Face Lift
Face > Face Lift
Face Lift, Facial Rejuvanation
Baltimore plastic surgery
Chosen “TOP DOC” in Baltimore Magazine, and National Directory of TOP DOCS
Dr. Shureih is a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon with advanced education in cosmetic surgery. Located in Baltimore and, Ellicott City Maryland.
As a board certified Plastic Surgeon Dr. Shureih understands the aging process and the myriads of methods to repair and reverse aging. He is knowledgeable in all the face lifting procedures and all the new technology available at his disposal for the best results possible. Dr, Shureih is also very experienced in the repair of bad cosmetic surgery results resulting from non-qualified physicians who are not trained as plastic surgeons.
With the increased popularity of cosmetic surgery, many non-qualified physician are doing plastic surgery and cosmetic surgery with no certified training. this has resulted in many disappointments and problems. Plastic surgeons are trained to do all these procedures. There are many types of face lifts. However many money hungry companies advertise catching names for a face lifts and market it to the un-weary public with disastrous results.
BE CAREFULL OF THREAD LIFTS (THE COMPANY RECENTLY WITHDREW THESE THREADS BECAUSE THEY DO NOT WORK)
BE CAREFULL OF LIFE STYLE LIFT (no such procedure exist or described in the literature)
BE CAREFULL OF ONE HOUR FACE LIFT. (THAT’S HOW LONG IT LASTS)
These so called face lift utilize short cuts and minor approaches to the face because a full face lift is difficult for them to do. The result is disappointments and disasters.
Therefore choose your Board Certified Plastic Surgeon very carefully.
THE FACE LIFT
Some of the most popular cosmetic surgery procedures are performed on the face. The face can be divided into three aesthetic units:
- Upper Face: Forehead, eyebrows and upper lids
- Middle Face: Cheeks, lower lids and nose
- Lower Face: Mouth, chin and neck
These aesthetic units are studied and analyzed by your physician, who will present a customized plan for rejuvenation. The desired results can be achieved using state-of-the-art technological developments combined with the expertise and surgical skills of your plastic surgeon.
The Upper Face
The upper face analysis includes the position of the hairline, wrinkling of the forehead and frown lines. The position of the eyebrows is of extreme importance in defining the beauty of the eye area. A downward descent of the eyebrow is aesthetically unappealing as it results in an angry, sad, tired look. However, most important is the eyebrow's contribution to the over hooding of the upper eyelids. Such deformities should be analyzed and approached on an individual basis because the brow, with its thick, hairy skin, should be differentiated from the thin, mobile skin of the upper lids. If the surgeon does not take this into consideration, the thick brow skin may be pulled down to the eyelid skin, resulting in an abnormal appearance.
Dealing with the muscles of the forehead, eye, brow and nose will soften the wrinkles of the frown, the upper nose and crows' feet. It is of utmost importance to understand the interaction of those muscles; otherwise, abnormal asymmetry is likely.
New endoscopic techniques used on the upper face leave a minimal amount of scarring. Endoscopic surgery leaves a few small one-inch or shorter scars instead of a scar from ear to ear. However in some conditions one the traditional incision is preferable.
The amount the brow gets lifted is important; too much elevation of the brow gives you a surprised look. Reversal of too high brow is possible but requires great expertise and significant surgery. Dr. Shureih Baltimore plastic surgery TOP DOC. Has the expertise to correct such problems.
The Middle Face
The middle face analysis and surgical plan is customized to the individual. With the help of aging and gravity, the cheek fat drops down, resulting in a lower cheek, hollowness and accumulation of fat within the region of the nasolabial fold. The result is a deeper fold and a sad, angry, aging appearance.
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The bags of the lower eyelids contain pockets of fat. In the past, these fat pockets would simply be removed. Today's rejuvenation procedures, however, enable the physician to redistribute this fat to fill hollow areas of the eye socket, reducing what may be a sunken eye appearance. And the hollow tear trough.
The physician uses a lower lid incision to reposition the fat and fill hollow areas of the lower lid. The muscle is tightened to position the lower lid in the correct position. The mid face is approached through an incision in front of the ear the skin is elevated all the way to the naso-labial fold and the corner of the mouth which reduces the wrinkles around the mouth. The lower layer (SMAS) is tightened the result is a younger, healthier appearance. A more natural look, a rested look.
The Lower Face
The lower face deals primarily with the jowls, neck and chin. The extent of any of these deformities should be appropriately analyzed with a customized plan for repair.
Your physician should examine your neck for fat accumulation, whether above or below the muscle. When the neck muscles age, they will loosen, separate and cease to act as a tight sling as in younger people. The repair plan should include removing excess fat if needed, but more importantly, repairing the muscle to reestablish the tight sling and rejuvenate the entire neck.
Dr. Shureih is a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon in Baltimore and Ellicott City. He has twenty five years of experience and thousands of procedures. He was chosen TOP DOC in Baltimore Magazine , and The National Directory of Top Docs.
Cosmetic surgery is an art and a science.
Often men and women in their mid-forties to late sixties opt for facial rejuvenation, for a refreshed and vibrant appearance that allows them to look as youthful as they feel. This surgery is performed on people as early as the late thirties and as late as the mid-seventies.
- A face-lift corrects sagging tissue of the middle face, jaw line and neck, not the fine wrinkles, crow’s feet, or the lines around the lips.
- The traditional face-lift only minimally affects the nasolabial folds (deep vertical creases that run between the nostrils and the corners of the mouth). Newer face lifting techniques remodel the fatty layer and return the deep nasolabial fold to its youthful appearance. Mid-face lifts require the newer techniques that address premature aging of the mid-face, primarily the deep nasolabial fold.
