The facelift, along with the nose job, were the original cosmetic surgeries. The first documented facelift is around 1905 when surgeons figured out that they could make an incision in front of the ear, cut away a bit of skin, and sew it back up to reduce the cheek sagging that is endemic with middle age. By only making a limited incision, the degree of improvement was equally limited.
To make more dramatic improvement, in the 20s surgeons began peeling back the skin, literally lifting the face. This allowed for much more skin to be cut away, but it also created a “tighter” look. There was a time when this was OK; it was obvious the patient had a facelift and there was a certain amount of status attached to that fact.
But in 1976, a surgeon discovered the superficial musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS). This is a thin lining just under the skin that is part of the musculature of the face. The facelift then lifted the skin AND tightened the SMAS beneath. The result diminished the tightness associated with earlier facelifts and created larger improvement in the jawline area.
Today, Dr. Lavey performs facelifts oftentimes delving far more into the deeper layers of the face, making a facelift that is mostly muscular. By working with the underlying muscle and tissue, the process fixes the surface from below.
Facelift techniques
Dr. Lavey uses different techniques depending on the unique situation of the patient. Here are some of the techniques he uses:
- Scars are placed in the scalp, along the crease between the ear and the cheek, on the back of the ear, and in the scalp behind the ear.
- Fat may be reduced with liposuction or increased with fat transplants.
- Cheekbones or the chin may be enhanced with implants or dermal filler injections.
- Skin and fat may be repositioned as one.
- Skin, fat, and muscle (SMAS) may be repositioned and modified.
Beyond surgical methods, Dr. Lavey uses these techniques:
- Intense pulsed light or other skin tightening procedures can be combined with surgery.
- Chemical peels, laser peels, or dermabrasion may be used to smooth acne scars and hard-to-target wrinkles.
- Botox or Dysport may be used to soften muscle contractions that form wrinkles in certain areas.
- Perlane, Restylane, Restylane Silk, Belotero, Juvederm, or Prevelle Silk hyaluronic acid fillers push out wrinkles not addressed with surgery.
- Radiesse, Sculptra, or fat injections can increase cheek volume.
If you want to turn the clock back with a facelift, Dr. Lavey has been performing this surgery for over 30 years. Trust his experience. Call us at 925-820-3633 to schedule your consultation.
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