Dear Dr. Winder:
Q. I'm only 42, yet I'm really starting to look much older and I don't know what the possibilities for me might be. Am I too young to have a facelift?

A. Absolutely not! In fact, the younger a person has any type of facial rejuvenation surgery, the easier their recovery will be and the longer their result will last. As we age, one of the first noticeable changes we see is the cheek moving downwards. Also, by this time, there are, usually, also changes taking place in the lower eyelids (puffiness and droopiness). If this is the case with you, then a "subperiosteal" or "mid-face" facelift is probably just the answer for you. Surgery that addresses the changes that take place in the eyelids with age, have been addressed with "blepharoplasty" surgery for many, many years. However, up until 9 or 10 years ago, the only type of facelift surgery did not re-position the cheeks in an upward fashion, but merely pulled them back towards the ears. However, now, both areas of concern can be addressed with one surgery, called a minimal access facelift. The incision used is placed in front of the ear. After the incision is made, the cheek is then lifted "up" to correct its downward shift by a suture suspension technique. The result includes the cheek back where it was, softening of the nasolabial fold (the crease between the side of the nose and the outside edge of the mouth) any jowl formation and corretion of any neck laxity you may have.

Dear Dr. Winder:

Q. I have looked at photos of patients who have had facelift surgery and liked what I've seen. I have deep lines on my face, and my lower face droops, as well as my neck. Would a facelift help me, or could I be "too far gone"?

A. A facelift would definitely help you with the problems you describe . . . heavy lines and sagging of the lower face, jawline and neck. You should always have a consultation with a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon to determine the best approach for your condition and the result you desire. During the consultation, you should be shown "before & after" photos of other patients to help illustrate what can be realistically achieved and what areas of the face are affected. Often when showing photos to patients we hear, "Wow . . . she looks 20 years younger"! Many people believe that a facelift just slows down the aging of the facial appearance. The reality is that a facelift performed by highly experienced plastic surgeons on a face that sags and is heavily lined can actually wipe away many years. For example, a 50 year-old woman that looks 60 can end up looking 40 with a properly done facelift procedure. And the ultimate goal in these situations is achieving the visual effect of a youthful look without looking "operated on". Many of our patients express interest in how the different facial procedures can be combined in one operation . . . blepharoplasty can be added to correct baggy eyelids . . . a brow lift is very often added, too. Sometimes patients benefit from full facial rejuvenation surgery - conventional facelift, minimal access facelift, blepharoplasty and brow lift, followed at a later date by laser skin resurfacing. Obviously, there's significant savings to combining procedures, as well as having one recovery period. The cumulative effect of the combined results can be extremely satisfying.

Read more about the rhytidectomy procedure.

"Cheek Suspension" Surgery Can Make a Dramatic Difference in the Early Aging Face!