Patients are often dismayed to find that following a weight loss surgery or extensive weight loss, even with a significant of weight gone, they are still not completely satisfied with their appearance. A common area of concern is the face – when weight is lost, round, full cheeks can become hollow, and skin can sag around the jowls and under the eyes as the underlying fat melts away.
A facelift is a surgical option for individuals who are unhappy with the wrinkles and sagging, droopy skin present on different areas of the face, and is performed by creating a small incision that is used to tighten the skin. The scar from the incision can typically be hidden effectively in the natural folds of the skin. Other non-surgical options are also available, such as dermal fillers and injectable treatments, but these may not be as long lasting as a surgical facelift. Depending on your specific circumstances and aesthetic goals, when the time comes for a facelift, your surgeon may also be able to integrate other nonsurgical interventions for optimal results.
What a Facelift Can Do for You
Before you walk into any cosmetic procedure, especially a surgery, it is important to have a detailed, comprehensive understanding of what you can realistically expect in terms of results. Specifics can only be discussed with a qualified physician familiar with your case, but in general a facelift can be expected to reduce or eliminate the appearance of:
- Deep Creases in the Skin. As we age, the presence of fat and collagen in the skin of the face is greatly reduced, resulting in a loss of structure that, in addition to sagging skin, can cause the formation of deep creases below the lower eyelids and/or extending from the bottom of the nose to the corners of the mouth.
- Sagging Skin. Skin that sags can be caused both by the natural aging process and by a period of significant weight loss. In both cases, the underlying structure beneath the skin significantly decreases, causing the skin itself to loosen and be pulled downward by gravity.
- Loose Skin Under the Jaw and Chin. When the skin around the bottom of the face along the jaw begins to sag, you can develop unsightly jowls. Similarly, fatty deposits and hanging skin under the chin can cause the appearance of a double chin, even in someone of a healthy weight.
A facelift is a surgical procedure that can help mitigate the effects of aging and/or weight loss on the appearance of the face, but it is important that it cannot change one’s fundamental appearance, or entirely halt the aging process.
Kevin Small MD Publications (face lift)
Ear Lobule Rejuvenation in Face-Lifting: The Role of Fat Augmentation
Filling the Facial Compartments during a Face Lift
Advances and Refinement in Hyaluronic Acid Facial Fillers
Advancements and Refinement in Facial Neuromodulators
Role of Autologous Fat Transfer to the Superficial Fat Compartments for Perioral Rejuvenation