There’s no doubt about it — facelifts are among the most popular plastic surgery procedures in the country. When done well and performed by a skilled surgeon, a facelift can not only make you look more youthful, it can also help you feel more confident about yourself and about your appearance.
Despite its popularity, or perhaps because of it, many people have false assumptions about what a facelift can and can’t do or about who a facelift is for. If you’re wondering if the surgery is the right one for you or aren’t sure about because of what you’ve heard, learning the truth about facelifts can help you make an informed decision.
Check out some of the most common myths about the surgery:
Myth 1: You’ll Get Better Results With _____
One very common misunderstanding about a facelift is that the surgery is outdated and that there are newer, less invasive options that will provide better results.
That’s both truth and false at the same time. It’s true that there are lots of different options available to people who want to look more youthful, but none of them are really designed to replace a facelift. For example, non-surgical skin tightening treatments might be appropriate for people who are just beginning to have some skin laxity or looseness in the lower part of the face. But if you’ve gotten to the point where you have considerable sagging, a non-surgical option won’t be as effective for you.
Myth 2: You’re Too Young/Too Old for a Facelift
Another common misconception about facelifts is that there is magic age or age range for the surgery. If you aren’t yet in that age range, or you’re well past it, too bad.
The truth is that everyone ages at a different pace and everyone experiences the signs of aging in a slightly different way. While you might have a friend who’s a good candidate for the surgery at 40, you yourself might not be a good candidate for it until you’re in your late 60s or early 70s.
When it comes to the “too old” side of the myth, what matters most when you’re considering plastic surgery of any kind is how healthy you are. If you don’t have chronic illnesses that aren’t controlled and if you don’t drink in excess or smoke, you’re likely to be a good candidate for the surgery, even if you’re older than the average candidate.
Myth 3: Facelifts Make Your Face Look Weird
Everyone has seen someone who’s been a victim of what can only be described as surgery gone wrong. Whether you’ve seen this person on TV, in a gossip magazine or in real life, it doesn’t matter. While older facelift techniques focused tightening the outermost layers of skin and often results in a pulled back, unnatural look, surgical technique has evolved considerably since then.
Today’s procedures involve smoothing and tightening the underlying muscle and tissue, then redraping the exterior tissues, creating a more natural and more youthful appearance.
Another way to ensure that you end up with a natural looking results is to choose your surgeon carefully. Facelifts are both art and science. A trained, highly experienced surgeon who has a good artistic eye will be more likely to produce aesthetically pleasing results than a less skilled practitioner.
Myth 4: Facelifts Are All the Same
Facelifts aren’t performed on an assembly, using the same exact techniques with each patient. You won’t wake up in the recovery room looking exactly like everyone else. Instead, a facelift is a customized procedure. During your consultation, your surgeon will closely examine your face and will adjust the procedure to meet your needs.
Myth 5: You’ll Never Age After a Facelift
The last myth probably stems from wishful thinking. Wouldn’t it be great to have surgery once and to freeze your appearance in time? While that’s not quite what happens, a facelift will take up to 10 years off of your appearance. You’ll continue to age, but will always look years younger than you would have if you hadn’t had the surgery.
A board certified plastic surgeon in Houston, Texas, Dr. Paul Vitenas has nearly 30 years of experience performing facelifts and other plastic surgeries. He combines artistic talent and surgical skill to provide patients with the results they are after. To learn more, call 281-484-0088 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Vitenas today.
