Which Facelift Procedure?

You should not be put in the position of having to decide which facelift technique is best for you. All you're interested in is the results. First, you must be comfortable with the surgeon. You want to know what will be done, what will change, what is your post-operative course, what are potential complications and what it will cost. See before and after pictures of patients similar to you. Hopefully this will eliminate the confusion.

Fab, I use the sideburn/plication option (of course it depends on the individual) but you can get a good facelift result with either technique.  Pick the doctor in whom you have the most confidence, the one you feel will remain responsive to your needs postoperatively.

Dear Fabb50

What you are searching for chemistry with your surgeon and the confidence in the work they perform. Their facelift theory is almost unimportant. What you need to focus on is what does their work look like. Reputation is important but at the end of the day, it does not really matter what other people think of your surgeon. It is much more important what you think of the surgeon.

I strongly recommend that you carefully look at the before and after pictures. This will always be what the surgeon feels is their best work. Ask yourself if you like the results. Do the faces look serene and natural, or is there something forced and unnatural about the results? Does the doctor show any pictures of how they finish the ears? Is there evidence of a pulled effect in the face?

If there are issues you see in their before and after photos, don't assume that your results will be any better. Check with the California Medical Board to learn if the doctor you are considering has any disciplinary issues. If you have made the rounds of surgeons in your town and your heart does not sing, consider expanding your horizons. Consider the Bay Area or Los Angeles. The travel is not impossible.