneous with fat suspension, and SAMS.

While many people are familiar with the terms mini-facelift, lower facelift, and facelift, what truly defines the type of facelift being performed is the specific technique being used.

Dermal fillers can be used to improve facial aging by filling in lines/folds and restoring volume. This is referred to as a “liquid facelift.”

A liquid facelift can provide satisfactory results, but may be cost prohibitive if a significant amount of filler is needed. The treatment must also be repeated approximately every 6-18 months depending on the filler used.

A liquid facelift can restore lost volume and provide a very subtle lifting effect, along with minimizing folds and lines. It will not address jowling or neck banding. If too much filler is used to try and correct all of the issues, it can back-firreate a puffy appearance.

Will soft tissue fillers or a fat transfer achieve the results I want, or is a face lift necessary?

Determining when the best time is to have a facelift is dependent on how much the signs of facial aging are bothering you. If you find that you avoid looking in the mirror or no longer want to have pictures taken, these are signs it may be time to consider a facelift to restore a more youthful appearance.

We believe earlier prevention is best, because less surgery is needed and results are not as obvious to others. We have a fair number of patients who elect to have facelift surgery in their 40’s when they begin to notice neck banding, nasolabial folds, and jowling. In addition, when less surgery is needed, local anesthesia may be an alternative to general anesthesia.

Although rare, the risks and complications of facelift surgery include:

Bleeding, hematoma, bruising
Infection
Neurological dysfunction (loss of muscle function or sensation), which is usually temporary
Widened or thickened scar
Loss of hair (around the incision site)
Asymmetry (unevenness between two sides)
Skin necrosis (loss of skin from tissue death)

In most cases, the answer is no. Dr. Tristan Huy uses techniques that greatly reduce the chance of visible long-term scarring. While there are rare instances when a patient does not heal well after surgery resulting in less than ideal scarring, the vast majority of patients, both male, and female, have nearly undetectable incisions after several months to one year post-op.

This will depend on two major factors

1) Do you want to completely hide the fact you had facelift surgery?
2) Does your job require strenuous activity?

If you don’t want anyone at work to know you had “work” done, we recommend taking up to four weeks off.

If your job requires strenuous activity, you may need to take 4-6 weeks off unless your job will let you come back with modified work duties until you are fully cleared for physical activity.

Most patients are completely cleared for all physical activity around one month post-surgery. This will vary from patient to patient depending on how the healing process is going.