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Will Facelift Surgery Get Rid of Melasma?

Will a doctor perform a face lift and while doing so get rid of the melasma on the forehead and cheeks?

Asked 34 months ago by jessnmomf in Milwaukee WI

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melasma

Facelift and Melasma

The facelift has nothing to do with the skin discoloration of melasma. It may be possible that an additional procedure was done at the same time as the facelift, such as a chemical peel, to treat the melasma.

Jeffrey S. Epstein, MD

Miami Facial Plastic Surgeon

Melasma and facelift

A facelift will not get rid of melasma. Melasma is best treated with various skin care lines such as Obagi or variations using retin-a and hydroquinone.

Steven Wallach, MD

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Facelift does not treat melasma

A facelift is not designed to treat melasma which is a skin condition that is exacerbated for UV rays (sun), hormones, or other environmental elements. There are nonsurgical treatment options for melasma. A facelift is designed to treat the anatomical changes seen with aging.

C. Bob Basu, MD

Houston Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Facelift does not resolve melasma

Facelift surgery does not resolve, improve or make worse melasma. Melasma is a hyperpigmentation of the skin and is related to a number of medical conditions such as pregnancy. Treatment is difficult, but is non-surgical. Topical medications and skin lighteners can be helpful. Other treatments include chemical peel and laser resurfacing. Nonetheless, a physician skilled with quick identification of the problem and instructions to minimize the potential for worsening of the melasma or... more

David Q. Santos, MD

Seattle Facial Plastic Surgeon

Facelift and melasma

A facelift will not help your melasma. Melasma is a skin condition leading to darker appearing splotches of skin due to sun exposure and hormonal changes. Treat your melasma with topical therapy and IPL.

Etai Funk, MD

Houston Facial Plastic Surgeon

Facelift Will Not Help Melasma

Melasma is a condition characterized by epidermal and sometimes dermal pigmentation with hormonal and environmental influences. A Facelift will definitely not make any improvements to Melasma, which is a notoriously difficult condition to treat. Topical and/or light based treatments are more appropriate and more efficacious.

Doctor's Website

Stephen Prendiville, MD

Fort Myers Facial Plastic Surgeon

Facelift and Melasma

A facelift will not help melasma. It is not intended to change the quality of the skin but to reposition descended tissues of the face and neck to create an improved neck and jawline.

Anil R. Shah, MD

Chicago Facial Plastic Surgeon

Facelifts and melasma

A facelift will address the structure of the face, removing lose skin and tightening the deeper layers of the face. A facelift does not correct any skin color, though. Melasma is a chronic condition of hyperpigmentation and is best treated with fotofacials, peels, bleaching creams, and meticulous sun protection.

Carmen Kavali, MD

Atlanta Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Facelift and melasma

Melasma is a condition in the skin itself and is not corrected by a facelift whose goal is to tighten laxity and remove extra skin and reposition sagging features.

Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS

Seattle Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Melasma (Dark Pigmentation of the Skin) will NOT be corrected by a Facelift

Melasma is a Hyperpigmentation of the facial skin. It will NOT be corrected by a procedure intended to lift and reposition sagging facial soft tissue structures back in their youthful position. There are other, non-surgical and more efficient ways to correct Melasma.

Peter A. Aldea, MD

Memphis Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

A facelift will not correct melasma

A facelift will help address loose or excess skin by removing or redraping the saggy skin. Appropriate skin care such as hydroquinone or Cosmelan mask may assist you with your melasma.

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Sanjay Grover MD

Orange County Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

You can do skin treatments on the forehead and have a facelift

If your question is: "Can I treat the melasma on my forehead and also have a facelift at the same time?", then the answer is yes. You never want to do any skin treatments on the same areas that are being lifted because the blood supply will be compromised and healing prolonged. So, you can do a chemical peel or laser treatments on your forehead to reduce melasma as long as you are not having a browlift. If your question is: "Will a facelift treat my melasma?", then the... more

Jonathan Hoenig, MD

Beverly Hills Oculoplastic Surgeon

Not by itself

Hi there- Facelift surgery by itself will not help with discoloration of the skin, because the operation does not affect the quality of the skin, but only it's quantity and distribution (by changing its relationships with the underlying muscle layer). This is not to say, however, that this cannot be accomplished- I often combine a laser resurfacing procedure with my facelifts in order to achieve both an improvement in the shape of the face, and in the appearance of the skin. This is an... more

Armando Soto, MD

Orlando Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

No

I am not a plastic surgeon, but I cannot see how a face-lift would rid you of melasma. Melasma occurs on the surface of the skin and would not be amenable to that sort of surgical procedure. While there are means of ridding you of this discoloration, beyond creams and peels, such as lasers and IPL, this would require further anesthesia time and would make no sense since general anesthesia is not needed for lasers or IPL. Creams with hydroquinone, glucosamine, licorice, retinoids,... more

Arnold R. Oppenheim, MD

Virginia Beach Dermatologist

Not a chance that the pigmentation of your face will be improved by face lift surgery.

There a any number of real treatments for melasma of your face but face lifting is not one of them. Skin care with many different topical preparations have been effective in light cases. When the problem is a little worse intense pulse light treatments work well. For the really difficult case you will need laser treatments. It is best to use all of these together to get the best and long lasting results. Unfortunately some Melasma is unresponsive to the tools we have and some come right... more

Carl W. "Rick" Lentz III, MD

Daytona Beach Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Your surgeon may probably treat melasma during facelift

Hello, Melasma is a disorder of the skin that can be treated by various topical creams and chemical compounds or lasers (in certain skin types). Depending on the type of facelift you are considering, the surgeon may or may not wish to treat it at the same time. One consideration is that after your facelift you will have some swelling in the cheek area - in my opinion I would probably not treat the melasma there until the swelling has resolved. The forehead will not be affected by a facelift... more