Choosing the Facelift That’s Right for You

There comes a point in the aging process when you’ve exhausted your options for facial rejuvenation using minimally invasive anti-aging regimens. Dermal fillers, anti-aging creams, and nonsurgical skin-tightening devices can only do so much, and if you aren’t seeing the results you desire, it may be time to consider undergoing a facelift (rhytidectomy). At Mansfield Cosmetic Surgery Center, Dr. Michael L. Thornton is highly trained and experienced in performing facial plastic surgery procedures like facelift, neck lift, browlift, blepharoplasty, facial fat grafting, laser skin resurfacing, and lip augmentation.  He uses a combination of traditional and modern techniques in face lift surgery with the goal of leaving you looking refreshed and youthful without anyone being able to tell that you’ve had anything “done.” If you’re thinking about a facelift to provide a more permanent solution for jowls, loose skin, sagging neck, and wrinkles, you may want to understand the basics in facelift surgery.  Serving clients living near Mansfield, Arlington, Fort Worth, and Dallas, Texas.

Facelifts Are For Both Men and Women

Did you know that over 82,000 facelifts were performed in the U.S. in 2017? That’s an increase of almost 22 percent over the previous year. Of those, women accounted for about 90 percent of the total number. Men chose to undergo the remaining 8,000 out of 82,000 facelifts, which may seem like a small number, but facelift surgery is still ranked in the top five most popular surgical procedures requested by men. The reasons for this can be attributed to the increasing competition in the workforce, as well as the simple desire to look younger and more virile – the same reasons many women choose to get a facelift. Whatever your motivation, cosmetic surgery and facial plastic surgery is increasingly becoming more accepted as something that can have a positive impact on your confidence and quality of life. Furthermore, with the consistently evolving innovations in surgical techniques and devices, men can restore a more youthful look to their face while still preserving their masculine features, and women can look refreshed, beautiful and feminine – all while looking like themselves, but better.

Choosing the Facelift That’s Right for You

When you come in for your facelift consultation, you will meet privately with Dr. Thornton, where he will perform a thorough facial examination and carefully review your medical history. You will then discuss your goals and expectations while he works with you in deciding which facelift procedure will provide the results you desire, depending on your unique facial aging and anatomy. At Mansfield Cosmetic Surgery Center, we offer the following facelift options:

Mini Facelift– Also called a “short scar” or “limited incision” facelift, a mini facelift is for those who have mild sagging and jowl formation without neck sagging and are simply looking for a way to address signs of aging before they become more pronounced. With a mini facelift, you no longer have to wait until you have more advanced signs of aging that would merit a traditional facelift. A mini facelift can address minor to moderate issues associated with facial aging including, folds around the mouth and jowls.  However, a mini facelift does not typically treat the neck.

 A mini facelift is less invasive, and the technique allows Dr. Thornton to utilize shorter incisions hidden along the temporal hairline in the crease of your ears. Using these incisions, he tightens and lifts deep structural tissues to eliminate jowls, smooth and refine your jawline and give you an overall refreshed appearance.

Standard or “Traditional” Facelift – As cosmetic surgery technology and techniques continue to advance, choosing a skilled surgeon like Dr. Thornton means that you no longer have to worry about the results of your facelift leaving you with the overly tight, windswept look that was characteristic of facelifts in the past.

 A traditional facelift focuses not only on the loose skin and tissue around the mid-face, but specifically treats the lower face, including the jowls, jawline and neck. More specifically, a traditional facelift has the ability to treat: nasolabial folds (around your nose and mouth) or marionette lines , loss of volume in your cheeks and mid-face, skin excess skin of the face and neck “turkey wattle”, and midline neck muscles (platysma muscle).

Standard facelift surgery is more extensive than a mini facelift, but offers more dramatic results. Dr. Thornton uses incisions placed within your hairline, beginning at the temples and continuing around the front of your ear. The incisions are hidden in the natural contours and folds of your ears, minimizing visible scars. The incision is finally continued behind your ear to extend upon the hairline behind your ears, thus allowing full anatomical exposure to the midface, lower face, and neck regions.  Using these incisions, Dr. Thornton surgically lifts and corrects the underlying anatomical tissues beneath the surface of your skin then he removes the excess skin, thus restoring a more youthful appearance.

What to Expect from Your Facelift Procedure and Recovery

With Dr. Thornton, he chooses to perform your facelift at an accredited surgery center as an outpatient procedure using general anesthesia.  Whether you choose a mini facelift or standard facelift, Dr. Thornton’s expert modern techniques will provide you with superior results with imperceptible scarring. Depending on your needs and desired results, you may choose to include additional facial plastic procedures to complement your facelift, such as brow lift, eye lift (blepharoplasty), facial fat grafting, laser skin resurfacing, earlobe reduction, or lip augmentation.

 After your facelift procedure, you will experience swelling and bruising for approximately two weeks.  Dr. Thornton will provide you with post-operative instructions for healing, as well as scheduled follow-up appointments to monitor your progress. Healing time will vary but most patients will resume normal everyday activities after two weeks. Remember, everyone heals at a different rate, so it is vital that you follow Dr. Thornton’s instructions to ensure a safe recovery and superior results. It is also essential to remember that you will still continue to age naturally and gradually, so maintaining proper skin care and using sunscreen protection will go a long way towards extending the life of your facelift.

If you have tried a myriad of nonsurgical and non-invasive anti-aging treatments and are looking to take the next step towards restoring your confidence and rejuvenating your facial appearance, a mini facelift or traditional facelift at Mansfield Cosmetic Surgery Center may be the answer. Contact us online or call our office at 817-477-9000 to schedule an appointment.  More Quick Facts on Facelift Surgery from the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery.