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Face Lift to Reshape the Face

asked 10 months ago by r.o in israel
Latest answer by Sam Naficy, MD
Question viewed 623 times
Tags: age 25-34, candidate, reshape

hi, i'd like to know if a face lift can be used to reshape the face and not just for sagging skin. i'm 30 years old so my skin is still pretty tight but the whole face is kinda "droopy", i wonder if a face lift or a forehead lift could just be used to reshape the upper part of my face and make it wider and make the eyes a little more almond shape or make the jawline tighter.

29 answers to Face Lift to Reshape the Face

Facelift can reshape the face

Photos are without question necessary to fully answer your question. 30 is a bit young for any procedure such as a facelift but all patient's are different and unique. You may benefit from a very minimally invasive procedure or even just injectable fillers to improve the contour of your face for problem areas.

Shepherd G. Pryor, MD
Scottsdale Facial Plastic Surgeon

Facial contouring without face lift

There are a number of options for facial contouring that don't require a face lift. Seeing photos would be helpful.

Sam Naficy, MD
Seattle Facial Plastic Surgeon

Face Lift

A facelift can be used to reshape the face, and eye changes can be performed at the same time. Any bigger change in existing facial structure presents additional risks you must be willing to accept. See a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon in your area who is comfortable with the changes you are requesting.

Vivek Bansal, MD
Danville Plastic Surgeon

Facelift to Reshape the Face

In some ways your question is a very advanced question that signifies a deep understanding of how the human mind percevies age. The human mind perceives age based upon the overal shape of the face. Shaping the face is the general goal for the majority of facial rejuvenation procedures and is how a facial plastic surgeon can achieve natural effective results. However, a facelift is absolutely NOT the right procedure for a 30 year old in order to do this. The goal of a facelift... more

Jacob D. Steiger, MD
Boca Raton Facial Plastic Surgeon

Facial Shapes

This may be a case where fillers and volume augmentation are the most effective interventions. If you’d like, I can evaluate photos and provide you with my preliminary thoughts.

Jeffrey Epstein MD, FACS
Miami Facial Plastic Surgeon

Facelift to improve sagging in a young patient, fillers and fat

Certainly before age 40, patients should be counseled about the importance of volume of the face. As we age, most of the early changes are related to weaking of the cheek bones and jawline, loss of plump fat, and sun damage. At the age of 30 to 40, I would recommend the following: 1.) Do not consider a facelift. This is premature and will definitely impact any future facial work. 2.) Sunblock, sunblock....and then more sunblock. I'm sure... more

Todd Christopher Hobgood, MD
Phoenix Facial Plastic Surgeon

Contour Improvements Not Reshaping

The power of a Facelift is improving the jawline while a forehead lift give some improvement to the brow and can soften muscles the produce wrinkles. The procedures CAN NOT CHANGE SHAPE OF THE EYES OR FACE. These procedures redrape loose skin over your existing skeletal shape

Earl Stephenson Jr., MD, DDS
Atlanta Plastic Surgeon

Non-Surgical Options

Of course, pictures would help, but at your age a facelift is very unlikely to be appropriate. Fillers can be used to fill in the "smile lines" and when they are deep you can certainly feel like your face is droopy. Botox can also be used to change the appearance of eyebrow position which is very common at 30. There are lots of non-surgical options to consider.

Melanie L. Petro, MD
Alabama Facial Plastic Surgeon

Face Lift or Other Procedures Can Reshape Your Face

Dear r o- Yes, a facelift can reshape your face. Most plastic surgeons can do wonders with your skin and your SMAS (the facial tissue under the skin) to reshape your face. However, given that you're only 30, you're probably a better candidate for facial reshaping with small procedures in the office, such as a dermal filler, skin tightening with a laser or skin care, Botox, or even fat grafting. At the age of 30, you probably do not have a lot of loose... more

Roy Kim, MD
San Francisco Plastic Surgeon

A facelift can reshape the face...but,

While the result of a facelift procedure can slightly alter the overall shape of the face, in the most traditional sense, this is not the aim of the procedure. Facelifts come in all shapes and sizes. There is the short-scar facelift, MACS lift, SMAS lift, high-SMAS lift, deep-plane facelift, the list goes on. I think most would agree the aim of the facelift is to resuspend the soft tissue descent that accompanies the normal process of aging. Gravity takes its toll on... more

James H. Rosing, MD
Roseville Plastic Surgeon

Positive Facelift Results

For patients in their 30's, I recommend a blepharoplasty or mid facelift along with filler to the cheeks. This will improve the cheekbone fullness and tighten the skin below the eyes, making the eye shape more attractive. Mark Codner, MD FACS

Mark A. Codner, MD
Atlanta Plastic Surgeon

Facelift At Age 30?

Generally speaking, a 30 year old does not have the aging changes that will be helped by a Facelift. Although it is possible to achieve very nice results with fillers and/or Sculptra, the nature of the changes and the ability of such treatments to meet your expectations cannot be determined without a consultation.