- Face-lifts do not affect the texture of the skin. An improvement in the texture of the skin, however, does compliment a facelift. A skin care program can bring back that youthful glow. Chemical peels or laser resurfacing diminish the appearance of fine wrinkles and add texture and quality to the skin.
- Face-lifts are often performed in conjunction with Blepheroplasty (eyelid surgery), a brow/forehead lift, and fillers or fat injections.
ALTERNATIVES TO SURGERY
Only surgery will actually tighten and remove excess skin. However, soft tissue fillers, fat transfer, or other implant devices may be an option for those who wish to postpone face lift surgery. Laser skin resurfacing can tighten the skin, and at the same time smooth and rejuvenate the skin to its original vibrant texture. There is no substitute for taking good care of one’s skin. It is worthwhile to find out more about the variety of light peels, and skin care products that have been proven to enhance the appearance of the skin and reduce fine lines and wrinkles. With or without surgery, good "skin care" will always have a positive impact on appearance.
PREPARING FOR SURGERY
Consultation with one’s physician includes evaluation of the face: the laxity of the skin and muscles, the shape of the boney structure, and the soft tissue of the face. A brow/forehead lift, eyelid surgery (Blepheroplasty), chin or cheek implants, and/or laser resurfacing in combination with the face-lift may be considered to achieve the desired results. A thorough assessment is critical. Several important decisions regarding the location of the incisions and the patient’s desired look are discussed, as well as specific instructions, including guidelines on eating and drinking, smoking, and the use or avoidance of certain vitamins and medications. Careful adherence to these instructions will help surgery go more smoothly.
THE PROCEDURE
Facelift incisions are usually hidden in the natural folds and creases of the skin. They usually begin in front of the ear, and extend under the earlobes and around the ear into the hair line. The scalp extension may be modified to reduce the visibility of the scar behind the ear. If the neck needs attention, a small incision may also be made under the chin.
Anesthesia
The type of anesthesia used during a facelift is dependent on the extent of the procedure to be performed. In most cases, a facelift is performed under general anesthesia. Twilight sedation with local anesthesia can also be an option.
Length of Procedure
Facelift surgery is usually performed on an outpatient basis and takes two and a half to five hours. If more than one procedure is done, the surgery may take longer.
Level of Pain/Discomfort
Generally, with a facelift there is minimal to moderate discomfort during the postoperative period. Some people experience absolutely no discomfort at all.
PRE- AND POSTOPERATIVE INSTRUCTIONS
The following suggestions are intended to promote healing and comfort during the post-operative period:
- Do not smoke or drink alcohol; do not take vitamin E or any medications containing aspirin or ibuprofen (two weeks before and after the procedure is usually recommended). Check with your doctor regarding any continuation of medications (including homeopathic/herbal products).
- Hair coloring or permanents should be done a minimum of ten days prior to surgery, and between four to six weeks after treatment.
- Short hair should not be cut prior to the procedure. Longer hair will help cover the incisions until they heal.
- It is recommended that patients have someone stay with them the first night after surgery, (the first twenty-four hours, optimally).
- It is important to follow directions regarding any ointments to be applied and/or the cleansing of incisions.
- Sunbathing and tanning beds must be avoided for a minimum of two weeks prior to surgery, and for optimal skin care and health, these should be avoided completely. After surgery, if direct exposure to sunlight is necessary, the face must be protected.
- The head must be kept elevated above the level of the heart at all times for at least the first week, optimally two weeks.
- For approximately one week, excessive talking, laughing, and heavy chewing (stay on a soft diet), should be avoided.
- Numbness, for eight to twelve weeks, of the areas treated should be expected. Caution must be taken when using a hair dryer or curling iron, as the treated area may not be sensitive to heat.
- Cold compresses should be applied for twenty minutes every hour for a minimum of forty-eight hours.
RECOVERY
Any drainage tubes inserted will be removed one or two days after surgery. Bandages, when used, are usually removed after one to five days. Most stitches will be removed after approximately five days, although the stitches or staples in the hairline may be left a few days longer.
Swelling of the face and neck area may shift for the first few weeks, but swelling will usually lessen a little each day, with some minor swelling remaining for almost twelve weeks. Bruising also should diminish daily, but can last, on average, between five days to several weeks. Some patients have reported the appearance of bruising as low as the chest area. Makeup (regular and/or camouflage) may be applied after the sutures are removed.
RISKS / COMPLICATIONS
All surgery involves some risk as well as some uncertainty on the part of the patient. Of course much depends on the selection of a physician, the place of surgery, how well the pre-and postoperative instructions are followed, and the body’s ability to heal.
Complications are rare and are usually easily addressed by the surgeon. It is necessary, however, that patients be aware of the risks associated with their particular procedure. Complications that can occur include hematoma (a collection of blood or fluid under the skin), temporary or permanent damage to the nerves that control movement of the face, infection, and reactions to the anesthesia. Poor healing of the skin, or scarring is usually associated with smoking.
NEW YOU ONLY BETTER
A facelift will not enable one to stop aging, but once the healing period is complete, the world will see a fresher more youthful countenance A professionally performed face lift will always result in a younger looking face.
Dr. Shureih, Baltimore’s “TOP” plastic surgeon can help you achieve these goals. Surgery will be fashioned to suit your needs and desires.
5300 Dorsey Hall Drive, Suite 102, Ellicott City MD 21042
(410) 715-2000