What should I address first: should I look into fillers or a facelift? (photo)

There are many newer techniques and a Short Scar facelift along with a mid face lift can lead to a very natural rejuvenated appearance. For most patients, recovery from a regular facelift can vary widely and it really depends on which procedures they get done. It is best to talk to your surgeon because everybody has different techniques and recovery time is usually based on a number of factors.

If we are just talking about a short scar facelift, this can typically be done in the office under local anesthesia. Usually there are no drains, no outside stitches, and patients can go out in public the same day, although I usually recommend they low for the first couple days. Most of the initial swelling is from the numbing medicine and your body absorbs it within the first 4-6 hours. Obviously the body heals with swelling and inflammation and usually that maxes out at two days and then starts getting better. Most of these patients take no pain medicine and usually feel very comfortable going out in public within a few days. I usually call my patients the night of surgery and check on them the next day. If everything is fine the next day, I then let them shower and they do not need a dressing over their incisions. They can usually start using make up after a few days. At the two week check up, I usually have people start working out and then after six weeks they can do whatever they want.

I routinely tell people to take a few days to a week off work and to hide out but some people are very nervous especially celebrities and I usually tell them to hide out for two weeks. As with any scar on the human body, initially scars are red, hard and raised and it typically takes six months to a year for them to become a soft thin white line.

Additionally with recovery, there're many things we do to expedite healing such as nerve blocks during surgery, oral supplements, skin care and scar therapy recommendations, lymphatic massage sessions that are included in our pricing.

I'd recommend not getting into the mindset of thinking the jowls will be 100% gone however with any facelift as this might lead to disappointment. It is always best to consider that an area will be improved. Looking for something to be completely gone sets up unrealistic expectations and will usually lead to disappointment after surgery. There are never any guarantees of course with any procedure whether it is surgical or nonsurgical in nature.

Surgery is not for everyone. In today's day and age, there are many nonsurgical options to consider although surgery usually gets the most improvement specifically of the jowls.

I would recommend that you see a board-certified plastic surgeon in your area that is a member of both ASPS & ASAPS and performs a lot of facelifts but also offers all the nonsurgical options such as injectables and laser treatments. Go over your concerns with them and make sure above all, you walk out of there with several options and an idea of the pros and cons to each of them as well as realistic expectations.

I hope this helps and wish you all the best in your surgery and event. If it does, please take a moment to up vote this answer on the “respond” button on the top right.

I would highly recommend a facelift/necklift. Fillers only provide volume; they have no lifting effect on the face. They can also be very problematic for many other reasons. I would recommend seeing a plastic surgeon with 6 years of plastic surgery residency training and a year of aesthetic fellowship training to ensure that you find an individual with adequate training in this very important area of the body.

Dear ohmaggiemae,
Thank you for providing pictures for a better recommendation. In my opinion, a full-face lift seems to be the solution, this way it will target the loose skin in the neck, jaw area, midface and temporal area. Furthermore, I would also suggest a lip-lift to reduce distance between the nose and lips. As a result the excess fat in the neck can be eliminated which will give a tightened and natural look. I also do recommend fat grafts in the midface areas to eliminate the lack of volume giving permanent results unlike fillers and Botox.
Best Regards,
TAS TEAM