Modern surgical procedures can truly make a positive difference in your appearance. Skin repositioning has become quite an art form, and the results of skin tightening via ablation and redraping of the skin last for years. Various cosmetic skin-smoothing techniques are in use today, and below we’ll describe some of them in detail. A facial cosmetic surgeon can map the facial features, design a customized procedure, and take years off your appearance.
Our Dallas location is easily accessible, and we invite you to contact us to schedule a one-on-one consultation so that we can discuss your facial skin concerns. We are skilled skin surgeons and are ready to help you achieve the more youthful appearance you desire. Our lift procedures include facial skin tightening, neck skin smoothing, correction of eyelid droop, and forehead skin smoothing.
Who Are Our Clientele?
Most individuals who consider surgical skin correction from a cosmetic surgeon are in their mid-40s or older. They have been somewhat successful in keeping their skin smooth and supple via simple, non-invasive procedures. Eventually, however, their facial skin, neck skin, or eyelids begin to show visible signs of aging. Fat buildup beneath the skin layers, weakening of muscle tissue, and environmental factors all play a role in the development of wrinkles, creases, folds, and skin brittleness.
A more permanent solution is now the desire of these individuals. They want to regain the smooth, taut, and wrinkle-free skin they enjoyed when they were younger. Cosmetic skin surgery can accomplish just that, and the results nearly always meet or exceed the expectations of the client.
If you’re concerned about the increasing prominence of facial wrinkles, folds, and creases, or if you’ve had enough of that tired look brought about by drooping and sagging eyelids, a cosmetic surgeon in Dallas is the right person to visit.
Types of Cosmetic Skin Surgeries
A facial cosmetic surgeon has plenty of tools with which to work. Achieving a smoother, wrinkle-free skin surface is easier than you might think.
- A facelift, also known as a rhytidectomy, corrects skin sag and wrinkling on the lower one-half of the face. Jowls that form from fat buildup along the jawline can be eliminated, and nasolabial folds can be made far less prominent. A facelift also smoothes away non-set wrinkles on the cheeks. The surgery is customized per individual, meaning that the procedure is designed to create a more pleasing overall appearance based on the current shape of the face and the bone structure of the front of the skull.
- A neck lift corrects wrinkling and banding on the upper one-half of the neck. The procedure is similar to a facelift, but the incisions are made in areas lower than the ears. A neck lift won’t eliminate extensive fat buildup that causes a turkey wattle, but the procedure can be combined with localized liposuction or other means of fat removal.
- An eyelid lift, also known as blepharoplasty, corrects sagging and drooping of the upper and lower eyelids. It helps bring about a more attentive, healthy appearance to the eyes, and for that matter, the entire face.
- A brow lift, also known as a forehead lift, raises the skin on the forehead. This eliminates horizontal banding and creases, and it also raises the level of the eyebrows for a more youthful, attentive posture.
Performing a Facelift
When we consult with you, we will examine your facial skin in detail. We’ll note the skin thickness and the degree to which folds and creases are changing the contours of the skin surface. We’ll design a surgical procedure and set a date for the surgery.
We administer a general sedative before making incisions. A traditional facelift is performed by making a long cut that starts near the base of the ear and extending up to and across the frontal hairline. We then lift the skin away from the subcutaneous tissues and use special instruments to remove or reposition fat and muscle tissue. We then drape the skin back into place and pull it upward to meet the incision line.
There will now be a small overlap because the skin has been tightened. We cut away this strip and close the incision with staples, sutures, or skin glue. We can perform this procedure on both sides of the face in about two or three hours.
Recovery is quite swift. The client wears bandages for a week or so and must change them daily. Sutures, if not of the dissolving kind, are removed about 10 days later during a follow-up visit.
The results are quite dramatic. The contours are more pleasing, most of the wrinkling has been eliminated, and banding is gone. Results of a facelift can last for up to eight years or more.
Neck Lift Surgery
A facial cosmetic surgeon performs a neck lift in much the same way as a facelift procedure. The incision is made below the ear and extends around behind it. When we consult with the client who desires smoother, wrinkle-free neck skin, we design the procedure based on the current appearance of the skin and how loose it is.
The skin is pulled upward toward the incision line. This smoothes away wrinkles on the upper portion of the neck. It also raises the skin near the jawline and lessens the degree of folding along the jaw. We can insert special tools through the cut to reposition fat or muscle tissue. Recovery from a neck lift procedure takes about 10 days, but the at-home care the client performs daily is very simple. It’s mostly just cleaning the skin and replacing bandages. Both facelift and neck lift procedures require the taking of antibiotics during the recovery period.
