Question:
I feel like I look like my mother! I look tired and old all the time. I have jowls, a sagging neck and wrinkles. Is a facelift the best solution?
Answer:
It can be alarming to see the signs of aging in ourselves and even more so as we realize it is similar to the more extensive aging we see in our parents. While a facelift may seem like the procedure to correct all aging is it is not. Aging in the eyes is better addressed with a blepharoplasty, aging in the skin with skin care, chemical peels and laser, and volume loss with fillers such as Juvederm or implants.
What a facelift does address is extra skin and sagging in the neck and along the jawline. For those with limited aging a quick recovery mini facelift may be the option. This can be combined with Artiss fibrin sealant to prevent the need for drains and speed up the recovery. For those with more advanced aging, a full lower facelift may be the option. Even with this more extensive procedure, patients can be back to work and most activities within a couple of weeks.
The first step to avoiding the same signs of aging as you see in other family members is to consult with a facial plastic surgeon and determine which procedure is right for you.
