Facelift - chin: In some before/after facelift photos I notice that the face looks longer and the chin looks larger.

Hi there!  I believe what you are observing is a correction of the fullness of the lower face that occurs with aging.  Our face morphs from a more oval or egg shape to one that is square or boxy down low.  Often, surgeons performing a face lift with perform liposuction of the cheeks and along the lower jawline.  This can make the face take on an overly slim or long appearance and exaggerate the appearance of the chin.  As a part of my consultation, my patients and I discuss aesthetic goals in front of a 3-fold mirror or using 3D imaging software.  This helps us to achieve an incredible result about which everyone can be proud.  I hope this helps answer your question.  Good luck to you!- Dr. SchmidtAs always, please remember that this response is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a patient-physician relationship.

Dear Milliemils9Thank you for your questions! The surgical technique and artistry are the secrets to a good, natural looking facelift that is not detectable. The facial volume , shape and redraping of the skin are the 3 important steps in getting great resultsWith Warm RegardsTrevor M Born MD

Hello and thank you for your question.  I agree with you.  The goal of a good facelift should be a natural appearance to rejuvenation of the face.   It is very
important that you thoroughly research your surgeon before committing to
surgery. It is a good idea to research your surgeon's educational background,
online reviews, before & after pictures, and speak with anyone who you may
know who has had surgery with that surgeon. During your consultation, make sure
that you don't feel rushed and make sure that you have adequate time with your
surgeon and not just their patient coordinator or nurses. If the majority of
your consultation is spent with someone other than the surgeon, this is usually
not a good sign. The most important aspect is to find a surgeon you are
comfortable with. I recommend that you seek consultation with a qualified
board-certified expert surgeon who can evaluate you in person.
Best wishes and good luck.
Richard G. Reish, M.D.
Harvard-trained plastic surgeon

You have a keen eye. Of course each case is different but technique does play a role regarding the result you desire. One way to soften the look is to transfer fat.Fat transfer from the tummy or thighs to the face is an excellent option for people of all ages. Younger patients can enhance their cheekbones or lips with fat that is natural and long lasting. As we age, our face deflates, losing fat, causing sagging skin to look more obvious. Fat grafting to the face rejuvenates the face with biological filler, your own fat! I frequently use fat transfer to my facelift patients to enhance and prolong the result. Depending on the individual, one treatment does the trick, but sometimes secondary touch ups are needed. Be sure to consult with a board certified plastic surgeon. Good luck!

Select a  Board Certified Plastic surgeon and be evaluated.Look at his work in the before and after pictures and be sure like what you see. You should also have a pleasant experienceand the trust to feel confident in his/hers hands. If you do not,try another one. See the link below for a board certified plasticsurgeon in your area.Best wishes!

This depends on your surgeon and your appearance.  A chin implant is place if your chin balance is recessive.  Not all facelifts benefit from a chin implant.  The type, placement, size and shape of implant affect the appearance.If you have a facelift alone this may improve your chin appearance without a chin implant.Have several consultations and choose your Specialist carefully, asking questions and reviewing your pictures.

The best way to avoid a facelift you aren't happy with is to choose your surgeon wisely.  Look at the surgeon's photos and make sure their patients have the postoperative look that you would want if you were that patient. The "purses string" approach, like any other plastic surgery technique, is only as good as the surgeon using it.  I, like some other facial surgeons, use an imagining system that allows you to view your proposed postoperative image before we select the specific techniques for your particular best result.I find this technique to be very honest and helpful for my patients and puts them at ease regarding my desires being in tune with theirs.

Depending upon how the tissues are lifted can change the shape of the face. This can make it look more heart shaped or rounded depending upon the goals. Very perceptive.

It really depends on the patients pre-op facila shape, and is not neccesarily a reflection of the technique used. the best thing to do is see a few surgeons and look at their before/and after results. Look for someone who consisitently gets the "softer" look you are looking for, and dont focus on the technique used. It is not the  technique, it is the docotr!

Hi, I have performed facelifts for over 30 years and have performed many minimally, invasive type facelifts. Following the beauty principles outlined in my book on face and body beauty, women look the most feminine, youthful and attractive with heart shaped faces. Heart shaped faces have cheeks that are full and round in the front. Cheek augmentation with a dermal filler or using cheek implants for a permanent enhancement will create full, round cheeks that will feminize the entire face. A weak chin creates an imbalance making the nose appear larger, the mid face top heavy and the lower face look short that de-emphasizes the lips and allows early formation of a double chin. Chin augmentation using a chin implant will add projection to the chin creating harmony and balance to the lower face. I have found that placement of a silastic chin implant, through a small curved incision under the chin (also allows excess skin removal) to be very safe, quick and highly effective. Chin implants increase forward projection to balance the lower face."Jowls” are sagging facial tissues and an indication for some form of a SMAS facelift. The underlying SMAS layer, of the face, must be dissected, lifted, trimmed and re-sutured (not merely folded or suspended with threads, purse strings or sutures that will not last). The excess skin is then removed and the facelift incisions closed.My most popular facelift is the minimally invasive, short incision facelift that has all the benefits of more invasive facelifts (traditional, mid-face and subperiosteal facelifts) but with these added benefits:very small incisionsminimal tissue dissection = less bruising and swelling = rapid recoverycan be performed in 90 minutes or less, with or without general anesthesiano incisions within the hair = no hair lossexcess fat can be removedexcess skin removedcheeks, chin and jaw line can be augmented with dermal fillers (I prefer Restylane Lyft) or facial implantsmost patients fly back home to parts all over the world in as little as 3 days post-opI combine facial shaping with every facelift procedure. When jowls are present, these should be done in concert and not alone or separately in order to create a naturally, more attractive face. Can't comment on other Facelift Surgeons before and afters as every surgeon will do things a bit differently based upon his/her aesthetic vision, experience and technical abilities.Hope this helps.