Everyone needs a confidence boost every once in a while, though some may need it more than others. In fact, several studies show that one of the primary reasons people opt for cosmetic procedures is their mental health.
Though the cosmetic surgery industry had been relatively quiet during lockdowns in 2020, the ease in restrictions has seemingly triggered a spike in requests for cosmetic procedures, like a shaken soda bottle just waiting for the lid to pop up.
This article aims to provide the most important information on one of these procedures – facelifts – and how it can give a much-needed confidence lift for many people.
Why do people undergo facelifts and other cosmetic procedures?
According to the American Psychological Association (APA), psychologists have been helping cosmetic surgeons decide when to recommend beautification procedures for their clients.
The article discusses the effects of cosmetic procedures in psychotherapy to help patients with psychological issues like body dysmorphic disorder and facial anxiety.
While some people have problems with how to deal with anxiety and other similar issues, concerns related to one’s looks often entail correcting the source of the problem: their appearance.
Based on studies, this is one of the most probable reasons why cosmetic procedures like nose jobs, botox, and facelifts have seen a significant rise through the decades.
What is a facelift?
Medically known as rhytidectomy, facelifts are cosmetic surgeries done to achieve a younger-looking appearance for the face.
This procedure aims to reduce the folding and sagging of the skin, especially along the jawline and cheeks. It also aids in achieving a better-contoured face, reversing some signs of aging.
What can you expect from a facelift?
A facelift can address some of the most common age-related skin problems, including:
- Sagging facial skin
- Jowls (drooping lower jawline)
- Fold lines between the side of the nose and the corner of the mouth
- Excess fat and loose skin around the neck (a.k.a. double chin or turkey neck)
Facelifts also aid in improving the appearance of deep wrinkles when performed with other procedures like derma fillers.
Ultimately, what people like about this treatment is that it offers more natural-looking results. Particularly, modern facelift procedures lead to a tightened facial contour without that “windblown” appearance that older versions tend to have.
Before the procedure
In some cases, facelifts can be performed with a local anesthetic, which only numbs the specific part to be worked on. However, most situations call for general anesthesia, which renders the patient unconscious.
During the procedure
Although the specific methodology varies depending on the type of facelift to be performed (more on this later), most facelift procedures entail pulling back the flap of skin on each side of the face. Then, the doctor will surgically alter the tissues underneath to create a more youthful facial contour.
They also remove any excess skin before closing the suture.
After the procedure
Some post-surgery symptoms are common immediately after a facelift is performed, including:
- Pain in the treated area (mild to moderate).
- Incision drainage
- Bruising
- Swelling
- Numbness
Other symptoms which may require a visit to the doctor include:
- Irregular heart rate
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Severe neck or face pain within 24 hours after the surgery
What are the types of facelift procedures?
Facelifts come in two main forms: surgical and non-surgical. Both the patient and the cosmetic doctor will decide on what kind of procedure is best performed on a case-to-case basis.
Besides this broad categorization, facelifts also come in a variety of types that focus on specific parts of the facial structure, such as:
- Mini facelift
This surgical technique utilizes small incisions under the hairline to smoothen and tighten the skin while eliminating excess tissue. Mini facelifts are often used for jowls – to either reduce its appearance or remove it altogether.
- Deep pPlane facelift (SMAS)
This type of facelift aims to get rid of skin sagging along the neck and the base of the chin. In deep plane facelifts, doctors surgically lift the lax muscles along those areas.
Because they involve delving beneath the musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS), this type of facelift is also called the ‘SMAS facelift.’
SMAS facelifts reshape, reposition, and smooth out any wrinkles along the skin responsible for frowning and smiling.
- Mid-facelift
Mid-facelifts deal with the facial midsection, particularly the cheeks. But unlike cheek implants, this procedure isn’t meant to plump up that part of the face.
Instead, mid-facelifts remove excess tissue or use any existing tissue to lift the cheeks to get rid of sagging and improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
This procedure is best for patients without jowls or marionette lines. However, doctors also use this method to remove them when necessary.
- Cheek Lift
Like a mid-facelift, a cheek lift aims to enhance the appearance of the cheek or mid-face area. This, however, focuses more on enhancing the cheekbones.
More precisely, cheek lifts add volume and create an uplifted appearance to the cheeks while eliminating puffiness under the eyes. It also helps shape the nasal folds to make them less pronounced.
- Brow Lift
Also called temporal lift, this cosmetic procedure aims to smooth out the wrinkles or address drooping brows. This is considered a less intrusive alternative to an eyebrow lift and is deemed much more convenient since it only requires a small incision along the hairline.
Is there a less intrusive alternative to a facelift?
Modernization in the cosmetic industry has paved the way for more effective and less intrusive procedures to almost all kinds of beautification processes.
For facelifts, a good alternative is the Aptos thread lift.
This unique and advanced procedure is recommended for patients who are not ready to go under the knife but need the confidence boost of instant results
Like facelift, the Aptos thread lift helps improve the appearance of sagging skin and other signs of aging. It can also aid in a wide range of issues, such as:
- Loss of tissue volume
- Thinning lips
- Jaw prominence
- Mild to moderate skin ptosis (drooping eyelid)
- Fine lines and wrinkles
- Sagging eyebrows
- Relaxed mid-facial appearance
- Facial asymmetry
- Skin dehydration
- Facelift or neck lift relapse
More importantly, this alternative procedure takes less than 30 minutes to complete, is performed with local anesthesia, and has minimal downtime while yielding long-term effects.
Get a confidence lift with a facelift
Facelifts and other cosmetic procedures are no longer just electives, especially when confidence and mental wellness are concerned.
However, patients should first learn everything there is to know about this procedure before deciding to go with it as there may be alternatives better suited for a person’s particular disposition.
