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Facelift Results Depends on the Hands, Judgment or Both?

asked 2 years ago by Doberman in Los Angeles
Latest answer by Rod J. Rohrich, MD
Question viewed 598 times
Tags: results, sutures

I have learned a lot from reading the answers from the physicians on this site, including "unfortunately, there is no guarantee that excellent training translates to the same surgical skills" and that while appropriate Board certification is a must, it is not a guarantee of excellence.

So is it the "hands"? One nurse described a surgeon she has worked with as doing "beautiful sutures" or is it judgment or is it both?

I assume it's not necessarily experience because I guess you could be very experienced in doing a high volume of mediocre facelifts.

21 answers to Facelift Results Depends on the Hands, Judgment or Both?

Predicting the best facelift results

Getting the best result from a facelift is a combination of factors. First, picking the right procedure. Certain procedures will produce a certain look. A coronal browlift, for example, however cleverly done, will raise the hairline and sideburn in the wrong patient. No amount of skill can overcome a poorly designed facelift. A facelift without added volume will never replicate fullness in areas that have lost fullness. High vertical pull will never look natural. Ignoring the... more

Brent Moelleken, MD
Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

www.drbrent.com

Judgement is the most important part of a facelift.

I have trained many surgeons who had mediocre hands, but excellent judgement. The fact that it may take them a little longer is no problem, unless it takes them 2-3 times as long as a good technical surgeon. The best is having both. Look at the final results of the surgeon's work, not how well he stitches.

Toby Mayer, MD
Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.bevhills.com

No 2 surgeons will give you the same facelift results

It is true, but many patients want to believe otherwise, that just because you call an operation the same thing as another doctor the results will be the same. This couldn't be farther from the truth. So, how someone stitches isn't an indication of their artistic talent to sculpt your face. Stiching is technical, not art. Whose Board you have is not a guarantee of the result either. You can only tell where to go by loking at MANY photos of a doctor's work and seeing in those results the... more

Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

Technique and Experience Count in Facelift

A great Facelift surgeon must combine a range of abilities, which include excellent technical skills combined with the range of experience which allows appropriate action and when called for, appropriate restraint. I think that Dr. Aldea's comparison of a surgeon to an excellent athlete or musician is very appropriate. I can assure you that some surgeons possess great technique and others simply do not; you know it when you see it. As for experience: you really can't do better than... more

Stephen Prendiville, MD
Fort Myers Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.drprendiville.com

How can I be confident I have chosen a surgeon likely to give me the result I want from a facelift?

Hi there- I wholeheartedly agree with Dr. Aldea's answer to you. You will eventually need to make a leap of faith. As regards making that leap as comfortable as possible for you, please read the following advice on finding someone you can trust: In a previous entry, I described how common it is for patients who contact my Orlando plastic surgery center to make the mistake of thinking that: Anyone offering a plastic surgery procedure MUST be appropriately trained and certified to perform... more

Armando Soto, MD
Orlando Plastic Surgeon

A Great Facelift depends on ...

A great Facelift surgeon is very much like a great musician, artist or athlete. It requires years of Experience (seeing, learning, unrelenting self-criticism and redirection), perfectionism, unrelenting drive for self-improvement, honing of thinking skills and analysis as well as of manual operative skills, artistic vision and ability to visualize the desired result and finally - God given talent. It takes all of these qualities and more. The problem is that there is no way you can tell if... more

Peter A. Aldea, MD
Memphis Plastic Surgeon

Facelift results based on skill, technique, skin quality, expectations

With so many facelift options, getting a good result depends on several factors: -your skin quality and degree of aging (sun damage) -understanding the surgery proposed -choosing the right type of face lift surgery -treating the specific areas that you want to improve -taking into consideration the recovery time -the competence of your surgeon -and most importantly what your expectations are for your post- face lift appearance. Dr. Carlos... more

Carlos Cordoba, MD
Montreal Plastic Surgeon

Great questions all

You ask a lot of great questions. Skill, experience, judgment, and aesthetic eye are all important. "Beautiful" skin suturing is nice, but perhaps the least important. What you did not mention is the patient. Perhaps most important is the patient. Skin quality, strength/elasticity, sex (females usually a better resit), health of the patient, genetics of healing, are all important. Finally, post op course. If no complications occur, chance for a great outcome is improved. If... more

Scott E. Kasden, MD
Dallas Plastic Surgeon

Good surgery is the result of skills and judgment

Any operation is a function of judgment and skills. I wouldn't say that either one is more important that they other. They are both more important than "bedside manner" although it's nice to have a surgeon you like. But if I'm on the table for any procedure, even a simple cosmetic operation, I want my surgeon to have good judgment and good pair of hands.

