Book:The Facelift Letdown- Why are surgeons not doing Composite Face Lift?

The facelift technique that each surgeon employs is generally based on a risk versus reward scale.  The composite facelift is a wonderful procedure when well executed.  The problem with the technique is that there are many potential pitfalls in the procedure that can occur even in the most... more

I would agree with the previous answers -- no one surgical techinique is superior, or even appropriate, in every patient and circumstance. The single biggest key to getting consistent, natural, beautiful resuls is not which procedure I choose to use -- it is truly examining and identifiying what changes each... more

To answer your question about composite face lift, one has to first understand the difference between the various types of face lifts.  Mini face lift.  The least invasive of the lifts.  It involves a shorter incision.  In addition, most of the lift comes from removing excess skin rather... more

Not having read the book, I have to disagree that there is only one way to do a facelift. That's like saying, if you have only on hammer  everything is a nail. You must have more than one tool in your toolbox to fix things. Composite facelift are right for one kind of patient and a minilift is right for... more

Dear Catalina Everyone is looking for the exact formula.  The reality is that a great surgeon can do almost anything with any technique.  Having said that there has been a realization that higher risk facelift have not produced more profoundly improved results.  Deep plane and composite... more

The Composite Facelift to which you refer is just one of a number of SMAS facelifts. It was developed by Dr. Sam Hamra and is one of the best SMAS lifts there is. It is also one of the hardest for most surgeons to get safe, reliable results. It also has a prolonged recovery in my experience. We have adopted... more

 The most important issue is the surgeon. I have been doing facelifts for more than 30 years and use different combinations of techniques for different patients. Experienced facelift surgeons should be able to show you patients who are long term. We developed the irregular, trichophytic forehead lift 30... more

Hi! This is very confusing and scary for patients, bur there is no magic in a particular facelift technique.  You can get a terrible result from a poorly executed composite facelift.  It is the skill and artistry of the individual surgeon that determine the result.  Try to talk to patients who... more

We abandoned the composite facelift more than 5 years ago, in favor of the 360 Facelift concept. The reason is simple:  the way the technique is described, a great alteration in the hairline occurs.  The composite lift is not done in a multiplanar fashion.  It is not possible to independently... more

Surgeons tend to have a "favorite" facelift technique that they feel works best for them. However, not all patients are created equal. Some have more drooping than others, some have wider faces and the skin varies as well. So, you should seek out a facelift specialist to determine which is best for... more