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| FACELIFT |
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BROWLIFT |
| 1. Do I need a facelift or can a less invasive procedure meet my expectations? |
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1. What does a browlift do? |
| 2. Are there different types of facelifts? |
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2. What are the different types of browlifts? |
| 3. What procedures can be done with a facelift? |
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| 4. How much down time is needed for a facelift? |
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3. What is the down time for a browlift? |
| 5. How long does the improvement from a facelift last? |
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RHINOPLASTY |
| 6. What is the "facelift look?" |
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1. Should I bring in photos of celebrities whose noses I like? |
| EYELID SURGERY |
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2. Are there any visible scars from a rhinoplasty? |
| 1. What is the best procedure to rejuvenate the area around the eyes? |
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3. How long does it take for my nose to look normal following surgery? |
| 2. What is the recovery from eyelid surgery like? |
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4. Will people know that I've had a rhinoplasty? |
| 3. Will eyelid surgery help the dark circles under my eyes? |
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| 4. How long does the improvement from a facelift last? |
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| FACELIFT |
| 1. Do I need a facelift or can a less invasive procedure meet my expectations? |
| Up to a certain age, a patient can obtain good improvement with noninvasive treatments such as Botox and fillers, or less invasive procedures such as a ThreadLift. Past a certain age, the skin excess of the jowls and neck requires a facelift for significant improvement. A person's age is only one factor, with the quality of the skin also entering into the decision making process. |
| 2. Are there different types of facelifts? |
| Yes. The terminology can be confusing, with words such a "necklift" , "S-lift" and "mini-lift" appearing in articles and advertising. Procedures advertised as "mini" often give "mini" results. Remember that the aging process generally involves the entire face, and simply tightening the neck will not address aging changes in the brow or eye area. |
| 3. What procedures can be done with a facelift? |
| A browlift and/or eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) can be combined with a facelift. A laser resurfacing procedure for wrinkles can be done as well. Procedures on the face are not generally combined with body contouring procedures such as breast surgery or liposuction. Patient safety issues figure into limits on multiple procedures and operative time. |
| 4. How much down time is needed for a facelift? |
| It depends what you do. If your job has you meeting the public, it may take about two weeks before you can get by with just a bit of makeup. If your daughter is getting married, you'd want to allow about six weeks so there is no chance of the slightest remaining bruising being seen on the wedding photographs. |
| 5. How long does the improvement from a facelift last? |
| The aging process resumes the day after surgery. One should expect the results of a facelift to last about 7 to 10 years. The age at which a patient has her facelift is an issue, as well as factors such as sun exposure. Maintenance procedures may be needed earlier, and the Contour ThreadLift shows promise with prolonging the facelift results. |
| 6. What is the "facelift look?" |
| You don't want people to immediately know that you've had a facelift when they see you for the first time after surgery. Skin pulled too tightly or in the wrong direction, an excessively elevated hairline, or earlobe tugged down are all facelift stigmata to be avoided. The highest compliment you can be paid after surgery is for someone to think that you look different, but they can't exactly put their finger on it. A refreshed, rejuvenated look is our goal. Of course, the results of a facelift in a 70 year old patient will be more dramatic than that in a 50 year old person. |
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| EYELID SURGERY (Blepharoplasty) |
| 1. What is the best procedure to rejuvenate the area around the eyes? |
| There probably isn't an area in plastic surgery that has seen more advances than with periorbital surgery. Procedures that used to simply remove extra skin from the upper eyelids and extra fat from the lower eyelids have become much more sophisticated. The eyelids can now be reshaped to restore a youthful appearance, and most lower eyelid surgery now involves a scarless technique. |
| 2. What is the recovery from eyelid surgery like? |
| The eyelid skin is the thinnest on the body, and it heals faster that any other area. Sutures come out in only a few days, and patients can then start wearing makeup. Many patients have surgery mid-week, and are back to work the following Monday. We ask patients to refrain from driving and bending over for 24 hours following surgery, but after that most normal activities are OK. |
| 3. Will eyelid surgery help the dark circles under my eyes? |
| Generally no. Some people have changes in the pigmentation of the lower eyelids, and other patients have a hollow or tear trough where the eyelid meets the cheek. The typical lower eyelid procedure sometimes needs to be combined with fat or Sculptra injections to help with this hollow. The pigmentary changes may need a bleaching medication, laser treatment or a chemical peel for improvement. |
| 4. Are any patients not good candidates for eyelid surgery? |
| Patients with thyroid problems, dry eyes or hypertension can be at increased risk for postoperative problems. Lower eyelids that have lost their youthful elasticity also need to be approached with extra caution. All of this will be discussed in your consultation. |
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| BROWLIFT |
| 1. What does a browlift do? |
| In addition to helping sagging brows, a browlift improves the skin excess below the eyebrows. This is an area that an eyelid lift alone will not help. A browlift can also improve the wrinkles of the forehead and between the eyebrows. |
| 2. What are the different types of browlifts? |
| The traditional or open browlift involves an incision across the top of the scalp. Patients with normal hair thickness heal this incision quite well. There are also limited incision procedures that are well suited for patients who do not have significant forehead wrinkles. The newest approach involves the Endotine™ fixation device (click on What's New to view this procedure). |
| 3. What is the down time for a browlift? |
| Taking a week off of work is generally considered enough following a browlift. |
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| RHINOPLASTY |
| 1. Should I bring in photos of celebrities whose noses I like? |
| Only if you don't like the magazines in our waiting room. Rhinoplasty can reshape your nose, not replace it. The nature of your nasal skin and the arrangement of the bone and cartilage in your nose can be very important in the degree of improvement possible. A person's nose must be proportional to their face. You would not want a tiny nose if you have a long face, for example. Artistry and surgical judgement play a big role in this procedure, the most technically demanding of all cosmetic surgery operations. |
| 2. Are there any visible scars from a rhinoplasty? |
| If you are simply having a small hump on your nose smoothed down, the incisions are hidden inside of your nose. Nasal tip reshaping generally involves an open rhinoplasty technique, in which a small scar underneath the nose is combined with the incisions inside the nostrils. |
| 3. How long does it take for my nose to look normal following surgery? |
| Within a week or two, you'll no longer look as though you've had nasal surgery. The skin of the nose is fairly thick, and it can take months for every last bit of swelling to subside and for the final results of your surgery to become apparent. |
| 4. Will people know that I've had a rhinoplasty? |
| One goal of surgery is to avoid the typical appearance of a "nosejob". We've all seen people who have a very upturned nasal tip or too small a nose. That is to be avoided. We want you to see a big difference following surgery and to feel better about yourself. We want other people to scratch their heads and wonder why you look better. |
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