By Dr. Michael Paul Bentley, Surgeon at Plastic Surgery Associates of Montgomery
Many women put on their makeup in the morning, look at themselves in the mirror, and often scrutinize their appearance as they start to see those early signs of aging. They try over-the-counter products that may help things for a while, but then it gets to the point where they really want to see results. That’s when they come to see me to find out what we can do to improve these areas. Of course, we first go over the nonsurgical ways to enhance those signs of aging, but then we discuss the surgical procedures for facial rejuvenation that are available.
Whether a non-surgical, more temporary solution, or long-term surgical solution is the best option, solely depends on the patient. I have some patients that come in, and for one reason or another, whether due to their jobs or other activities going on in their life, they want to do something with a minimal amount of downtime, like injectable fillers. Then, I have others, I believe that just don’t want to do temporizing measures. They want the solution that’s going to fix the problem, and those are the ones that go straight to surgery.
If you’re ready to fix the problem once and for all, here’s a look at the six most common surgical procedures for facial rejuvenation:
- Eyebrows – One of the things we start with is brow lifting and brow positioning. Endoscopic brow lifts are done through small incisions hidden in the hair. We don’t have to shave any hair or anything to do these. You can reposition the brow and get rid of the vertical frown creases between the eyebrows while softening those muscles up, giving a more youthful look.
- Eyelids – We also do procedures of the eyelids where we remove excess skin on the eyelid to get a more refreshed, well-rested appearance. We also get rid of the bags underneath the eyes that cause you to look tired and aged.
- Cheeks – What we do to here is rejuvenate the cheek as we lift it and give it more volume if necessary. At the same time, we’re also cleaning up the jawline to get a nice, smooth appearance.
- Neck – This is where everybody deposits fatty tissue, which results in the loss of that nice acute angle where we transition between the neck and chin. We tighten the muscle there while removing some skin and fat in that area to improve the jawline.
- Nose – As we age, we all get a deepening of the nasolabial creases, which are the parenthesis marks on either side of the nose. Some may know these as smile or laugh lines. We can restructure these areas and reduce the depth of the creases, making them much less visible.
- Mouth – We also do procedures to enhance the oral commissures, or the corners of the mouth. This area turns down with time, giving you a sad or angry appearance. We can lift and smooth out this area to greatly improve those signs of aging.
While there are many facial rejuvenation procedures we perform, there are of course more temporizing measures that can last anywhere from six months to two years, depending on the area we’re treating. These temporary solutions, like Botox and injectable fillers, can make things better for patients that really aren’t ready for surgery or can’t work it into their schedules just yet.
On the other hand, many of my patients are ready to fix the problem with a more permanent solution. That’s when we go forward with surgical facial rejuvenation procedures like those of the eyelids, eyebrows, cheeks, neck, nose and mouth. With these procedures, we can make our patients look 10 to 15 years younger while achieving a more permanent solution, which is the ultimate goal of many that walk in our door.
Plastic Surgery Associates of Montgomery is the largest aesthetic, cosmetic and reconstructive surgery practice in Central Alabama. You can feel comforted by our highly-credentialed, board certified surgeons who take great pride in helping men and women achieve their goals and increase their self-confidence and pride in appearance. Reach out to us today for a consultation to get the look you’ve always dreamed of!