Facelift: Q&A

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Advice for 43 Year Old Considering Facelift?

I am a 43-year-old (athlete) with facial volume loss, a turkey neck, and signs of jowls just beginning to form. I recently had a consult with a plastic surgeon who recommended a deep plane facelift, as it would give the best and longest lasting result. He also told me a facelift at this age would ultimately hold up better than not having it done, as the muscles and other deep facial structures would be fixed in place, thereby making them more resistant to the natural downward migration of tissue in the aging process. Is this true?

9 Doctor Answers | Asked by jenny22 in San Diego, CA
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Facelifts at 43 years of age

A facelift is indicated if you have enough descent in the cheeks, jowl formation along the jawline and laxity in the neck regardless of your relatively young age. The situation requires careful analysis though and it sounds like in your case, the only issue requiring surgery is the neck laxity. Facial volume loss can be improved by repositioning of the descended tissues, but if you are exceptionally thin, injectable volume enhacement works better. Also, it has well been shown that the... more
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Best Advice For A Facelift

The key for any facelift is does it address the proper anatomic cause of aging and your individual anatomy.  At 43 years of age, one of the key issues for you would be laxity of the skin, to determine which procedure would be best for you.
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43 years of age may be a bit young for deep plane facelift

At 43 years of age, it sounds as though you are a bit young to have a deep plane facelift. The goal of a face/neck lift surgery is to remove fat from the neck both above and below the platysma muscle, tightening the jowls, and removing any excess skin. Hollowness will not be improved with a facelift since it tightens the skin. The deep plane facelift has a higher complication rate, which should be discussed with your surgeon.

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Facelift in a 43 year old

The selection of the appropriate facelift procedure does not depend on your age, but rather your individual degree of facial aging. Without seeing pictures, my best advice is to get a second opinion. You may ulimately choose to have the deep plane lift.
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See a plastic or facial plastic surgeon who is a facelift specialist.

 Get a second opinion and see what another experienced facelift surgeon says after he is able to examine your face. Also, a facelift resets the clock---it doesn't stop it. So you will continue to age.
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Deep plane facelifts increase the risk of permanent motor nerve injury

Dear Jenny One has to be careful what you look for. The deep plane facelift is a technical tour-de-force. The anatomic dissection is requires an in depth knowledge of the facial planes and the anatomy which requires intimate exposure of the facial nerves to carry out the deep plane dissection. The deep plane facelift can results in motor nerve damage in up to 3% of cases although the incidence of permanent damage to the nerves is less than 1% of cases. If the deep place facelift made for... more
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Careful analysis

Facial rejuvenation is dependent on careful analysis. I will usually have patients bring in photos from their part to see the changes brought on by aging, weight shits, environments as well as to deterine what their baseline anatomy is. We are have the same elements but are constructed differently to give us a different appearance. Analysis is key. If most of your effects are due to loss of volume, there are many approaches to restoring volume . Sometimes there is volume loss on top of... more
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Facelift for a 43 year old skinny Athlete

You have to be very careful with a facelift. You might still look gaunt because of lack of fatty tissue in your face. In fact sometimes facelift can make you look worst. Most of your face issues can be resolved with Sculptra injection. The only area where you might need surgery is the turkey gobbler neck deformity. I would recommend starting with Sculptra injections and once the face is looking better, than look for a possible necklift if needed. Regards
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You are on the right Track

Hello Jenny, Without the benefit of being able to examine your facial and neck anatomy, I would say that you are certainly on the right track. Some things you may wish to discuss with your Surgeon: 1. Given that you are experiencing volume loss is he satisfied that a deep plane lift will accomplish enough tissue movement to address this? Or would it be beneficial to consider autologous fat injections in conjunction with the deep plane lift to address the volume loss? 2. It sounds as though... more
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These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.

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