I'm only 22 years old, and for some reason, my face skin is paper thin and sags like some older person who's in his 30's or even 40. I feel as though I've been cursed because people rarely believe i'm as young as I say, and I look very different than I did just two or three years ago. Is there any chance in hell that this can be fixed without 50,000 dollar invasive and risky surgery? It's 2013, so there must be SOME possible solution that is at an affordable range....is there?
I'm 22 Year Old Male, and my Face is Sagging Like an Older Man? (photo)
Doctor Answers 25
There are several things that you can do to make you feel better without getting a facelift. If you are in the Los Angeles area or would like to have a virtual consultation feel free to contact my office. You shouldnt feel like the Oldmanguy but more like a young 22 year old man ready to take on the world. Good luck
Dear Oldmanguy,
thank you for your question and photos. I understand your question and your plight. You feel like you look older than you should and feel like your face looks a little worn out. Some of these aspects can come from losing a large amount of weight and resultant deflation, on cortico steroids (not the 'anabolic' body-building kind, but used for asthma, auto-immune diseases, etc.), sun damage, or some other issues. In you, I think excellent facial rejuvination can be performed without a facelift. I would spend my money on your facial contours instead. Liposution to the neck area, followed by adding volume to the face in the form of facial implants. A chin implant would be very beneficial, along with mandibular angle implants. This would give you a nice jaw line with strong chin and stretch your skin tighter in the process. Also, cheek implant or filler material, such as juviderm can have a nice effect in the cheek area as well, and round out these contours.
Best Wishes,
Pablo Prichard, MD
Thank you for asking about treatment for early sagging in your face.
- Your photos suggest a long upper lip and a recessed jaw.
- Start by seeing a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon specializing in maxillofacial surgery for assessment. This may account for the changes and may be correctable.
- If not, discuss an extended chin implant and some fillers to soften the folds.
- I have seen the skin thinning you describe in people your age - often from severe sun exposure. So protect your skin from the sun. Hope this helps. Best wishes.
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No all people are made of "good stuff". Repeat facelifts are exceeding rare, probably less that 4% in a normal population. Some people need facelifts in their 20's and, will probably require follow-up minifacelifts in the future a few times. I have thin women who needed a breast lift in their 20's and since have had 2 more in the past 30 years. I have done upper eyelid surgery on 20 year olds. Accept what your genes have given you and act accordingly if you so desire. There is no easy cure., sorry.
Because you are still young, there is a good chance the skin on your face will firm up again as long as you lead a healthy lifestyle. For now you may want to consider nonsurgical skin tightening treatments such as laser skin tightening and fillers. These are less invasive and may be a better option considering your age.
Adding facial volume is a good way to give a younger look. You can start with fillers such as Radiesse to add volume to areas which appear deficient. Fillers can reduce the appearance of facial folds. Although these products generally last only about 6 months, if you like the results, you can do fat grafting to get longer term results. Patients with genetically looser skin are not good candidates for face lifting until their late 30's to early 40's in my view. Hope this helps!
Learn more: http://www.lafacelift.com
Short of surgical procedures, fillers are the best answer for rejuvenating and tightening loose skin. Anything that puts more volume under your skin is going to have the effect of filling out the skin "envelope" more and therefore producing a tighter, fuller, rejuvenating effect. A filler product called Sculptra is probably the best option for you -- although this is a fairly pricey option.
A few years ago, I wrote a book called “The Fine Art of Looking Younger” where I explained the things that happen when someone gets older: one is volume loss where the baby fat goes inward and descends; other one is sagging where the cheeks drop, the jawline becomes less defined and the neck starts to become loose.
Unfortunately, there are some factors that can accelerate sagging and aging. Some of the causes of early sagging are: inadequate sleep, physical or emotional stress, smoking, alcohol and the use of recreational drugs. In addition, a strong genetic predisposition to early sagging takes a big part in causing this.
I recommend that you do not do aggressive procedures at such a young age because it may be very difficult to undo it when you get older. Short-term treatments like silicon may look good right now, but after a few years, it may sag because of the physical weight of the material. I suggest that you have an evaluation of your general health status first before pursing any cosmetic treatment. Also, review your personal medical physical history in the past 2 years and consider your family’s pattern of aging. Taking little steps such as the use of some temporary solutions that get absorbed like materials called Radiesse and Sculptra are good ways to add volume to the hollows and may help with the sagging. I hope that was helpful, and thank you for your question.
Learn more: http://prasadcosmeticsurgery.com
I agree that there is some premature aging evidenced in the photos you provided. It is true that all of us age at different rates, and that this is not always fair. I doubt that many on this forum, if any, would recommend a "$50,000 facelift." I do think that facial fillers may be an excellent option for you.
Learn more: http://www.kassmd.com
Hello,
Thank you for the question. There are certainly genetic components of aging that we cannot change but there are a handful of surgical and non-surgical options for improving the way we look and feel. Aging that seems to be outside the range of normal should be investigated to see if hormones, nutrition, or other environmental factors can be controlled. Fillers or fat grafting as well as skin care and botox often give the best bang for the buck in a non-surgical or minimally invasive treatments.
All the best,
Dr. Remus Repta
Learn more: http://drrepta.com
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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