Can "Bad Skin Elasticity" Cause Poor Cosmetic Surgery Results?

There are many issues with the skin that can make one patient's result from a facelift less optimal than they would like. Basically it comes down to elasticity in the skin. The better yours is, the better the result will be and the longer it will last. Factors that affect elasticity are your genetic background, history of weight swings, acne scarring, and sun damage. Seriously sun damaged skin will never allow for the same result from a facelift as non sun damaged skin. That being... more

There can be different issues with "skin quality" and the effect on post-op results. The first is any tendecy towards scar problems. This would include patients that tend to heal with keloids or hypertrophic scars. Interestingly, patients that are older tend to have finer scars than people who are younger but this tendency can be overridden by people who have scarring problems. The second has to do with skin elasticity. Depending on the the amount of collagen (and the type) in... more

It is important to perform the procedure that fits the anatomy and the expectations, not the other way around. Too often a "standard" procedure is performed without customizing it ,or modifying it or the patient's expectations, to accompany the anatomical realities. Skin quality is variable for sure, but if a patient's skin is "bad", the procedure should take some of that into consideration. Skin might be "thick", or "thin", have lost elasticity, or... more

There are multiple factors that contribute to the final result after facial rejuvenation surgery, and the quality of the patient's skin is indeed one of them. Other factors include age, smoking history, overall medical health, type of procedure chosen (there are multiple ways to rejuvenate the face, include many different types of facelifts) and the patient's inherent ability to heal. Given all of these factors, the communication between the patient and surgeon is critical so that the... more

Elasticity of the skin is an important predictor for outcomes. The thinner and less elastic the skin, the less it is able to contract and tighten in response to various laser procedures and the less it supports in response to surgical lifting procedures. In general, younger skin has more elasticity (although this can be patient dependent), genetics, smoking, nutrition, sun damage are also factors in healthy skin quality. In certain cases, poor skin quality or elasticity can be partially... more

There is no question that some patients' skin heals better than others, and produces less noticeable scars. Almost everyone heals very well in the face. There is greater variation in how noticeable a scar from cosmetic surgery will be on the breast or in the abdomen. So, if by poor results, you mean thick scars, then it is possible that this is related to the quality of your own skin. Otherwise, I don't really know what bad skin means. I am not sure there is such a thing as bad... more

When you evaluate the results of facial rejuvenation, there are technical (the surgeon) and physiologic (the patient) issues that need to be optimal to get the best, longest lasting results. Surgeons who perform facelifting surgery frequently are more likely to get reproducible results. There are many ways to perform a facelift, but typically a surgeon will master and utilize a handful of these ways making is easier to produce the same results in patients. Factors that have to do with the... more

Without examining a patient, it is difficult to tell you this. In general skin quality can affect the results. As one ages, the elasticity properties of the skin weaken. This certainly can affect the long term results. Other factors that can impact the quality of the tissues are smoking, and sun damage to name a few. Some patients have inherited skin disorders which also cause their skin to be very lax.