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Face and Neck

The Real Facelift: What a Difference a Day, or Two, Makes

· Face and Neck · No Comments

Jorge A. Perez, M.D., F.A.C.S.

The options to freshen our appearance seem endless and often confusing. Lasers, peels, fillers and other “non-surgical” choices often compete with traditional facelift procedures. However, patients often spend thousands of dollars and months of treatments, only to be disappointed to learn that minimally invasive means minimal results. Meanwhile, a “real’ facelift, in the hands of an experienced plastic surgeon, can produce dramatic, long-lasting results with little downtime.

The last decade has seen an explosion of fillers used to treat facial wrinkles. In addition, it seems every day we hear another slick “minimally invasive” lift procedure advertised that promises dramatic results. It is more important now than ever for patients to seek honest, competent advice from multiple practitioners versed in the whole array of treatment options. Just like an artist chooses the right colors for his canvas, the plastic surgeon must guide the patient to choose the right treatment for the desired effect.

I like to evaluate the facial rejuvenation patient by dividing the face into thirds. We start at the top by examining the forehead and eyebrows. I think browlift is terribly over-prescribed and we often advise patients against this surgical procedure. Botox is often sufficient here for most patients.

The middle third of the face are the eyelids. The procedure of choice to correct tired eyelids is the eyelid tuck or blepharoplasty. It is a commonly performed surgery with a very high degree of patient satisfaction, and one of my personal favorites to perform. It is the most commonly performed aging procedure for men. The procedure takes 45 minutes and patients soon enjoy a refreshed and less tired look.

The lower third of the face includes the area of the cheeks, jawline and neck. Although highly advertised under many catchy terms, surgical facelift procedures generally fall into two categories, mini and full. A mini-facelift is best suited for patients in their 40’s or younger who just want to freshen the cheek and jawline. The advantage is that it is quick procedure with a rapid recovery. My preference for isolated mild neck fullness is a less invasive, unique ultrasonic liposuction tightening procedure.

The typical patient for traditional face and necklift is in his/her late 40’s and older with laxity of the jawline and neck, often with turkey-like banding. The procedure takes about 2 hours and, although results vary, most patients return to non-exercise, normal activity within a few days.

Combined with eyelid surgery, the facelift procedure often produces dramatic, long-lasting results and can reduce the aging appearance by decades. As with all procedures, an honest consultation with a reputable and experienced physician is the best place to customize an individual treatment plan.

 

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About Dr. Perez

Dr. Perez has been selected among Castle Connolly/U.S. News and World Report’s America’s Top Doctors. He has lectured internationally on face and neck rejuvenation surgery and has been featured as a plastic surgery expert for major media outlets. Dr. Perez was featured as the facelift keynote speaker at the Brussels Belgium Science and Art of Facial Makeover Congress for facial plastic surgeons. Surgery is performed at the Imperial Point Surgery Center with physician anesthesiologists. A limited number of personalized consultations with Dr. Perez are available by appointment only. To learn more about any of these procedures visit PerezPlasticSurgery.com or call (954) 351-2200

A Valentine’s Special: Sweethearts’ Plastic Surgery

            Pairs’ plastic surgery is more common than might be expected. Patients often find themselves coordinating procedures with their closest support members. Over the past twenty years we have welcomed simultaneous plastic surgery combinations for siblings, friends, parent-child, significant other (his-hers, his-his, her-hers) and more.

 

Valentine’s month is therefore appropriate to discuss sweetheart plastic surgery. These procedures are commonly performed for both men and women.

 

Refresh the Eyelids

 

            Men and women both begin to first notice aging changes   around the eyes. The tired, heavy look is a combination of extra upper eyelid skin and lower eyelid bags. The lower lid bags are mainly small fat pockets that can be removed for a fresher, more rested appearance. Other factors, such as high blood pressure, salt intake and certain diseases can also contribute to puffy eyes.

 

Upper eyelid skin can cause hooding that adds to the tired look. The correction is performed by removing the extra skin and a small amount of fat. The combination of upper and lower eyelid tuck can create a dramatic difference in the overall facial youthfulness.

 

 

Neck Lift

 

Another area that commonly concerns men and women is the laxity of skin, fat and muscle under the jawline. Men often come for consultation pinching the waddle under the chin. Although women often opt for full face and neck rejuvenation, men sometimes prefer the less invasive necklift procedure.

