Know Cosmetic surgery

With so many different options – and so many of them called “facelift”, it’s hard to know what a true lift is – when is it needed – and how invasive does it have to be.  I’ve discussed the Tuliplift before, and why it is an ideal solution for certain types of aging, yet I find many of my patients still have either unrealistic expectations of some procedures or frightening misconceptions about facelifts.

The most obvious answer is that for patients considering a Tulip Lift, we offer a free Oxygen Facial or Microdermabrassion with consultation.  A less obvious pleasure quotient is that very often you will learn that there are treatments you never considered – and they may prove to be more in line with your own desires for “quick and easy” solutions.  We all wish there really was an “Easy” button – but what we are all asking for when we say quick and easy – is really a more elegant and well thought out plan – something that has been so finely honed it seems to be magic. 

The answer is: It depends on the facial anatomy and sex of the patient.

(Sorry--nothing in life is easy!) Here are my thoughts on the proper placement of facelift scars:

I always discuss the exact location of the scars with my facelift patients. In most patients, a few months after the surgery, these scars are barely visible. But especially in men, or women with short hair, they can be visible.

I believe that a facelift should achieve several specific goals. It should remove excess skin, remove excess fat from the neck and jowl area, replace lost volume in the cheek and jawline, tighten the muscles of the neck and face, and refresh the skin.

Lets discuss each of these seperately...

The Lifestyle Lift has become very popular over the past few years and I have had several patients ask me about it. I love that more and more surgeons are performing facelifts under local anesthesia. Remember, local anesthesia is all that is needed. I have been doing my Tuliplifts under local anesthesia since 2000.

One of the things that sets the Tuliplift apart is that the area under the neck is also addressed. Excess skin and fat is removed and the neck muscle (Platysma) tightened...

Everything here was done under local anaesthesia and mild sedations: CO2 laser; Peel; Eyelift and Tuliplift. View the Before and After photos.

As we age the fatty deposits in the healthy cheeks and upper face area succumb to the forces of gravity and "fall" into the jowl and neck area. Additionally, the bones of the face and chin area slowly shrink. The cummulative effect of the above is a sagging face.

The trademarked Tuliplift procedure includes micro liposuction of the jowl and neck area. The harvested fat is concentrated and injected right after the Tuliplift procedure into the laugh lines and cheek bone area.

The hollowness is fixed and the youthful appearence of the face is restored. Leftover fat is stored in our state licensed Tissue Bank for future use.

Read this if you ar not ready for a conventional cutting facelift.

Thermage, or Thermacool, is one modality often used to tighten the skin and underlying structures. Five years later and having performed hundreds of procedures I have learned to perfect the technique. I sometimes hear from patients that their friends had a Thermage procedure with no visible results. Upon further examination it becomes evident that the procedure was done not by a board certified dermatologist or plastic surgeon, but by a nurse at a mall. Performing Thermage is an art. There is a delicate balance between visible and long lasting results and diappointment or possible side effects.

My practice is in Southern California and a large percentage of my patients have a darker skin complexion. Asian and African American patients with a history of keloids or unsightly scars are often hesitant to have a facelift.

Often I'm asked--in regards to the sagging of the jowels and neck area--if there is a more conservative approach one can take: a solution not requiring "any cutting". Here is the answer...

YES! There is a facelift which is well suited for men. Men are generally more hesitant than women to have a facelift. They often worry about visible scarring extending into scalp or forehead, a pulled look, and a long recovery period. It does not have to be like that. My trademarked Tuliplift, which is performed under mild sedation, addresses all the above concerns. It doesn't give men a pulled or artificial look, recovery is usually 10-4 days, and scars are both limited in length and do not extend into hair bearing scalp.

Cosmetic surgery inherently involves some level of risk. On occasion, one can encounter rare symptoms such as bleeding, infection, or scars that just won't heal right--all symptoms that can complicate the recovery for months to come. When considering cosmetic surgery, it is important to factor in these unpleasant risks, so that you are equipped to handle them should they arise.

Last year I was asked to consult on a patient who had undergone a facelift procedure in Mexico. The immediate post-operative period had been uneventful, and she had returned to Los Angeles to recover. Four weeks after the surgery the scars in front of her right ear started to thicken. Over the next few months, these scars developed into unsightly and painful Keloids, which required several corrective treatments. . .