Will a facelift help minimize the appearance of wrinkles on the cheeks? (photo)

Question

I'm getting a Fl but it's not so much for my neck. It's for these wrinkles on the side of my face. Will it help fix it?

Thomas A. Mustoe, MD, FACS · Answer

Yes , a facelift will tighten the skin which will improve the wrinkles but not eliminate them.  Laser resurfacing done in combination with enhance the results.  However some of the wrinkles are due to loss of skin elasticity and with facial expression and muscle contraction it is inevitable that some wrinkling will occur.  There is no treatment that will enhance skin elasticity.

Lucian Ion, FRCS · Answer

Thank you for your question and sharing your photograph.

Facelift surgery has a tendency to improve these lines but doesn't necessarily get rid of them.

An important consideration is to use sunblock regularly to minimise the effect that the ultraviolet light has on the elastic collagen fibres.

For the problems already in place, small amounts of fat transfer can help these lines and make them less visible. They will be less noticeable anyway through the facelift when the face is relaxed but some of them will still be present when smiling.

Another option is to complement a facelift intervention with Sculptra which increases the collagen in the skin and can produce a smoother effect during the shape changes of the face as a result of facial expression.

Farhad Rafizadeh, MD · Answer

The wrinkles appear because the skin has lost its elasticity and the ability to recoil that exist in a young skin. The excess skin is removed during a facelift. This is the role of the skin excision during the facelift as the deep tissue tightening would not correct the skin wrinkles.

Gianfranco Frojo, MD · Answer

The fine wrinkles on the face that are present when smiling will improve. To address the fine lines that are present at rest...this requires some type of resurfacing (chemical peel, laser, dermabrasion). I would recommend finding a board-eligible or board-certified plastic surgeon with 6 years of integrated plastic surgery training followed a 1 year Aesthetic Society accredited fellowship.

Michele A. Shermak, MD · Answer

The short answer is "yes." Skin laxity is well addressed with facelift surgery. You can undergo surgery without addressing the neck if you prefer.
Best of luck to you!

Ronald J. Edelson, MD · Answer

It will help with those lines to some degree but probably not eliminate them completely. Overall you are an excellent candidate and I think can expect a great result.

Zoran Potparic, MD · Answer

Wrinkles like yours are mostly result of skin changes with thinning of dermis, loss of elastic and collagen fibers and, thinning of fat tissue underneath the skin.  Face lift will not address these issues. Radio frequency based rejuvenations, chemical peels, lasers, as well as fat transfers may help skin aging far better than face lift. Hope this helps.

Bruce B. Kadz, MD, FACS · Answer

Modern facelifts that combine skin re-draping with repositioning of the deep layers (SMAS) can provide you excellent results.

Ali Charafeddine, MD · Answer

Rhytidectomy is the technical name for the facelift. This means Removal (ectomy) of wrinkles (rhytids). These lines should get better after a facelift.

Adam Hamawy, MD · Answer

Yes, these lines will get better but not completely disappear.  A facelift primarily targets sagging or drooping skin on the lower face and neck by tightening the underlying tissues. This can improve the appearance of jowls and better define the jawline however, its effectiveness in addressing wrinkles on the surface, especially when you smile hard (like in the photo provided) might be limited.

Facelifts are not specifically designed to target fine lines or wrinkles that are more apparent with animation like smiling and laughing.

To directly address  these wrinkles on the sides of the face, the facelift should be supplemented with a resurfacing treatment such laser therapy or a chemical peel.  I would also suggest Botox or equivalent neuromodulator to soften the lines around the eyes as well.

Plastic surgeons have several tools that when combined together can give you the most optimal results.

Will a facelift help minimize the appearance of wrinkles on the cheeks? (photo)

Answers (14)

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