 

We favor the use of ultrasound with neck tightening procedures. Combined with eyelid surgery, the procedure often produces dramatic results and can reduce the aging appearance by decades.

 

 

Body Sculpting

 

Men are usually more discrete about their desire for body contouring procedures but are nonetheless eager and willing participants. Ultrasonic body sculpting typically produces less pain and a rapid recovery, which makes it ideal for men.

 

The main difference between men and women is in the areas for liposculpting. Men want improvement in the belly and love handles, while women often target the thighs as well. In addition, a unique body sculpting area for men is the breast for a condition called gynecomastia. Ultrasonic is especially useful for this purpose.

 

Valentine’s reminds us that pair’s plastic surgery can be a unique experience for couples to share. Advantages can even include togetherness during recovery. As always, consultation with a plastic surgeon experienced in the full range of procedures is important. Happy Valentine’s!

 

 

 

About the Doctor:

 

Dr. Perez has been selected among Castle Connolly/U.S. News and World Report’s America’s Top Doctors. He has lectured internationally on facial rejuvenation and body contouring topics and has been featured as a plastic surgery expert for major news outlets. Dr. Perez was an original investigator for Ultrasonic Liposuction studies and has been performing the procedure for 15 years. For more information call (954) 351-2200 or visit www.PerezPlasticSurgery.com.

 

Plastic Surgery, Diet and Exercise: 3 Coins in the Fountain…of Youth

            Plastic surgery is more popular now than ever before. However, many misconceptions exist about the role of plastic surgery and overall wellness. We often see patients who believe that surgery is the solution to an overweight or sedentary lifestyle. The reality is that plastic surgery, diet and exercise are all pieces of the puzzle. The best results are achieved when each piece is correctly applied.

 

Eat Right

 

A well balanced, varied and moderate diet is both healthy and necessary to maintain ideal body weight. Patients sometimes think that liposuction is a treatment to remove large volumes of fat. Liposuction is not intended to be a treatment for obesity. In fact, fat is not very dense tissue so the weight of liposuction fat is often only a few pounds, hardly a dent in an overweight patient.

 

I often recommend that overweight patients work with nutritionists to reach a reasonable weight before considering surgery. The ideal body contour candidate is at a good weight and in physical shape.

 

Get to the Gym

            Another misconception is that “If I just have a six pack chiseled into my abdomen by a plastic surgeon I don’t have to do crunches”. Wrong. Exercise is critical to developing a lean, well defined physique as well as improving overall fitness. Zumba moms, spin fanatics and ballroom dancers are among our most common patients because they are fit, lean and want to look as good as they feel. We often work in tandem with personal trainers to achieve the best results.

 

So What’s Plastic Surgery For?

            Diet is to maintain weight. Exercise is for fitness and definition. So where does plastic surgery fit in? Well, I like to define plastic surgery as three types of procedures; we make big things smaller, we make small things bigger, and we pick up what Mother Nature causes to fall down.

 

Here are a few examples of the more common procedures we perform. Breast augmentation is common for women in such good shape that they’ve lost their breast fat. Breast reduction (for women or men) or breast lift may be necessary if there is too much tissue or loose skin. Tummy tucks are common among moms or yo-yo dieters because neither diet nor exercise will eliminate the stretch marks or tighten the loose belly skin and muscles. Liposuction is best for stubborn areas such as love handles and outer thigh saddle bags. And facial rejuvenation surgery such as eyelids, face and neck lifts help the face look as youthful as the body.

So remember the fountain of youth requires all three; diet, exercise and plastic surgery. One is not a substitute for the others. However, as with all plastic surgery, a skilled, experienced surgeon, a safe facility, and a competent anesthesiologist are also key to a successful outcome.

 

About the Doctor:

 

Dr. Perez has been selected among Castle Connolly/U.S. News and World Report’s America’s Top Doctors (again for 2012-2013). He has lectured internationally and been featured as a plastic surgery expert for major media outlets. Surgery is performed at the Broward Health Weston facility.

To schedule a consultation with Dr. Perez call (954) 351-2200. To learn more about any of these procedures, or to view our recent ABC News segments, featuring Dr. Perez visit www.PerezPlasticSurgery.com.