What is a lower facelift?

Facial aging is a process that occurs in all layers of the face. The bony skeleton resorbs and provides less structural support. With increased laxity in the retaining ligaments of the face, the muscle, fat and connective tissue layers descend over time with gravity. More superficially, the skin becomes thinner
with less elastin and collagen, with pigment and wrinkles reflecting chronic sun damage. The result is loose, hanging skin and heaviness in the lower face and neck, and hollowing and volume loss under the eyes and in the upper cheeks.

A facelift, technically known as rhytidectomy, is a cosmetic surgery aimed to tighten loose or sagging skin in the face and neck and reduce jowling. This is achieved by surgically removing excess fat and excess skin itself, tightening the underlying muscles, and re-draping the skin. With advancement in surgical technique in recent decades, extended deep plane facelifts have arose to become the gold standard approach.

Medically called a rhytidectomy, in simple terms, a facelift is a surgery that uses hidden incisions along the hairline and ear to lift and reposition the facial tissues to a more youthful position. Unfortunately, facelift surgery is associated with the stigma of “bad” cosmetic surgery – a look that appears unnatural or overdone. With proper use of modern techniques, a facelift surgery can yield
the most natural and powerful transformation in rejuvenation of the face and neck.

For marketing purposes, many surgeons often rename and rebrand their version of a facelift. This can create confusion for patients who are trying to research this surgery. Regardless of how it is phrased, the important distinction is that a deep plane face lift technique is being performed. This approach corrects the cheek, jawline and neck. Through an extended dissection in the sub-SMAS or deeper plane of the face, the necessary ligaments are released to successfully resuspend the soft tissue structure without tethering or relying on pulling skin too tightly. This provides the most improved and natural looking results, as well as the longest lasting results.