Plastic Surgery Secrets: The Scarless Facelift, Real or Not?
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In today’s fast-paced world, age and stress due to day-to-day activities can take a toll on your face. For example, you may develop deep lines and creases, notice that your cheeks seem lower and less full than they used to, or develop jowls and loose neck skin.
These facial changes may cause you to consider facelift surgery; however, one of the biggest concerns many potential facelift patients have when they come in for a consultation is the potential scarring. Your face is always visible and, therefore, poor scarring if difficult — if not impossible — to hide.
Because of this, many facial surgeons are promoting what is known as the scarless facelift (or some similar name). This obviously appeals to most men and women considering surgery. Who wouldn’t want to restore a more youthful look without scars?
However, many surgeons do not tell you that the “scarless facelift” is not appropriate for every patient. And if you are not the right candidate, your results will be subpar.
What Is the Scarless Facelift?
In concept, a scarless facelift is designed to tighten facial tissues without the traditional incision in front of the ear.
This technique uses an endoscope (a small, pencil-sized camera), which allows your surgeon to get a visual of the underlying tissues without needing to open and lift the skin completely. By inserting these cameras into small, hidden incisions in the temporal area, surgeons can tighten and reposition tissues in the cheek region and can successfully provide midface suspension (a technique that Dr. Calabria helped pioneer).
This technique is ideal for addressing tissue laxity in the midface.
So, What’s the Downside?
Lifted cheeks and tighter tissues without scars? Sounds too good to be true.
Well, in some cases, it is. While a lot of surgeons promote the scarless facelift as a way to get on-the-fence patients in the door, not every surgeon explains the limitations of such a procedure.
For some qualifying patients, the scarless facelift, or endoscopic facelift, is the ideal technique and will provide significant results; however, you need to be the right candidate.
Because the scarless facelift is an endoscopic procedure — meaning that the only incisions are made within the hairline (and are extremely small) — there is no way to remove excess skin, which is common in aging patients.
A scarless facelift only allows your surgeons to tighten beneath the skin, and, for most patients, this is only half of their facial aging concerns.
Who Is a Candidate for a Scarless Facelift?
While the scarless facelift is not right for everyone, it is appropriate for some.
The ideal candidate for a scarless facelift is generally a younger patient, often between the ages of 30 and 50, presenting underlying tissue laxity but no skin laxity.
What If You Are Not a Candidate?
Even if you are not a candidate for a scarless facelift, it does not mean that you cannot achieve results with hardly noticeable scarring.
A traditional facelift does require an incision that extends from the temporal hairline to the bottom of the ear; however, when the incision is placed and sutured well, it heals as a very thin line that is nearly undetectable, especially when wearing makeup.
This incision allows your surgeon to trim the excess skin needed while repositioning and tightening the underlying muscles. This will give you better, longer-lasting results without gimmicks.
Talk to a Qualified Surgeon Today!
Sadly, many plastic surgeons use gimmicks to get patients in the door. Therefore, it is important to do your research and opt for a surgeon who is open and honest about what these techniques can achieve and which techniques are most appropriate for you.
Schedule a consultation with Dr. Renato Calabria today. He is a facial plastic surgeon who has pioneered several facelift techniques and is dedicated to providing you with results that last.
Contact the experts at Beverly Hills Face Lift Institute at (310) 777-0069 or fill out our online contact form.