Vincent N. Zubowicz, MD
Atlanta Plastic Surgeon

Facelift results and choosing a surgeon

Face-lifting is an art form that not every surgeon masters. It requires sound judgment, experience, aesthetic and artistic sensibility, in addition to being board certified in facial plastic surgery. Be sure to look at as many of each surgeon’s before and after photos prior to deciding who will perform your facelift. A skilled surgeon’s facelift patients will look rejuvenated and natural after their surgery. The patient should never look as though they have been in a wind... more

William Portuese, MD
Seattle Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.seattlefacial.com

Facelift Results

I'm not sure if you've raised any questions because it is best for a surgeon to have both good hands and judgment. "Good hands" does not mean the surgery is done quickly, but done technically well. If either talent is missing, results will be compromised.

Richard W. Fleming, MD
Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon

Facelift results depend on many factors

Cosmetic surgical results are dependent on many factors. Credentials of the surgeon are important but only as a starter baseline. Most important are factors including training, experience, judgment, technical skills (“hands”), knowledge, respect and reputation from colleagues and patients for obtaining consistently good results, ability to understand each individual patient’s desires and needs and be accommodating. In addition to expertise, the cosmetic surgeon should be... more

Sigmund L. Sattenspiel, MD
Freehold Facial Plastic Surgeon

Choosing a plastic surgeon to do your facelift

Hi Doberman - In choosing a surgeon to do your facelift, talk with other patients who he/she has operated on. Get a feel for the surgeon's work and look into the how the staff will respond to your phone calls, especially if you have any problems. Although results cannot be guaranteed, experience and good before and after photos should give you confidence that you will most likely achieve your aesthetic goals.

Jeffrey E. Schreiber, MD
Baltimore Plastic Surgeon

Skills, Judgement, Experience: "You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear" no matter how great you are!

No one criteria can be used to judge a surgeon. Many factors come into play including skills, experience, judgment AS WELL AS the patient. Some old sayings sum this up very well: 1)" Good judgment comes from experience but experience comes from bad judgment." 2) "You can't make a silk purse from a sow's ear." This means that no matter how good the surgeon, if you have a patient with bad skin who smokes and has extensive sun damage, it is very unlikely to get a great... more

Otto Joseph Placik, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Facelift results

Love this question! And great answers from all the posters but Dr Aldea's is a classic. From my prespective, Cosmetic/plastic surgery is a mixture of science (knowledge, training, experience) and art (ability to see the effects upon the human tissue). Is there anything about having experience? Well, yes to a degree. Results speak volumes as to the technique and experience of the surgeon. But we as surgeons have had those very diificult appearing faces, that only multiple operations will help... more

Darryl J. Blinski, MD
Miami Plastic Surgeon

Facelift results depend on skill and artistic sense

It is true that facelift results can vary one practice to another. Skill and artistic judgment are very important in reaching a great result. It does take more than the ability to 'do beautiful sutures', and it is unusual to follow the same plan for each patient as individuals are not all the same. The best results come from skill and aesthetic mastery. Board certification goes without saying. Best of luck.

Peter E. Johnson, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Facelift results vary by surgeon

Facelift results vary by surgeon. Just as different musicians can play a piece with a wide variation, surgeons too have a variety of approaches. Fees vary depending on the experience and level of expertise of the surgeon. Remember, the most important part of getting a good result from plastic surgery, is the surgeon that you choose.

Darrick E. Antell, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Do your homework and take a leap of faith in surgery

Unfortunately, in choosing a physician for cosmetic surgery, there is no gold standard. You should do your homework and ultimately find a physician with whom you feel comfortable. Training and experience are all needed. Board certification is only one measure of training and experience and boards do not gauge abilities, only minimal competencies. As you point out, doing a lot of something mediocre procedures still produces mediocre results so just because a physician has done thousands of... more

D.J. Verret, MD
Dallas Facial Plastic Surgeon

innovationsfps.com

Facelift Results

Hi, Talent and Judgment is very important in performing a good Facelift. People are born with talent and judgment typically comes from experience. You are right that doing allot of something doesn't make mean that they are doing it right. The example I like is: you can learn to tie your shoe laces wrong and do it 1000 times or you can learn to do it right and tie them right 100 times -- quality is better than quantity. I don't believe that board certification plays that much of a role in... more

Oleh Slupchynskyj, MD
New York Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.facechange.org

Facelift Results

You are correct. Not all surgeons are the same and not all results are the same. Plastic surgery is an art and a science. All plastic surgeons have the fundamental tools to perform surgery. It is how they use those tools which leads to varying results.

David Shafer, MD
New York Plastic Surgeon

www.ShaferPlasticSurgery.com

Facelift Results Depends on Expertise, Judgment, and Experience

There are no guarantees in medicine or life, but in getting a facelift and/or rhinoplasty, some of the more complicated operative procedures we do, it is optimal that you select a surgeon that has significant experience and expertise in the management of these patients so they can provide for a normal, natural look.