Face Lift in Dallas, Texas
A facelift is a surgical procedure that lifts and smooths loose and sagging skin to restore a more youthful appearance to the face and neck.
The changes in facial features that create an aged appearance are due to a variety of reasons including genetics, gravity, sun exposure, smoking, weight fluctuations and stress. Some of the concerns that a facelift can address include:
Sagging of the skin and deeper tissues of the cheek, jawline and neck
Deepening of the fold lines between the nose and corner of the mouth
Loose skin and excess fat of the neck
Muscle bands in the neck
Double Chin
Other procedures are frequently performed in conjunction with a facelift to maintain harmony throughout the face. These include brow lift, blepharoplasty and fat grafting. Resurfacing procedures can also be combined including laser resurfacing and chemical peels.
DERDERIAN’S GOALS FOR YOUR FACELIFT:
Dr. Derderian is known for his meticulous attention to detail and naturally beautiful results. He will customize his plan to your anatomy and your goals for improving your appearance. The key to a beautiful result is making subtle but powerful changes to maintain a natural look. You want people to know that you look better but want to leave them wondering why.
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In general, good candidates for a facelift include:
• Healthy individuals who do not have medical conditions or take medications that impair healing
• Nonsmokers
• Individuals with a positive outlook and realistic expectations
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It is important that the patient has a clear idea of what improvements they want for their facial appearance and have realistic expectations for what can be achieved with a facelift. Dr. Derderian will discuss these specific goals in detail at your consultation and will develop a surgical plan tailored to the agreed upon plan.
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The incision for a facelift incision begins at the hairline of the temples or sideburn, continues around the ear and ends in the lower scalp behind the ear. Through this incision the skin of the face is elevated and the deep tissues are sculpted to redistribute volume to create more youthful contours. Usually an additional incision is made under the chin through which the skin of the neck is elevated, liposuction may be performed and the muscle in the neck is tightened. Repositioning of the soft tissue bulk of the cheek is the critical part of the procedure. The skin is then draped over the corrected contours and any excess skin is trimmed away. The skin is not pulled tight and a meticulous attention is paid to maintain a natural appearance to the skin during this process.
An alternative to a traditional facelift uses shorter incisions in front of the ear, continuing around the ear. Short scar facelifts are usually reserved for patients with less skin relaxation..
The incisions are closed with fine sutures that are removed at 5-7 days after surgery. Thin drains are left and a bulky dressing is worn for the first day or two after surgery to minimize swelling.
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The dressings are removed after 1-2 days and the drains are removed at that time. Prescribed pain medicine is used for 2-3 days after surgery, and then only over the counter pain medicine is used for 1 week. Ointment is applied to the incisions for 5 days. Sutures are removed at 5-7 days. Bruising resolves by 10-14 days after surgery. Patients can return to work after 2 weeks. Normal exercise and sports can be resumed after 3-4 weeks. A low salt diet during the first 8 weeks after surgery is important to prevent excess swelling. The majority of swelling resolves by 6-8 weeks after surgery. The remaining swelling takes 6 months to 1 year to completely resolve.
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Most patients feel comfortable appearing in public within 10-14 days. It takes 3 months for the face to feel back to normal in terms of skin texture and tightness. While the appearance is significantly improved shortly after surgery, some patients don’t see a final result until 1 year after surgery.
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Costs include:
• Anesthesia fees – cover the anesthesiologist, their staff and medications
• Hospital or surgical facility costs – covers the operating room, staff and equipment
• Surgeon’s fee
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Dr. Derderian trained in plastic surgery at New York University and the Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital (MEETH) where he had extensive training in face-lift surgery and facial rejuvenation. After completing his residency, Dr. Derderian did a fellowship in craniofacial surgery at the University of Pennsylvania. He joined the faculty at UT Southwestern in Dallas in 2011, which is widely known for its excellence in cosmetic surgery. Dr. Derderian is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.