Eyelid Lift (Blepharoplasty)
This is a specialized cosmetic procedure designed to improve the appearance of the lid skin. The upper lid can sag or appear puffy because of fat buildup or a weakening of the muscles that control blinking. The lower lid can also sag, and this lowers the position of the lashes, makes the area look dark and menacing via a shadowing effect, and can result in too much of the eyeball white becoming visible.
To correct sagging of the upper eyelid, the cosmetic surgeon makes two cuts that are nearly parallel to one another but meet on either end. This strip of eyelid skin is removed. Some fat is dug out using a tiny scalpel instrument. The skin is then pulled upward to meet the incision line. This smoothes the surface and also raises the level of the lashes just a bit. The incision is closed with skin glue.
The lower lid is treated by making a single cut just beneath the lash line. Fat is removed, the skin is pulled upward, a strip of it is removed, and the incision closed. The incision will scar a bit as it heals, but this scar line won’t be visible because the cut is made along the natural crease line.
In some cases, the facial cosmetic surgeon will choose to perform a transconjunctival procedure. The incision is made on the inside of the eyelid. This is the method preferred if only localized pockets of fat need to be removed from beneath the lid skin.
Recovery from blepharoplasty takes about 10 days. The client wears bandages and changes them daily. Special eye drops are prescribed. The final result of this surgery is an attentive, youthful look, and the result can last for more than five years.
Brow Lift Procedure
This is performed to correct sagging and banding of the forehead skin. It’s much like a facelift procedure. A cut is made along or just behind the frontal hairline. The skin is pulled away at the incision line, and a special tool is used to remove fat and reposition muscle tissue.
The skin is then pulled upward to the incision line, the excess strip is cut away, and the incision closed with sutures or skin glue. The result is smoother skin on the forehead and an elimination of horizontal wrinkling. The brows are also lifted, and this helps to create a more attentive, healthy posture.
Specialized Cosmetic Facial Procedures
During the consultation and examination, we may suggest combining two of these treatments. For example, the entire face may need smoothing, and the eyes may need attention as well. We can perform a facelift and an eyelid lift as a single procedure. We can also address localized wrinkling or creasing of the facial skin by performing what is known as a minilift or limited incision lift. We make a couple of smaller incisions near the front of the ear and use a camera scope and scalpels to get at the fat and muscle tissue. This is a popular alternative to a traditional facelift and requires a much shorter period for recovery afterwards.
The facial cosmetic surgeon often recommends combining skin ablation and repositioning with the use of dermal fillers. Small areas of the skin surface may look better if they are plumped a bit, and this is what filler gels can accomplish. During the consultation, we will suggest this type of treatment in addition to the surgical procedure if we feel it will benefit the client.
Some Important Information
Having realistic goals will help you decide if one of these procedures is the right choice for the improvement of your skin’s appearance. Remember that these are cosmetic surgical procedures, and they don’t treat medical conditions. However, when you see the before-and-after photos of some of our clients, you’ll get a good feel for what a facelift or other skin lifting procedure can accomplish and what cannot be achieved.
You’ll have to prepare for the surgical procedure by taking care of your skin in the days leading up to the surgery and abstaining from certain medications. When we schedule a date for surgery, we’ll give you an information packet that describes the steps you need to take. You’ll be under the effects of the anesthetics after surgery, so you can’t drive yourself home. You won’t be able to expose the skin to direct sunlight during the healing process. It takes a while for the skin to bond once more to the subcutaneous tissues. The information packet will describe just how to take the proper steps for ensuring a successful outcome to the surgery.
Advancements in facial cosmetic surgery have made these procedures simpler to perform than in past decades, and we now have lots of options available in terms of fitting the skin back onto the subdermal tissues and tightening the areas where the skin is loose. You can expect a customized treatment that will bring about the best possible results.
Enjoy a More Youthful Appearance
We serve residents located in and around Dallas, and we look forward to consulting with you. In the hands of an experienced facial cosmetic surgeon who understands your goals and expectations, you can truly enjoy a more youthful, healthy countenance via facial skin surgery. Visit Sule Facial Plastic Surgery Clinic in Dallas, TX to learn more about your options. Contact us today to schedule your consultation!