Stephen Prendiville, MD
Fort Myers Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.drprendiville.com

Volume restoration or enhancement is likely your best solution

Without pictures it is difficult to definitively answer your question but it is very unlikely that any lifting procedure, other than possibly a brow lift, would be indicated. Rather, you probably can get the changes you are looking for with fillers or volumizers like Sculptra. Consultation with a surgeon experienced in volume enhancement would be the best way to answer your questions. The beauty of treating various areas of the face with volume is that you can try temporary... more

Keith A. LaFerriere, MD
Springfield Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.facialplasticsurgeon.com

Facelift can reshape the face

As a general question, many things may be used to shape the face: Facelift, botox in the jaw muscles, fat grafting, fillers, midfacelift, weight loss, etc. You mentioned that you are 30 years old, it is unlikely that a facelift would be the treatment of choice. You also asked about the upper part of the face - usually a facelift does not involve the upper part of the face. There are more extensive facelifts that can include a midface component, though they typically... more

Richard Castellano, MD
Tampa Facial Plastic Surgeon

Likely better with Sculptra and Ulthera

For your situation, you may be better off with Sculptra collagen stimulator and Ulthera laser skin tightening. see video

Babak Azizzadeh, MD
Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon

Facial Implants or fillers to reshape a 30 year old face not a Face Lift

Facial Implants or fillers to reshape a 30 year old face not a Face Lift or Brow lift seems much more likely, IMHO.

Francis R. Palmer, III, MD
Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon

Facelift alone should not alter facial shape

There are many techniques from injectables to facial implants which can have an effect on facial shape, though generally facelift is about rejuvenation. Maybe just an issue of semantics. A good board certified plastic surgeon should help you sort things out. Best of luck, peterejohnsonmd

Peter E. Johnson, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Face Lift to Reshape the Face

As ALL the previous expert posters have stated there is no reshaping involved in a face/neck lift. Seek many in person opinions from boarded PSs.

Darryl J. Blinski, MD
Miami Plastic Surgeon

Facial shape

There are a variety of procedures which can be used to alter facial shape, from implants to fillers to suspensions. Facelifts per se are intended to rejuvenate sagging jowls and necks. Some of the techniques used during facelift may be useful for you but it's hard to say without seeing your photos.

Michael L. Schwartz, MD
West Palm Beach Plastic Surgeon

www.palmbeachface.com

Facelift reshaping?

At your tender young age I would guess well placed fillers like sculptra or radiesse or others will do the trick of reshaping. I would be quite surprised if a facelift were needed. I would need photos for more specific details

Rafael C. Cabrera, MD
Boca Raton Plastic Surgeon

Can Facelift Surgery Reshape the Face?

Facelift surgery is best done to rejuvenate a face and neck not rehsape. Dr. Kaniff

Thomas E. Kaniff, MD
Sacramento Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.facialcosmeticsurg.com

Facelift can reshape the face.

Facelift surgery removes excess skin and reshapes the face to a more youthful appearance. However, each patient is different and the surgery is customized to their specific needs and expectations. If you post pictures, we may be able to give you more specific advice. Good Luck.

David Shafer, MD
New York Plastic Surgeon

www.ShaferPlasticSurgery.com

Reshape the face

It is impossible to tell without pictures. Many young woman have what I call a sad unhappy look. Most of these patients do well with a mini lift and perhaps a cheek fill with Radiesse.

David A. Bray, Sr., MD
Los Angeles Facial Plastic Surgeon

Reshaping the face with facelift

You are awfully young to be considering facelift. But, perhaps you are not really looking for a facelift per se, but rather facial surgery to alter the shape of your face. There are a host of techniques that may or not be applicable to your condition from endoscopic browlift to malar implants to fat injection to, well, facelift. I suggest you seek out the best ABMS Board Certified Plastic Surgeon you can.

J. Brian Boyd, MD
Torrance Plastic Surgeon

Ultimately cosmetic surgery is about aesthetics not aging.

It is best if you have a clear idea of what you are looking for. I would recommend seeking out very well qualified surgeons and getting several opinions. Try not to get pressured into surgery. Bring your mother or close friend with you as a second pair of ears. Many things are possible but it is also possible to have unexpected facial changes so be careful.

Kenneth D. Steinsapir, MD
Los Angeles Oculoplastic Surgeon

Options to Reshape Face

With a mini-lift, only the lower face -- from cheek to chin -- is lifted, which effectively eliminates jowls and redefines the cheekbones. As with a face-lift, the mini-lift is often accompanied by a neck lift, which removes fat from below the chin and tightens the neck's platysma muscles, all through a tiny incision under the chin. The best candidates for the mini-lift are those who are unhappy with the contour of their lower face and neck, and whose skin has good resiliency. It's... more

Michelle Copeland, MD, DMD
New York Plastic Surgeon

Facial implants may give you the structural change you're after.

The goal of a face lift is to rejuvenate an aging face and is most effective for jowling. In a younger face implants can be used to achieve subtle yet noticeable definition and reshaping. Many options exist and are based on a combination of your anatomy and goals. I would encourage you to consult with a Facial Plastic Surgeon. You can discuss your specific concerns with your surgeon, and then review the options available to help you achieve the change you desire. more

Michael G. Brandt, MD
Toronto Facial Plastic Surgeon

Structural Facial Surgery Is Needed To Change The Shape Of The Face

A facelift is used to pick up sagging skin and return one closer to how one used to look. In essence, it achieves an effect that is to turn back the clock to some degree. It does not change one's overall facial shape or look. That requires structural facial surgery not anti-aging facial surgery. Changing the foundation or hard tissue structure of the face is really needed to make a true face-changing look and I believe this is what you are referring to. You need to explore the options of... more

Barry L. Eppley, MD, DMD
Indianapolis Plastic Surgeon

Reshaping the Aging Face

Someone who is 30 years old or younger may not be ready for a facelift surgery, but may be showing signs of aging. This question identifies elements of the face that define a youthful face and elements of the face that change due to aging that make one appear older that he or she is. Instead of lifting, there are options to add volume. In my book "The Fine Art of Looking Younger", I address facial aging as 2 processes: dissent and volume loss. Dissent is when part of the face or... more